Wow! I cannot believe I turned thirteen yesterday August 15. Momma promised that when I became13, I could ride the city bus downtown by myself. My sister was now 15 and this was a family tradition. Grandma Toni started our mother this way riding the bus alone, so momma passed it down to us. You had to be a teenager to venture downtown Burlington by yourself. Where we live is basically a safe slow moving city with not many African Americans. But I can say we get along with the neighbors who are African American, Asian, Hispanic and American Indians.
I guess you are curious about our living in such a city. My dad chose to live in Burlington, Vermont because his family has always lived here. How our ancestors got to Vermont was after the Civil War slaves were set free. His great, great, great grandfather decided to move to Canada. Now the story as told by my daddy was grandpa Jeffrey saved his money he made from weaving baskets on the side. He only had a wife, two sons and very little possessions. When the Emancipation Proclamation came down grandpa decided to move North with his wife and two sons for a better life. He did not want his sons to grow up like he did being looked down upon and treated like some kind of workhorse for no pay and little respect.
Grandpa Jeffrey had everyone’s freedom papers. But he knew how to be safe and hold his tongue when necessary. Also how to treat those people who did not like the fact that they were no longer slaves but free people. They had some problems along the way like, hunger, needing a place to sleep besides on the ground or in the wagon. So when they would run out of food and tired of travelling he would stop in towns where ex-slaves were allowed to work and make his baskets to sell. Grandma and the boys would help grandpa with making baskets. But they had great faith that if they were led out of the south, the Lord would take care of them and he did, all the way to Vermont. However, coming across six states was not easy. They came up the eastern coast of the United States. They were from South Carolina and they had to travel through North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and part of Vermont. Daddy said by the time grandpa got to Vermont he liked it so well, he decided to buy some land and settle there. He never made it to Canada because he liked the open space and fresh air.
That is how we ended up in Burlington, Vermont and we have never moved. In case you are wondering our mother is African American mixed with Native American. She is quite a pretty lady, and nice too. But boy does she believe in following rules, the rules of the house, school, church, and in public. She says nobody wants to be bothered with unruly, undisciplined people walking around thinking the world owes them something. She says when people become adults they have to learn how to work and take care of themselves. If you do not work you do not eat, that is the message of this house. Once her brother came to live with us straight out of the military and he would not look for a job. He sat around watching our cable all day and momma got mad. She told him he had rested for three weeks and it was time for him to get some work. Well he thought because he was her little brother that he could just live off her and dad. But he soon found out that my momma does not play. Before dad could talk to him momma gave him an ultimatum, find a job in two weeks or you have to leave. Not the city but out of this house! Well, he did not, and momma very politely told him to pack his bags and go. He stated, “I do not feel I should have to be rushed in finding a job.” She told him, “no you do not but to stay here you have to contribute to the household and I have not seen anything of substance coming from your pockets yet.” So out he went. And the next time we heard from him he had found a job in another town in Vermont. Momma does not play when it comes to being responsible. My sister talked back to my momma once and momma took her allowance for a week and would not let her go to the homecoming dance in her freshman year. That was one of the hardest lessons that Mona learned. Momma said, “ You do not cut off the hand that feeds you.” When momma turns to dad, we have really done something out of the ordinary and we need a harsher discipline. We do not want to cross him.
I asked to go with my sister one time on the bus last year and my mother kept telling me no. I was persistent and the last time I asked momma she told me to go sit down somewhere. I did not and she made me take my sister’s turn doing the dishes for a week. I never did that again. She tells us, “I discipline you because I love you.” Then she says, “The Bible says if you do not discipline your children they are not loved.” Then she gives us a big hug and tells us to go think about that one. I may get mad but I do not want to loose my allowance so I keep my big mouth shut. But my sister, when will she learn! Does she like to be broke?
“Well, I am leaving the house now,” I call to momma. She gives me a big hug and tells me what bus to catch, where to get off and what time to be back home. She gives me money for the bus, shopping and eating. “Do not spend it all in one place. Walking home can be tiresome, learn to spend your money wisely,” she says. Off I go a little nervous because I have never been downtown by myself, ever. I get on the bus and I look at my surroundings. Oh my, all these different types of people, where do they all come from. Big ones, little ones, old ones, young ones, the bus is full. I look at my watch and it is 9:30 A.M. I thought most people had to be at work by 8:00. What am I thinking, it is Saturday morning and the stores do not open until 10:00 A.M. I wonder if they are going the same place I am. Should I start a conversation, momma says do not talk to strangers so that is out. I take out my cell phone to play games and I look around and everyone else has their cell phone out. Now I feel like I fit in. America has gone technical. Everyone has a cell phone. Why not, what else is there to do on a bus if you cannot talk to anyone. Oh, maybe that’s just me, because I am a kid by myself, on a bus. Then I look forward and see two women talking about that new diet many music artists’ are on.
How exciting! What have I been missing not riding the bus? bus? I look around and see my best friend get on the bus.
Bianca boards the bus and yells,
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL. I would not let you celebrate your birthday ride alone." "How did you know about the birthday ride?”
“Your mom called and set it up as a surprise.” “Wow! I am shocked and happy at the same time.” We got off the bus, and walked and talked.
We looked in every store and bought whatever we wanted. Finally we went to a restaurant and bought food.
We were so hungry we could hardly wait for it to come. After we ate we saw some cute boys. And they were cute!
We just giggled and ran to catch the bus home before dark. When I slung the door open momma had a big smile for me.
Dad said, “How was your trip downtown”. I smiled back. My sister ran into the living room and started giggling.
With a big sister look she said, “How was the bus ride?” I replied, “Honey I had so much fun, me and Bianca.
I can hardly wait to tell you upstairs in my room.” “Monica,” she said, “no boys”. I said, “I will tell you later”.
We ran upstairs to my room and I began to tell her the 411.“ I like riding the bus. Next time we can go together”.
Wow! I cannot believe I turned thirteen yesterday August 15. Momma promised that when I became13, I could ride the city bus downtown by myself. My sister was now 15 and this was a family tradition. Grandma Toni started our mother this way riding the bus alone, so momma passed it down to us. You had to be a teenager to venture downtown Burlington by yourself. Where we live is basically a safe slow moving city with not many African Americans. But I can say we get along with the neighbors who are African American, Asian, Hispanic and American Indians.
I guess you are curious about our living in such a city. My dad chose to live in Burlington, Vermont because his family has always lived here. How our ancestors got to Vermont was after the Civil War slaves were set free. His great, great, great grandfather decided to move to Canada. Now the story as told by my daddy was grandpa Jeffrey saved his money he made from weaving baskets on the side. He only had a wife, two sons and very little possessions. When the Emancipation Proclamation came down grandpa decided to move North with his wife and two sons for a better life. He did not want his sons to grow up like he did being looked down upon and treated like some kind of workhorse for no pay and little respect.
Grandpa Jeffrey had everyone’s freedom papers. But he knew how to be safe and hold his tongue when necessary. Also how to treat those people who did not like the fact that they were no longer slaves but free people. They had some problems along the way like, hunger, needing a place to sleep besides on the ground or in the wagon. So when they would run out of food and tired of travelling he would stop in towns where ex-slaves were allowed to work and make his baskets to sell. Grandma and the boys would help grandpa with making baskets. But they had great faith that if they were led out of the south, the Lord would take care of them and he did, all the way to Vermont. However, coming across six states was not easy. They came up the eastern coast of the United States. They were from South Carolina and they had to travel through North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York and part of Vermont. Daddy said by the time grandpa got to Vermont he liked it so well, he decided to buy some land and settle there. He never made it to Canada because he liked the open space and fresh air.
That is how we ended up in Burlington, Vermont and we have never moved. In case you are wondering our mother is African American mixed with Native American. She is quite a pretty lady, and nice too. But boy does she believe in following rules, the rules of the house, school, church, and in public. She says nobody wants to be bothered with unruly, undisciplined people walking around thinking the world owes them something. She says when people become adults they have to learn how to work and take care of themselves. If you do not work you do not eat, that is the message of this house. Once her brother came to live with us straight out of the military and he would not look for a job. He sat around watching our cable all day and momma got mad. She told him he had rested for three weeks and it was time for him to get some work. Well he thought because he was her little brother that he could just live off her and dad. But he soon found out that my momma does not play. Before dad could talk to him momma gave him an ultimatum, find a job in two weeks or you have to leave. Not the city but out of this house! Well, he did not, and momma very politely told him to pack his bags and go. He stated, “I do not feel I should have to be rushed in finding a job.” She told him, “no you do not but to stay here you have to contribute to the household and I have not seen anything of substance coming from your pockets yet.” So out he went. And the next time we heard from him he had found a job in another town in Vermont. Momma does not play when it comes to being responsible. My sister talked back to my momma once and momma took her allowance for a week and would not let her go to the homecoming dance in her freshman year. That was one of the hardest lessons that Mona learned. Momma said, “ You do not cut off the hand that feeds you.” When momma turns to dad, we have really done something out of the ordinary and we need a harsher discipline. We do not want to cross him.
I asked to go with my sister one time on the bus last year and my mother kept telling me no. I was persistent and the last time I asked momma she told me to go sit down somewhere. I did not and she made me take my sister’s turn doing the dishes for a week. I never did that again. She tells us, “I discipline you because I love you.” Then she says, “The Bible says if you do not discipline your children they are not loved.” Then she gives us a big hug and tells us to go think about that one. I may get mad but I do not want to loose my allowance so I keep my big mouth shut. But my sister, when will she learn! Does she like to be broke?
“Well, I am leaving the house now,” I call to momma. She gives me a big hug and tells me what bus to catch, where to get off and what time to be back home. She gives me money for the bus, shopping and eating. “Do not spend it all in one place. Walking home can be tiresome, learn to spend your money wisely,” she says. Off I go a little nervous because I have never been downtown by myself, ever. I get on the bus and I look at my surroundings. Oh my, all these different types of people, where do they all come from. Big ones, little ones, old ones, young ones, the bus is full. I look at my watch and it is 9:30 A.M. I thought most people had to be at work by 8:00. What am I thinking, it is Saturday morning and the stores do not open until 10:00 A.M. I wonder if they are going the same place I am. Should I start a conversation, momma says do not talk to strangers so that is out. I take out my cell phone to play games and I look around and everyone else has their cell phone out. Now I feel like I fit in. America has gone technical. Everyone has a cell phone. Why not, what else is there to do on a bus if you cannot talk to anyone. Oh, maybe that’s just me, because I am a kid by myself, on a bus. Then I look forward and see two women talking about that new diet many music artists’ are on.
How exciting! What have I been missing not riding the bus? bus? I look around and see my best friend get on the bus.
Bianca boards the bus and yells,
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL. I would not let you celebrate your birthday ride alone." "How did you know about the birthday ride?”
“Your mom called and set it up as a surprise.” “Wow! I am shocked and happy at the same time.” We got off the bus, and walked and talked.
We looked in every store and bought whatever we wanted. Finally we went to a restaurant and bought food.
We were so hungry we could hardly wait for it to come. After we ate we saw some cute boys. And they were cute!
We just giggled and ran to catch the bus home before dark. When I slung the door open momma had a big smile for me.
Dad said, “How was your trip downtown”. I smiled back. My sister ran into the living room and started giggling.
With a big sister look she said, “How was the bus ride?” I replied, “Honey I had so much fun, me and Bianca.
I can hardly wait to tell you upstairs in my room.” “Monica,” she said, “no boys”. I said, “I will tell you later”.
We ran upstairs to my room and I began to tell her the 411.“ I like riding the bus. Next time we can go together”.