JAI ON EARTH Discovering Our Planet

Let me tell you a bizarre but true tale about the man who is supposed to be my father.

Jeremy Wendell Martin was a young, successful drug dealer, gang member, and South Side Chicago native. He had so many amazing qualities: he was a diligent worker who did well in school, he was gorgeous, powerful, and very articulate, he liked animals, snakes, red nose pit bulls, birds, fish, and practically had a farm in his backyard.

One day, me, my cousins Regene, Victor, Treyvon, and others; waited and played inside his house as he created a drug dealer outside; I could see him chatting to a bunch of guys while everyone else ran about. I glanced at him through the glass, and soon joined my cousins in racing around my fathers place.

We played tag and hide and seek, and when we went into the kitchen, there were two things on the counter: cornbread and a loaded shotgun.

Now, before I could give my younger cousins any advice, they all shoved their grubby little hands in his cornbread and devoured it; I don’t even remember taking a single bite, but they did.

Meanwhile, my “cousin” Victor grabbed the shotgun and pointed it at everyone.

I instantly punched him to the ground, seized it, and attempted to hide and return it to its proper spot, but it was too late.

My father had already came in and found us all creating a mess in his kitchen.

He asks everyone who touched his gun; no one responds, to save me. I told him the truth: it was Victor.

But no one stood up for me or believed me, so my father took me into my room, retrieved his favorite leather belt, and gave me the butt whipping of a lifetime.

After seeing my terrible punishment, my cousins eventually admitted the truth, but it was too late. My father had already punished me for no reason..