Live to Tell

It started off innocent enough. Scratch that, I'm lying. This is my family, nothing is ever innocent or easy.

• Sister runs off from VA with derelict 'boyfriend' and my five month old niece to live in NY again (and I use the term 'boyfriend' very very loosely). This is done in secret 2 days before Thanksgiving.
• Mother calls hysterical when she arrives home to find the house empty.
• Discover that Mother is using cigarettes to sedate herself.
• Meet my brand new nephew Justice who is beautiful.
• Get hugs from my niece Leah.
• Have fight with boyfriend.
• Drop cellphone in public toilet at mall with NO money to purchase another one if phone decides it will not come back to life.
• Make up with boyfriend.
• Decide to stay one extra day because I worry about leaving my mother alone after she's had a house full for 4 days.
• Cellphone comes back to life.
• Arrive at bus depot only to be informed that the bus is full and oversold and that I will have to leave Sunday night at midnight.
• Arrive in NYC Monday morning at 6:30am and go straight to work sans shower or sleep.

Thanksgiving holiday over: PRICELESS

an you thought that YOU had it hard...

"Yeah, it's not that bad though, even though I have to take the "L" train n' all. I mean, it's not like it's HARLEM where you need a gun just to go to the grocery store".

(overheard 11.13.06 in Union Square NYC)