C A T C H 22 |BWWM|

Meridian, MS. September 1943
Monday, 1:30 pm

Deen

I stood outside of my old house packing up all the remainder of the boxes into the back of my family truck. It was sad to have to leave everything behind. Family and friends, all the memories. But a new beginning was calling, to be more specific, the fat city of Jackson was calling us.

My dad and mom had mentioned moving there but I never thought about it too much for the simple fact that everything I had ever known was in Meridian. That all changed when my dad recently lost his job. His job had said something along the lines of 'how this war was taking money out of our pockets'. I understood his boss' reasoning because it was certainly true. World War Two was taking a toll on everybody in America.

"That all the boxes mama?" I yelled to my mom who was in the front yard.

"Yeah, honey. Check the house for me real quick would ya'?" I nodded even though she couldn't see me and traveled into our barren home. It was cold and had lost the homey touch. I walked through the kitchen, living room, and the dining room. Nothing was there. I had found myself in my old room after a good time of searching around. I smiled and touched the blue-painted walls that were slightly scratched.

"Deen is everything—oh. . ." I turned to my mom who was leaning on the doorframe. Her eyes looked dreary and tired as she pulled off a weak smile for me. "It's gonna' be just fine De okay?"

I nodded. "I know, Mama. It's just so much is here, this is home for me and it'll always be home." I turned to my walls until my Louis Armstrong poster caught my eye. I walked to it, admiring one of my most favorite inspirations. I loved music, singing in particular. I peeled the thin paper off the walls and rolled it up carefully.

"I always hated that you had a poster of him in my house," She said. I cringed and shook my head knowing if I argued with her then she would give me a long lecture on the way to Jackson.

"Well I like him, Mama, so please, just–just let it be." I walked past her and jogged out the house until I made it to the truck. My mama came shortly after and unlocked our car.

"Well, De." I could tell she was about to cry by her voice that had cracked. I heard the quiet sniffles from her as her head was in the palms. I rubbed her back to soothe her crying. "I hate crying, I'm sorry Deen"

"It's fine ma, really. I know it's been hard on you to have to leave, but just think, Pops already has a job in Jackson and the city is big. You always said you wanted to live in a fat city." she nodded and laughed a bit. She lifted her head and wiped the tears on her cheek. After starting our car and pulling out of our driveway, she stopped in the middle of the street.

"Goodbye home," She said lowly while looking at our house.

"Yep. Farewell, and until next time." I smiled as my mom drove away and out of our neighborhood.

"Ma what school am I goin' to again?"

She pursed her lips. "Oh, it's something like Lewis. . .no. . .Lenin?"

"Oh I remember, it was Lenin Jr. somethin' right?" She nodded and kept speeding down the highway. Her driving always gave me anxiety but I would never say it to her.