“Okay, you’re doing your birthday early this year, remember momma has to go and get trained to work for Uncle Sam; so I won’t be home on your birthday this year.” Lisa tells her son. His name is Colbie and he is going to be in kindergarten this coming school year.

Lisa is standing un front of him, as he eats his lunch. She is tall, slender built, lighter brown skin toned and Colbie is lighter than her. They both have dark brown eyes, and dark brown hair and they both have a smile that can light up a room. Lisa’s marriage is starting to crumble and she knows she needs to do something soon, to be able to take care of her son and to help her mother. She has taken all she can from her husband and she needs a change in her life, she is 29 years old, a young Christian mother of 1 son.

“Okay, momma, I know. “Replies Colbie as he sits there munching on his favorite menu homemade mac n cheese and double fried honey chicken. He wonders who this Uncle Sam and why he hasn’t met him already, but the food is too, good to right now to give it another thought. All he knows that in 2 weeks is his birthday and to him that means a birthday party with mom and one with grannie. It’s the day of Colbie’s birthday and he is up early in the morning, can’t wait for the day to begin and so he goes down the hallway and was about to knocks on his mothers door; his mom says ”Oh, you’re up, I thought you was going to sleep all day. Go get cleaned and dresses for the day. Have you done your morning prayer yet?” “Yes, Ma’am, I was just seeing if you were up already.” He answers her back as he turns around to walk to back to his room “She didn’t even say Happy Birthday.” He says as he is walking to his bed to get his clothing to put on. “Did , she forget it’s my birthday today?” he’s thinking to himself. He comes out of his room walking down the hall wearing his jean shorts and his Thundercats t-shirt and Thundercats tennis shoes and blue socks. As he gets closer to the kitchen, he smells pancakes or as he used to call them panniecakes. He quickly walks into the kitchen and he sees a plate full of pancakes and turkey bacon and melted butter and maple syrup and a large glass of orange juice freshly squeezed and on top of the pancakes is a big Happy Birthday candle. He stands there and smiles a big huge grin. “Oh, yeah!!!” she shouts. And they he hears his mom singing happy birthday to him. He runs over and hugs her as she bends down and hugs him back and he kisses her all over her face, like she does him sometimes.

Then they walk over to the table, he is about to walk her to her chair and she says “NO, today I will pull the chair out for you and just act like a little king.” His mother tells him. She slides him into the table, then she sits down and she holds out her hands across the table; he reaches up and grabs her hands and they both bow their heads and she says a prayer. Lisa takes out one of the fireplace matches and lights his pancakes and he blows them out, then she takes the candle off and he starts to devour his meal. “Watch it take your time, you don’t want to get sick on her famous day, do you?” She asks him.”Mom? “.he “asks. “Yes, hun?” she answers. “Mom, who is Uncle Sam, and how come I’ve never even seen him before?” he asks her.”Forst chew your food with your mouth close, please..Uncle Sam is the government and I’m going to go train for the Air National Guard, which is like the Air Force, but I’ll get to come home to you and still be able to go back to school and get a better education, so you don’t have to take care of me when you get old.” She says with a smile on her face.”But aren’t you too old to join the Air people?’ he ask her, as he is getting two more pancakes?” “Well, I just got in at the right time.” “Are you going to have to do like with the GI Joes? I want to be like the GI Joes went I get big.” He says. “GI Joes are cartoons, but who knows what I will have to do.” She says as she is thinking about that statement, she just made and his too.”Well, we need to hurry up we have a long day ahead of us.” She replies.

It’s the day of Colbie’s’ actual birthday, Lisa is waiting for the recruiter to come and take her to the airport for her trip to San Antonio. She didn’t sleep well last night having another fight with her husband. He is sitting in the house sulking, Colbie is at her mother’s house until she gets back. Soon she sees the blue van with the Air National Guard logo on it pull up to her and the recruiter gets out and speaks to her. “Hey, you’re ready, is your son coming to say goodbye or your husband?” the recruiter ask her. “No, my son is at his grandmothers and my husband is inside; he’s probably looking out the window right now.” She answers her. And just as she said that, he comes out the door and tells her goodbye, see you in a week; he says in an demeaning manner. The recruiter says, “Okay, let’s start on your new adventure.” They both get into the van, which has three other people in it already and they head off down the road. Colbie is sitting outside at his grannies’ house and he sees an airplane fly over his head and he wonders if his mom is on that plane. One of the neighborhood boys comes over and says.”Hey, Colbie what are you looking at.” Colbie replies, “Oh, I’m just watching the airplane that is taking my mom -to a place to learn how to work for someone named Uncle Sam.” As he gets up and grabs his basketball to play with. The End