Saturday, August 07, 2010

Random Childhood Memory


I was between four and six years old when this happened. For some reason, this is one of those memories that's etched into my psyche. Why and how don't exist here because it's simple cause and affect. I took money that wasn't mine and I got the shit beat out of me for it. This happened in Mexico when we were living in the D.F. in some apartment complex and at the time, my aunt and my cousins were staying with us at the time, waiting to cross to the U.S.

I remember seeing money in a china cabinet, stuffed inside a cup. Can't remember how much money it was, but chances are that it was a substantial amount from the beating I got. I took the money without asking or anything and I went straight to the local arcades, which was next to a tortilla factory/store. I remember because that's where we would by our tortillas and because of the smells coming from it. I spent the entire afternoon playing games and then heading home, oblivious to what was expecting me home.

As soon as I got home, my mother asked about the money. I eventually confessed that I took the money and spent it at the arcades. From that moment on I can't remember anything else. I remember my mom beating the living shit outta me, to the point were I had a bloody nose. I then remember she tied me up and continued to beat on me some more. She eventually threw me inside her bedroom like some dirty carpet on to the bed. I can remember crying, tied up, wonder what the fuck was going on. She told me something before shge left me there, saying that she was going to leave me tied up until she came back from the store.

Next thing I remember is my aunt coming into the room, untying me and cleaning all the blood on my face and neck. I remember her telling me that it was alright. That the money didn't matter and something to the affect that my mom still loves me or that she didn't mean to do this to me. I can recall sitting down on a chair, my cousin watching, then me watching her as my aunt combed and braided her hair. I can she their shadows as the warm, bright light of the afternoon sun came through the white curtains. Making them turn into shadows in my mind. I remember my mom coming through the front door, I hid behind my aunt, scared because I wasn't tied up. The next day, everything returned back to normal, as if that never happened.