HarlemLIVE

On a frost February afternoon, I was excited with warmth and anticipation. That afternoon I had walked up the stairs to Mr. James’ room and sat down, while the class waited for every one else to arrive and get prepared to eat supper.

Supper at the Jackie Robinson Grant Day Care Center After-school Program was always the best. Macaroni, greens, rice with chops of turkey is always a classic meal we’d have often and I was so happy to smell it on my way into the cafeteria. A big smile was placed on my face because today’s supper had a lot in stored. The week before, we had to write a five hundred word essay for Black History Month on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and who ever had the best essay would win $100 and a bag of goodies. My mother had written the essay for me and I just knew that I had the best one. The process of completing the essay was difficult. My mother tried her best to get me to write the essay but she gave in and wrote it for me. She’s in college and is always typing on the computer so I knew that this would be an easy task for her.

I was socializing with my friends while eating at the table. “You can’t have food in your mouth while you’re praying cause god will choke you,” said Satara. “Nooo that’s not true, you lying.” I replied. For a moment I believed her but then went with my word and tested it out. And was she mad when I proved her wrong. An announcement was made to clean up quickly so we can be informed on the results for the essay competition. We all threw away our plates and cleaned the tables. Once everything was spotless we then all turned our chairs to the center of the room, as the guest speaker told us to. He explained to us all about how everyone who had participated in the essay contest did a great job. She told us what we were going to be prized with if we win and after that I heard blah blah blah. The coordinator started carrying out the goody bags and a dozen of roses were in the hands of the director. My legs were swinging back and fourth in the chair waiting to plop on the ground once I heard my name. The speaker’s shiny baldhead made the lights in the room so much brighter and then he started to announce the winners. He called 1st, 2nd and 3rd places already and I wasn’t shocked at all to not hear my name. The guest speaker with a robust voice along with a drum roll began to announce the grand prizewinner. “And the grand prize winner is…Tanza-!

I didn’t hear the whole name but instantly after that my happy mood immediately changed and my smile frowned. I was so gloomy but I tried to hold it in. I knew that if I cry it would be loud and I didn’t want to embarrass myself. My emotions weren’t hidden at all; you could see it all in my face. The blood that I contain slowly traveled through my veins into my head, causing my eyes to get watery. I was even more quiet than usual after.

When the announcements were over we all went back to Mr. James’ room and had free time. I waited for my mother to pick my little sister and me up. Once she came and opened the doors to exit Grant Day Care Center After-school Program, tears instantaneously raced down my cheeks. I cried so loud. “What’s wrong Kendra?” My mother asked. I told her that I didn’t win the essay contest and she had no advice to give.

When we got up stairs to the apartment, I ran into my mom’s room and started to cry my eyes out even more. She was on the phone talking to my aunt in the kitchen and both of my sisters were sitting in the living room watching television. I wanted attention from them but I did not receive it. I was so angry because I felt that my essay was so much better than Tanza-who cares. It then crossed my mind that I hadn’t even written the essay nor did I read it.

On the carpet, in my mom’s room, a hairpin was just lying there. I started bending it and this amazed me as the tears started to end. I began rolling on the floor with the pin in my hand and then in front of me was an outlet next to my mother’s dresser. Not even realizing what I was doing I stuck the hairpin in the outlet and ‘Boom’ the power went out and I saw an electric shock.

I ran to my mother and told her what had happened and cried out of terror. She handed me the phone to speak to my aunt. I told my aunt what had happened and she told me I could die if I’d do that again. That frightened me even more. However I then realized that I often get upset over littlest things and I care so much over valueless obsessions and objects. My aunt told me, “Jealousy isn’t worth getting upset.” I recognized that there are so many things to be happy and grateful for, for instance life.