Cleveland

Though I would never go back to California, for fear it's just going to fall into the great abyss one day, I can't for the life of me figure out what prompted my parents to pick Cleveland, Ohio to pitch their land flag. I remember this of my first moments in Cleveland. I lived on a short street, in a duplex with a little girl that lived next door. Her name was Rhonda, and this would be my first lesson in exclusion. She was best friends with Susie who lived on the other side of us. I guess Susie was high class because she lived in a single home, and well, Rhonda was high class because her family owned the duplex we lived in. Rhonda's family had a pool, and I remember vividly seeing the crystal clear blue water, sunlight shimmering off the top, beach ball floating aimlessly around in circles. I wanted so badly to jump in and feel an escape. Although I almost drowned in California, water became and has continued to be a source of peace and solace for me. Rhonda didn't like me in HER pool. Her parents said we could use it, but my mom said just stay away unless they are out there and ask you to get in. Day after endless summer day, I would watch out the back window with steaming jealousy as Rhonda and Susie and Susie's brother Teddy would frolic, yes frolic, in the pool. I'm pretty sure at this young age of 7 is when I first began to feel rage. Sonny was a drunk bastard everyday, and I had no friends to turn too. Until one day Teddy said, "want to walk with me?"