Project Text

Jenniffer Ochoa

PAS 113B

Professor Broadous

April 24 2012

The lesson learned through injustice

            “I want to show them the difference between what they think you are and what you can be.” In the book “(Grant Wiggins),” (Gaines 192).

The book A Lesson before Dying is set in a small community in Cajun, during the late 1940’s. Where Jefferson, a 21 year old young black man being accused and convicted of a murder and robbery he did not commit. In which he is now sentenced to death through electrocution. Jefferson’s life was being put into a test in order for the white people in the community to gain a better understanding of the valuable nature of black people in society. Injustice was an essential impact throughout the book, in where they tried to control and blamed black people for undone crime, separating education due to color of skin, and making them seem uneducated.

            Society throughout the book portrays and controls on how precisely black people should be and neglecting their innocence. “"They sentence you to death because you were at the wrong place at the wrong time, with no proof that you had anything to do with the crime” (P.9 Gaines) Despite Jefferson’s innocence throughout his trial, it would not matter if he had fought for his rights because everyone even his attorney was against his trial. “Guilty of robbery and murder in the first degree. Judge commended the twelve white men for reaching a quick and just verdict.” (P.11 Gaines) Certain people were wounded in how much consideration they had put though his trial as they showed no respect towards him.

            Miss Emma; his godmother felt there was no point for her standing up and saying what she felt towards his trial, because she felt that  her presence throughout her life has always been neglected. Ernest Gaines demonstrates in the book how, “Her dark face showed all the pain she had gone though this day […] No. the pain I saw in that face came from many years.” (P.13 Gaines) The quote clarifies how many years black people have always been the targeting points for unwanted crime, and regardless of their hard work they perform it has been seen as pointless. One thing in what black people could have only done was show courage and not let the dominant demolish their dignity. They only way in where the white people saw the African Americans was as slaves.

            Jefferson was direct as a hog that was not worth more that. They were also portrayed in how he was only good for labor work based throughout judgment. The jury had implore him that he was, “A thing to load your bales of cotton, a thing to dig your ditches, to chop your wood, to pull your corn[…]Why,  I would just as soon put a hog in the electric chair as this.” (Pg 8 Gaines) Instead of Jefferson being seen as a regular person with liberalism he was seen as a slave. They way they were showing respect to him linked to the way slaves were treated back in the mid 1800’s. In the article Conditions of antebellum slavery, distinguishes how, “Slaves did most of the work where they lived. Most of them worked in mines or on plantations, while some became servants. Some people thought that slavery was wrong, while the majority of people thought that slavery was acceptable.”(pbs.org)

            Not only was treating the black people as slaves was an essential problem, but it was taken into the next level, in which they had separated their education and entertainments. “There was a white movie theater uptown; a colored movie theater back of town. There were two elementary schools uptown, one Catholic, one public, for whites; and the same back of town for colored.” (Pg.25 Gaines) Separating the schools and education led to injustice for the black people in several ways. One way in which it was unfair, was because as they divide things due to their color of skin, black people will always get the unsanitary places, with less material provided. “I don’t have all the books I need. In some classes I have two children studying out of one book […] some of the pages in the book are missing.” (P.57 Gaines) Black people were not offered the best education, but they did whatever possible to get sufficient study. Grant Wiggins was a teacher that had enough study to be educated but not even that mattered, especially to the white people.

            On the other hand, even though black people will have intelligence they were not allowed to outsmart any dominant group. “Are you questioning me, Higgins?” (P. 57 Gaines) Grant was trying to prove a point of how they hardly have enough materials to teach his students to give them a brighter future, and correct the superintendent as he pronounces his name, but he had to dumb himself down and instead he remained silent. As he went to visit Jefferson in the cell he had to show manners to the sheriff even if they did not showed it in return. Not only did they neglect Grants intelligence but they presumed Jefferson’s knowledge. “I would call it a boy and a fool. A fool is not aware of right and wrong. A fool does what others tell him to do […] this skull here holds no plans.” (P. 7 Gaines) The white people presumed that every black person has no potential to be considered smart, and that is what they thought about Jefferson. The jury thought that he had no cleverness to plan out a murder, in which they portrayed him as an object instead of a human being.

Both Jefferson and Grant feel trapped by their fatalistic worldview. They believe there’s nothing they can do to change things. Grant’s teacher told him that, “It doesn’t matter anymore, […] just do the best you can but it won’t matter.”Grant felt he has been put into a challenge since he first started going to school, and learns that white people have tried to put him down so he would not feel more educated than anyone else, “Don’t be a dammed fool. I am superior to you. I am superior then any man blacker than me.” (P.65 Gaines) His teacher clarified on  Grant does not give up on how less superior he has been feeling his whole life, in which he watches Jefferson transform into someone who can go heroically to the chair. He realizes he can also make changes and defy what is expected of him. By Grant teaching Jefferson how to die the proper way, not how everyone else expects him to die will make dominate groups change their way on how they perceive them. A way on how this correlates in today’s society is how people of color are seen less attractive then light skin people, and till now they have been tried to be demolished. The amount of injustice will begin to proliferate once again if black people do not stand up for what they believe is right. 

Grant used his knowledge to make Jefferson understand the difference of what others thought about him and black people, and what he should do to change injustice."Do you know what a myth is, Jefferson? […] A myth is an old lie that people believe in. White people believe that they're better than anyone else on earth -and that's a myth. The last thing they ever want is to see a black man stand, and think, and show that common humanity that is in us all. It would destroy their myth. They would no longer give justification for having made us slaves and keeping us in the condition we are in. As long as none of us stand, they're safe.” Not only did he made Jefferson understand the concept of what others think of black people, but it made himself understand that he will never feel free if he does not make a move towards this situation. “Going to Bayonne, where I can breathe, […] I can’t breathe here.” (P.14 Gaines) Grant has been avoiding all the negativity that has been surpassing him, while he feels he needs to run away. But helping Jefferson made him realized something beneficial has to be done to put a stop in all this unfairness going on.

 However, Grant Wiggins and Miss Emma depended on Jefferson making a change, because with that change he makes he can enhance the rights of the black people once had. Around this time, 1940’s; life for black people was arduous to maintain freedom without them not being liked and feel less valued. Jefferson at the end clarifies, “Mr wigin tell them m strong tell them im a man” (Gaines). At the end Jefferson shows dignity and shows courage as soon as he is walking towards his death. “I probably would not have noticed it at all had a butterfly, a yellow butterfly with dark spots like ink dots on its wings, not lit there. What had brought it there? […]I watched it fly over the ditch and down into the quarter, I watched it until I could not see it anymore. Yes, I told myself. It is finally over” (Gaines). Grant did not only make a change on Jefferson’s life but also for black people in general. He, himself put up with the humiliation he went through just to teach him a lesson. It also shows that he was inconsiderate what others had thought of Jefferson’s situation, and was determined to accomplish his goal he had assurred.

At this point Grant realizes that Jefferson really did learn a ‘lesson before dying.’ When Grant says, “It is finally over,” (Gaines), He is not only referring to Jefferson’s life, but also that his cowardly nature is “finally over.” He has once and for all taken a stand for what he believes in. This insures that he too, has benefited from this entire experience. Jefferson’s life was sacrificed in order for the white people in the community to gain a better understanding of the valuable nature of the black members of society, also for they could have justice for all not just one certain group of people. In the end Jefferson proves them he is a man and he was the only one being brave at the day of his death. Now that Jefferson life has been taken away many people of color will highly have a better possibility in life and wouldn’t be less valued as they were.

African Americans are found hopeless, and without them standing up for their pride, life for them wall get even worse. White people have always thought they have the power to control others and make them feel less wanted, but Jefferson in the ending of the book proves a point. He proves and shows them the difference between what they think he was and what he really was. They believed he was anything crucial but a man, and at the end he stands up in his two feet and makes them question themselves. It was not easy for Jefferson to learn the lesson, but with the help of Grant Wiggins he and Jefferson learn that if you want to stand up for justice and in what you believe in you need to speak up and prove others wrong.

                                            

                                                 Work Cited

"Conditions of Antebellum Slavery." PBS. PBS, 2004. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2956.html/

Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson before Dying. New York: A. A. Knopf, 1993. Print.

Poet, Ghetto. "Universal Journal/AYJW - Articles, Papers, Essays - Association of Young Journalists and Writers." The Association of Young Journalists, AYJW - News Media, Travel, Games, and More - College and Media Directory. 11 Jan. 2000. Web. 22 Apr. 2012. http://www.ayjw.org/articles.php?id=737320.

Throwaway People

Jenniffer Ochoa

Professor Broadous

PAS 113B

22 March 2012

Disadvantages of Poverty

“More than one billion people in the world live on less than one dollar a day. Another 2.7 billion struggle to survive on less than two dollars per day. Poverty in the developing world, however, goes far beyond income poverty.” (One United Nations Plaza)

As time unfolds poverty in the U.S has been proliferating through decades causing an arduous impact in today’s economy. Every year more people are found above or below the poverty line trying to seek a way out of it. And as far as poverty maintains existing, food insecurity is sure to exist as well. Living in poverty has brought many negative outcomes, making people choose form one possible choice after another. Poverty is affecting individuals economically, socially, and by not assuring them a bright future, because even people with a degree can be found in poverty.

The Place I went to analyze was a place called Women in Deed located in Pasadena, which made me realize what many women and people in general are going through. Approximate 18 women were in the facility getting provided with food, clothes, shower, a bed, and as they are being helped there, they seemed optimistic that they will find a home and a job. Another thing that caught my attention is how their new space changes who they are our now. A couple of women did not feel comfortable in socializing with me while a women opened up and told me life is not easy, even though she a bit seemed ashamed were she stands now. She explained me on how she obtains a degree in Public Relations and is found homeless, but is positive that she will get back in her feet.

People living below the poverty line have experienced, “One of four major hardships…very low food security, overcrowded housing, late rent or mortgage.” (Cohen, Philip) The majority of people, being families of low incomes are becoming more relevant in today’s society causing them to have vulnerable results, such as job changes, unemployment, public assistance, and variations in family needs. In order for an individual or parent to do well economically they need to have a good and stable job that will prevent them from falling down and being categorize as homeless. But as statistics show, the official poverty rate in 2011 in the United States was, “15 percent, representing 46.2 million people…largest number ever recorded and still rising.”(Cohen) As people become to hit the poverty line, they have to consider on taking wise choices with the money they spend in necessities. For example, during periods of cold weather, poor families and elderly individuals are far more likely to experience food insecurity as they have to choose between spending their money on heat or food.

However, people tend to presume that hunger is occurring through scarcity of food and having less amount of food being produce. There is more than enough food for every individual and trucking industry ready to import food wherever it needs to go. What the problem has been for the past decades is customers not having money in their pockets. Poverty has been as essential highlight in the U.S causing, “Ups and downs in food insecurity living up closely with the changes in poverty.” (Isserman, Maurice) Poverty spoils every meal making it uneasy for every family to survive, but even tougher for elderly people.

Hunger is a simple issue to family who qualifies for Food Stamp programs, (WIC), and easier for children who receive free school lunch. When it comes to elderly people, Philip Cohen concludes that, “Many families of poor children have benefit for food stamps, which pulled 2% of children above the poverty line…and in addition to people of the age 65+ are found below poverty line.” Seniors are found in a stressful situation that leaves them to poverty due to medical costs. Many programs have been offered to low income workers with children, as seniors are neglected more and getting harmed by healthcare costs. Furthermore, as families and individuals try hard to overcome poverty it has gotten arduous as they begin to get tied with money and eventually lose their home.

The majority of poor people in America experience real lack of basic material necessities. At times families are unable to purchase adequate food or healthy living for the entire household due to insufficient money, causing stress and anxiety with living so close of falling short. Stress that affiliates families is causing long term effects on their everyday life. It has been portrayed that, “Economic insecurity is the number on predictor of overall health problems, depression, sleep difficulties, and stress among everyday workers.” (Sethi, Arjun) On the other hand, not only does it affect parents, but children as well. Children who experience crowded housing conditions or multiple residential moves, display health and developmental problems.

Children have been struggling more at school for the purpose they want to quit school to get a job and help out their parents out. Children experiencing parents unemployment has, “Increased a child education to be held back by 15 percent.” (Isserman) Many people neglect how bad poverty can affect a person social life. Many poor people that are found in poverty are ashamed on the situation they are found, that they do not like to socialize among others and eventually they begin to isolate themselves. In Maria LaGanga’s article “Tent city USA” explains how a man living in Sacramento who had held a job and an apartment, and now he struggles to stay clean and fed. He shares that, “The only work I have found is holding an advertisement sign on a street corner.” (LaGanga, Maria)

Many economic changes are sprawling every day; people holding a second shift, wage earners getting laid off, ad millions of people moving from middle class to near the poverty line. It has been estimated, “40% of people being unsheltered” making things harsh to see people become homeless every day and not being offered enough help. The poor are the ones that are getting sick more often than anyone else in the society. Despite that they get decent medical care, they have a higher rate of getting sick because of the slums they live on, being jammed together in unsanitary conditions, and having inadequate diets.

In order for homeless people to be heard it is up to people with a stable life to acknowledge what they are going through. Poor people are, “Not simply neglected or forgotten...what is much worse, they are not seen.” (Isserman) Many people in poverty cannot be heard if they do not have an address of their own when it comes to voting or applying for a job. Poverty is an arduous condition to shed. Even people that continue on their career are not guaranteed a successful future. Many students continue on going to school being optimistic they might obtain a stable job, but is all depends to the characteristics they bring to work and the field they hold a degree on. “Education alone is much less successful in raising employment and earnings prospects, than education combined with a strategy of focused job training.” (Bernstein, Jared) What this quote implies is that in order for a person to pursue their ambitions in their career they need to maintain good job training to be above the poverty line. Education has only been a partial cure for poverty, because of all the other recent changes in the labor market. Many labor markets are paying the minimum wage to the majority of the workers, making them struggle more and considering on them obtaining a second job.

Poverty has ridiculously increased, and there needs to be positive changes before everybody is near the poverty line. Without anyone standing up to make changes poverty will always be neglected. Even if education improves the quality of workers, it does not improve the quality or quantity of jobs. Many people have hit the poverty line as economy has gotten tougher, causing a great impact on their social life.

                                            Work Cited

Bernstein, Jared. "The American Prospect." Http://prospect.org/article/article/education-cure-provety. 22 Apr. 2010. Web.

"Causes of Hunger in the U.S." - Bread for the World: Have Faith. End Hunger. Sept. 2010. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.bread.org/hunger/us/causes.html

LaGanga, Maria. "Tent City, USA." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2009. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.latimes.com.

Cohen, Philip N. "Poverty, Hardship, and Families: How Many People Are Poor, and What Does Poor in America Really Mean?" Welcome to the Child Trends DataBank. 5 Dec. 2011. Web. 22 Mar. 2012. http://www.childtrendsdatabank.org/alphalist

Sethi, Arjun. "Homelessness Treated as Criminals in America." Web.ebscohost.com. Aug. 2011. Web.

Isserman, Maurice. "50 Years Later: Poverty and the Other America." Winter 2012. Web. Mar. 2012.

Jenniffer Ochoa

PAS 113B

Professor Broadous

February 22, 2012

Appreciating what you love the most

What am I doing? What am I supposed to do? Do I join the Marines like I promised my dad I would or do I play basketball to fulfill my dream? My name is Michael Bradford, born on February 3, 1993; I have a birthmark on my right calf, light blue eyes, and tan color of skin. I am six feet four inches, weigh approximately 190 pounds, and I use my height to my advantage to play basketball throughout my high school years.

 I come from a small town, populated with mostly middle class families in Northern California. I live with my two young brothers, Daniel and Kyle, and my parents. My mom’s name is Carmen Bradford, the most caring and hardworking woman I have ever known. Growing up, my mom will tell us how she had other ambitions in life before becoming a mother of three, it was to become a runway model and live in New York. Now that she is a mother, she seems to understand life in a different perspective, and is truly happy that things did not turn out the way she always dreamed of. She works in the hospital a block away from our house as a nurse and takes care of my dad. My dad Richard was let go three years ago due to a severe seizure that left him in a coma that he has not yet awoken from. Seeing my dad suffer from brain injury as I have grown up haunted me like a dark nightmare that was inevitable to wake up from. I always forced a smile and blinked away the tears, because I had to show my dad I was strong and hide my fear from him, but I found it arduous to keep a happy face, I just felt like one day he would not be my side anymore. I remember he always told me "happiness is the key to life", which made me wonder what would happen if I wasn't happy?

 One day at school the teacher had asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Happy”, I said.

“You don’t seem to understand the question”, inserts the teacher.

With a nonchalant tone I told her, “You don’t understand life.”

I know my life may sound a bit tragic but no one’s life sounds like a fairy tell. I have been through ups and downs throughout my childhood life, my dad having to visit the emergency room constantly. It was up to me to miss school frequently to take care of my two brothers, but successfully I remain strong by what is going on around me. I am a senior at James Logan high school, located two blocks away from where I live, I have been an outgoing and devoted student with a remaining of a 3.4 GPA, and have been offered a scholarship to play basketball at UCLA. Despite from all the hard work and effort I put in school, I am jubilant that I have two important others in whom I consider family; my girlfriend April and my best friend Dylan. I have known Dylan since I was ten years of age and we have been close friends ever since. We do everything together and I know that I can always rely on him. April caught my eye the first time I glanced at her walking towards the bleachers as I warmed up for my first freshmen basketball game of the season. She seemed like the perfect girl to me, soft beige skin, long dark ashy hair glimmering in the light while it cascaded down past her gentle shoulders, light brown glowy eyes, approximate 5’6 tall , and had an innocent looking face in which it made you fall in love easily. I could say that I had fallen in love for the first time; well at least that is what I thought it was. That particular moment when I felt my heart was meant to be hers that is until I became conscious that she had left me for my best friend. Deciding to head back after I finish my time in the Marines I decided to stay instead. Four months after my dad passed away, things had changed, and I did not know what I wanted from life anymore. I felt like a trapped. What hurt me the most was when I knew I could not trust my girlfriend or my best friend anymore, and this is how it all began:

September 6, a cloudy Thursday afternoon walking home out of basketball practice I asked Dylan,

“Do you think I should join the Marines like I had promised my dad?”

 Dylan with a shame in his voice responds,

“Are you kidding me, you love basketball, and you are getting a scholarship to play ball and maybe soon be able to play in the NBA, and you are reconsidering the Marines!”

I did not know what to think of my decisions anymore. And with a confused tone of voice I told Dylan,

“It is not easy as it seems bro, I made a promise to my dad and I feel guilty of not keeping it.”

 I just knew one of my desires was to become a professional athlete, but had yet made a promise to my father of joining the Marines before he went into a coma. My dad wanted me to join the marines growing up, it was something he wanted to serve, and so I promised him that I will help him accomplish his goal. I did not want to feel guilty of not doing what my dad had wanted me to do ,but it was my life and I had other plans I made since I started playing basketball. I thought telling my decisions to Dylan was the best thing to do, but instead I felt even more suffocated. Thinking wisely of how I should tell April, she suddenly appears a block away right behind us scolding my name out,

“Michael wait for me!”

 As soon as she is approaching us Dylan tells me,

 “Well my dad is picking me up see you later bro, and hey, wish you luck in whatever decision you make.”

 I forced a smile back to Dylan and waited until April catch up to me. I could not keep my eyes away from her; April is one of the few people that makes me fall in love every second that I breathe. She began to talk me as she approached to me,

“So today was a fantastic day!” she said with an excitement in her voice

“Guess what happened.”

 And for the first time of our relationship I looked away and found myself in another world of my own; not listening to any word she was blurring out. April figured something was wrong, she knew it was arduous for me to hold back my thoughts,

“Babe is there anything you want to share with me?” not letting me respond back she continued to talk,

 “Are you breaking up with me just because we are graduating less than a month, is that what are your planning to do?!”

 I could not let her conclusions get out of hand so I began to tell her,

“Whoa hold up there butter scotch. That is not what I was thinking about.”

I took a deep breath before I continued, seeing the anxiety in her face,

 “I was just baffled about moving out to Westwood and start college over there or serve myself to the Marines.” I finished telling her.

 I felt less weight in my chest, but I felt something was not right. She said,

“Well I am happy for you, do whatever makes you jovial.”

But I know she was being stoic over my whole decisions. It began to get dark, the sun getting covered by the gloomy clouds as the trees began to move side to side with the flow of the windy air. As soon as I left her in front of her house I gave her a kiss on the cheek, grabbed her gently by her arm, and told her,

 “I will do whatever possible to make you smile.”        

    It is Thursday November first; a month since I last graduated high school, and I moved out to Westwood with Dylan and April. Continuing playing basketball was something which made my girl real happy, and that was at it matter to me at the moment. She convinced me to continue college, and told me,

            “Be optimistic your dad will soon recover.”

“I believe you, I have faith babe” I told my girlfriend.

 I felt that she was right, and ever since then my life in Westwood has been great. Unpacking our luggage in our new apartment felt like something new to me, but it felt like the right thing to do. Dylan with excitement says,

 “This has been a great outcome in my life and especially moving out and going to the same school with you Mike”, I saw Dylan wink at April but didn’t took it into consideration. April felt jubilant as well and said,

 “Even though I am not planning to continue school I will eventually try to find a job out here” in an inconsiderate tone of voice.

 I do not know whether she meant it or not but I knew I will be around her to support her decisions. It started to get late so we hurried up to put our things in place to be ready for when Dylan and I start school on Monday. The next three days after we moved out we spend time together, and everything came out just right, we laughed and went for a walk to explore our new surroundings. Living out here in Westwood was nothing like back at home, but it was a beautiful serene place to be around as well. Hearing the beautiful birds sing every morning and seeing my girlfriend and my close friend get along so well like the Saturday night I saw them watching a movie together made me feel happy and alive.

Walking to my first week of practice felt nerve-wracking, because I felt that college sports will be really tougher than high school. Also because I did not know what to expect from college basketball but I knew that I am almost near on accomplishing my dream, wish made me feel a bit confident. As I Warmed up with my team ate it made me feel like I had another family I never had, and on the way we were all showing teamwork made feel like this will be a successful season. Finishing practice Coach Williams stops me and tells me,

“Well Well, by what I was looking at this whole week, Mike you are going to do great this season.”

 It made me feel great hearing his compliment so I smiled back and told him,

“Thanks coach I hope so too”

Before I headed out the gym back to my apartment. Walking out of the gym I felt my phone ringing. I checked my phone after I had gotten a text from April saying

“Babe, wait for me after your class”,

And six missed calls from my mom. It was the first time my mom called since I moved out. Receiving her calls made me wonder what she wanted and had a feeling something might be going wrong back at home. As soon as I arrived into my apartment I returned the call to my mom. After an hour on the phone I hanged up and I start to feel out of place. My view of the whole world looked dark and felt like I was in another dimension. The notice that my dad had passed away this morning made me feel guilty and empty inside. I always felt this day will be coming, but never thought it would be this soon. I didn’t know what to think of myself anymore, not keeping my dad his promised was making me feel ignorant. I felt bad about the decision I took, so the only thing that was in my conscious was to go back to North Cali, and serve myself to the marines. This same day I decided to leave, I got my car keys and took off before my girl and Dylan got home. I did not want to share how I really felt to others. I wanted to be alone and find my true self. Driving home on a windy afternoon for four hours was what I was doing and was the best for me to release my anger out. Leaving April without having no idea where I will be going tomorrow will have her frantic, but I know I want to do some time in the Marines and finish my whole life with her. Getting home, I saw my brothers crying along with my mother. I knew they were hurt as much as I was, but it was inevitable to bring him back. I knew he will be in his own world with comfort but we needed him to be around with us. I hugged my mom so hard; she began to cry in my shoulder. I let her cry a river until I told her my decision was,

“Mom I decided to leave school and serve myself to the Marines” I told her in a low voice.

 She accepted my decision, and told me,

“Be careful in any other decision you plan to make honey, I just want to see you happy.”

    My first day at the marines was an aloof feeling for me. I did not show any expression or fear on whatever was surrounding me. I just wanted to do some time here and go back in continue what I left in Westwood. I knew I could not leave April baffled of where I went and so I wrote her a letter a week later, and this is what it said:

    “April I know I left you oblivious of where I will be going, but things changed after my dad passed  away two weeks ago, and now I am in the marines...I’ll be back with you eventually.”

 That was all I could have think of, so I send it to her. I could not stop thinking about how much it hurt me leaving her out there on her own, but something told me Dylan will be protecting her until I go back. He knew that I will be making that decision eventually, and when I did not return back to the apartment he text me,

“I know things are being harsh back at home, but I wish you the best bro.”

After I finished reading that text I receive another from saying,

“Do not worry Mike; I will make sure your girl is safe here.”

It made me feel less relieve knowing my best friend cared what I was going through.

Approximate four months since I have been here in the Marines now, it was till now I received a letter from April. It hurt me reading that she had wrote to me.

“Michael I do not know how to tell you this, but hope you do not see it in a bad way. You left without letting me where you were going, which got me worried. I cried for several days knowing you were in the Marines, and I did not having any idea when you or if you will ever be back. Those day you were not with me Dylan was here for me and made me feel secure…Well maybe you may be thinking were am I getting with this, so I’m going to tell you before you find out on your own, I been messing around with Dylan since we moved out here in Westwood.”

Reading this letter made me break down in tears. Her gotten with Dylan was making me feel that I was never loved from her, especially how someone who I always relied on back stapped me. Knowing this broke my heart, I have lost two important people in my life. I did not know what to do, but to stay here in the marines.

finally (:

well welcome everyone