Where is Mama?

Where is Mama?  

 It was 3am and Cookie came in my room and asked, "Where's mama?"

I said, "She went to Linda's, honey."

"I can't sleep Daddy, will you go get her?"

Cookie adopted me, she was a year and a half, when I started seeing her mama. She was very insistent that I was her dad. If anyone said different she would fight. At this time she was 5.

I woke of BayBay, her 19 year old brother, to watch over her until I brought their mother home.

His father denied fatherhood and his step father was a crack addict. I was his first father figure. He said, "It about time, Dad. Be tough with her."

I went to the nearby projects. Since I was a big man (6' 1" tall, 275 lbs) and I looked like I had no fear people would not mess with me. I would say, "Hi, how are you?" to anyone I would see. I went to Linda's house and knocked on the door. Linda let me in and said Brenda was in the kitchen playing cards.

As I went through the living room there were a few people smoking crack and playing cards.

Brenda was coming off her high and I said, "Come on baby it's time to go. Cookie's can't sleep and needs you."

After some arguing a guy came out of the living room and asked her if everything was all right. I looked at him with a look that could kill. I said, "Unless you want your ass kicked, I would recommend that you keep your mouth shut and get your ass out of here."  He went back into the living room and another guy asked him if there was a problem. He said, "Leave that crazy old white man alone. I think he is packing." I wasn't but they were.

I said to Brenda, "I am going out to the car. If you don't get your ass out there in 10 minutes I am going home and get my things and leave your butt. This time I am not coming back and there is no way in hell you can pay the rent." She was out in 5 minutes.

I took her home and said, "The next time you are out smoking crack I am out of here." I kept that promise. I moved out the next week.