Category: Memoir Publisher: Real Life Productions
ISBN-10: 0976258919
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 98
Copyright: January 2004
Child of Baltimore is the compelling true story of a young woman growing up in the city of Baltimore in the ultimate of dysfunctioinal families. Surrounded by siblings and parents as troubled as she, Tia had to find a way to confront the demons of her past, head on, and change the expected course of her life. Determined to find answers at any cost, she takes matters in her own hands to pursue what future, if any, she holds.
What would you do if your every move was controlled by your parents? What if you were denied the company of friends or any contact with your immediate family? What if you were raised to believe that your sole purpose in life was to become a religious pioneer? What if your mother and brother were arrested and charged with the brutal beating death of your father? What if your entire life was marked by tragedy after tragedy?What would you do?
Child of Baltimore is a rare, bold account of a life damaged by drug abuse, physical and emotional abuse. It is a glimpse into a life destroyed and a life reconstructed.
Excerpt
"I am crouched in the corner, hugging my knees, rocking back and forth. Steven is ranting and raving and throwing shit around. I know better to even open my mouth to say anything when he is like this. Earlier, I realize he is about to lose it cause he comes stumbling in and dumps all of Kendra's coins from her piggy bank onto the bed. Pissed beyond belief, I snatch the bank out his hand and try to gather the quarters, nickels, dimes, that are scattered about. This escalates into an all out brawl where he ends up tossing me agains the wall. Once again, I run outside and almost, just almost, make it to the payphone on Whitelock Street. Now, he has just dragged me by my hair back in to the apartment. When I don't act scared enough, he picks up a steel trash can. I duck too late as it comes crashing doen on the top of my head. As I hit the floor, I feel the toe of his boot coming in direct contact with my mouth. I taste the blood as I try to crawl away. It's funny how this hurts but doesn't hurt. I am beginning to be immune to pain. My tolerance for pain is growing higher and higher".
Join me as we travel together on the road called "Aging." I will be sharing my personal experiences with you and offer ideas on how we can better navigate the complex byways of our older years. Grief, healing, generations, ancestors, and more.
For a time, I perched myself on a flat rock, comparing my life with the Guyandotte River. Just as its tributaries replenish it daily, changing it in some small—sometimes great—degree, so have the day-to-day occurrences of life changed me. Like the ri
