Before sunrise the next day, the pimp pulled up in front of the hotel, he was kind of happy to see Little Tyke. When James girlfriend got in the car with the baby, it was crying and stunk. The pimp punched her hard, like Mike Tyson one punch knockout on Michael Spinks. She had done nothing for the baby, he had on the same clothes and diaper that the pimp had put on him in a little over twenty-four hours. The pimp was enraged. He asked if she had fed the child, she got the bottles out her purse, both were filled with dirty water. The pimp took a bottle, ran to her room, got the powdered milk and prepared the bottle. He went back out to the car, handed the bottle to the mother. Finally, the baby stopped crying as it hungrily gulped the milk down.
*******
Eleven o’clock that morning, James girlfriend was standing on Donald John Bright’s porch, she handed the nameless baby to him, and said, “it has no name, it’s, five days old.” She gave Naomi the baby’s birth certificate, then left. Naomi read the certificate, it read Father, James Bright.
The baby had puked on the blanket and his clothes several times, his diaper was full of poop and pee. Donald handed the baby to Naomi, it stunk to high heaven. WOW! They stood on the porch gasping for air as they waved to the couple driving off. Naomi said in the baby talk, “come on little one, I’ll clean you up.”
Donald said, “yeah, you do that, I have to go to work.” Holding his nose, he kissed Naomi, said bye to the baby and left.
Donald and his wife Naomi had no children, due to an accident she had when she was young. Naomi was a tomboy growing up, she was raised with five brothers that climbed trees and jumped off their barn rooftop, anything they did she followed. One day, Naomi fell out of a tree and crushed her pelvic bone and bruised a few of her internal organs. She was in constant pain, the doctors wanted to let her heal on her own, but the pain was too excruciating. They did a laparotomy and discovered her female organs were badly damaged, so they removed her damaged parts. She told Donald the whole ordeal when they started dating, he said it was okay, they came to terms that parenthood was not for them.
The Pimp dropped the Little Tyke’s mom off on a street corner, and went home, he had several thousand dollars locked in a hidden chest in his three-room apartment. He did not own a suitcase since he never traveled, he had two grocery bags, he put the money in one and clothes in the other. He looked out the window and saw that no one was watching him. The syndicate that he worked for, often snooped on their guys. He figured they probably thought he was still in Rochester.
When the pimp pulled up in front of Donald’s house, he was surprised to see black folk living so rich. He said to himself, “that house is huge.” He admired Donald and his wife standing on the porch, they looked prosperous. They looked free from crime, they did not appear to be people that hid from the police. The pimp’s kindness and deep concern for James baby spearhead a positive change within him. When he saw the house and the child’s aunt and uncle, he decided to make a change in his life. He asked himself, “how did James leave all that he had, and chose to live with a drug addict prostitute and become a druggie himself. He had a choice, I didn’t.”
Standing in the middle of his bedroom, the pimp looked out the window one last time, no one was there. The pimp was nervous, he had never been outside the state of New York, he was frightened, would the syndicate catch and kill him for sneaking off. Even so, he left. Hours later when he saw the sign that read, Welcome To Pennsylvania, he said,” I choose to change who I am, and my name.”
Several months later he settled down in Denver, Colorado, changed his name, opened a bank account, no one asked where the money came from. He landed a job with a construction company. He loved his new life, he had regular people that were his friend. During tax season, he did the guys taxes. As a side gig, the pimp landed a job with H&R Block where he had to take training on tax preparation. After the class he worked for the company for one month and then quit, he was responsible for his Boss taxes. Inappropriately, the pimp had to make unlawful, lawful.
Two years after moving to Colorado, the pimp married a woman that was a hairdresser, he bought his wife a lovely house. They had three children and one on the way, he named his first child, Tyke. The pimp was thirty years old when he left New York running from his life of corruption.
One day he was home alone, his wife had taken the kids shopping to purchase new school clothes. Looking out the living room window, an overwhelming flush of peace filled within him, he whispered softly, “Thank You, God, for helping me to become, a normal man. Thank You, Father, for the baby that changed my life.” When he finished talking to God, his pregnant wife pulled up in the driveway, their children rushed into the house to show him their new school clothes.
The ex-pimp smiled.
XVIII
Donovan Victor Bright
With the baby’s mom, the pimp, and her husband gone, Naomi cleaned the baby, dressed it in the new gown and diaper. She threw the two filthy gowns and diapers in the outdoors trash, and then took the baby shopping.
Donald and Naomi named his brother, James, son, a combination of names, James Donald Paul Bright. They incorporated Naomi father’s first name, which was Paul. Donald wanted to tell James that his parents died in a car accident. Naomi asked, “what if he learns the truth?” She looked at the baby and said, “we may have to contend with the drugs in his system.”
Donald groaned saying, “I didn’t think about that.”
When James Donald Paul Bright turned seven-years-old, he asked about his parents. Donald told him the whole truth, and that was that James never asked again. [RL55]From that day forward, he called his uncle and aunt, dad and mom. The drugs from his biological parents did not affect the little boy.
James Donald Paul Bright grew up and seemed to be in a hurry to do everything, he graduated from high school when he was eleven, got his doctorate at the age of eighteen, and married his college sweetheart after his graduation. Donald gave James his great-great-great-great grandpa’s wallet, that was still in the tin can as one of his college graduation gifts.
Out of John Bright Sr. offspring, both James had children at the age of nineteen and seemed to be in a hurry to grow up. James Donald Paul Bright and his wife, Sara named their first child Paul, born 1986. They had two other children John 1987, and Donovan Victor Bright 1994. Donovan was a chubby spoiled baby. Paul acted like he was the father, and John just cried a lot. When Donovan turned two, he became the ruler of the house, if it didn’t go his way, he would pick up something and throw it at the person which he would get an old fashion spanking.
Donovan Bright inherited Thaddeus Berhanu personality and Moses looks
James noticed out of his three son’s that Donovan, throughout his school years was voted as President of his class or chairman of the board. He was never an assistant or vice, he was always the head. Donovan’s demand to be the leader of everyone made his brothers, John and Paul angry, they planned conspiracies to keep Donovan in trouble. However, at the age of six, Donovan watched and learned of his oldest brothers plots. He was clever enough to turn the table making Paul and John get in trouble.
One evening when the Bright boys were grown, James wife, Sara, was in the bedroom putting lotion on her hand and preparing to retire for the night. James entered and said, “I thought our boys would never get along. But they did.”
Sara asked, “what brought that on.”
“Dinner time this evening, watching them at the table laughing and joking.”
Sara said, “I noticed that as well.” Laughing she said, “it was rough going when they were little.”
James commented, “poor John, I thought he would never like Donovan, or stop crying.”
Sara looked at James and said, “he pulled through, I am proud of him.” She smiled and continued, “I am proud of all three.”
“Me too,” James said in agreement.
James was fascinated with his family history, John Bright Sr., had started a book with the family tree, beginning with hims
elf, though he didn’t have a birth certificate or knew where he was born. James tried to find John Bright’s birth records, he contacted as many hospitals in New York but to no avail. It was as though John Bright just materialized. All James had was his grandpa’s wallet and stories about his great-aunt JoAnn, John had written in the book how JoAnn was killed. Each generation continued to log births, accomplishments, and deaths in the book.
Like his father, Donovan studied history, got his master’s degree at a Manhattan college where he met his beautiful wife, Theenda Carboy. She was shy, he was aggressive, she was quiet, he was outgoing and president of his class. They both were smart and studied hard. Theenda had seen him dashing around campus, on the day they met Donovan was speedily walking towards her. She didn’t know what to do, she began to run away, but Donovan yelled, “stay where you are,” in a demanding voice.
Theenda stopped and with shaky legs, she tried to stand still, her heart raced, she was shaking so hard her pressed hair flopped in her face. She whispered, “if I move, I’ll fall.” She left the hair in her face and shook. The closer he got she said softly, “my goodness, he’s beautiful.” When Donovan got close, Theenda lost control of her breathing, and a silly smile she could not get rid of was plastered on her face.
Donovan had only seen her at a distance, her figure and long hair blowing in the wind caused him to miss a class, he followed behind her to her class. When Donovan got closer to Theenda, the ridiculous smile, hair in her face and shaking did not run him away, instead, he fell in love. Theenda had kindness in her voice that gently rung in his heart. Though her mannerism was frayed with shyness and fright, he saw potential that he knew she had. One year after meeting, they got married.
Donovan had a strong desire to get away from the fast pace hustle and bustle of New York. Theenda wanted to go anyplace her abusive mother was not. Since she and her sister had become adults, her mother verbally abused her children and beat her sister’s children when she babysat. Theenda was all for leaving.[RL56]
On a map Donovan and Theenda found a few small towns to visit. In 2016, during Christmas break, they flew south to the two states where the towns were located. Ogville was their last town, it was perfect for them. The town was small, slow, the people were over the top friendly, exactly what they were looking for. Ogville had three schools, Ogville Elementary, Ogville Middle School, and Ogville High. Donovan landed a job as the high school’s history teacher and Theenda got a job in Ogville Elementary as a first-grade teacher.
Theenda treasured young minds, she wanted to develop them into something great, teach them critical thinking from the beginning of their learning.
The Bright’s returned home to report to their families they found a place to live and chose a house to purchase.
Theenda suggested they stop past her mother first, to get it over with. When they arrived, as expected, Theenda’s mother did not disappoint. She opened the door cursing and fussing, that it was too late in the day to visit and without alerting her they were coming over. She went on and on about trivial things without hearing the reason they were visiting. Donovan and Theenda stood on the porch in the cold waiting to be invited in. They were not. Theenda said while her mother was quarreling, “we’re moving out of New York.”
Mrs. Carboy cursed Donovan out for taking her daughter away, she called Theenda names that was only approved by the devil and not God. “You’re a fool for running around chasing after this thing.” She said pointing at Donovan.
Theenda turned and ran to the car with Donovan behind her. Before they got in the car, Mrs. Carboy slammed the door shut. As Donovan pulled off Theenda waved and said to her mother, who was looking out a window, “bye forever.”
They drove straight to Donovan’s parents’ home without saying a word to each other. Standing on his parents’ porch, Donovan said, “I’m sorry Baby Girl.”
“I’m used to it Sweetie,” Theenda said softly with sorrow in her voice.
Donovan had the key to his parents’ home when the key rattled his mother opened the door. Opposite Theenda’s mom, Donovan’s parents were happy to see them back, they wanted to hear all about their trip, the town they picked. His parents ordered pizza and called Donovan’s brothers to the house.
Tears rolled down Theenda’s cheek[RL57]. She could not remember a time when the Carboy’s sat around talking. She wiped the tear off her cheek.
Sara looked over and saw Theenda’s watery eyes, Sara said, “Theenda come with me.” She took Theenda by the shoulders, and said, “I want to show you my garden.” Sara took Theenda outside in the backyard where she had honeysuckle trees, roses, and tulips all buried under snow. Sara turned Theenda to face her and said, “tell me about it.”
Theenda said, “My mom,” the tears flowed like a waterfall after a hard rain.
James had seen Theenda’s sad eyes, he looked at Donovan and asked, “what’s wrong with your wife.”
Donovan said, “her mother.”
His brother Paul asked, “is she ill.”
“No, just mean,” Donovan said.
John said, “I remember her from the wedding.”
James said, “yep, that’s right, I remember, she is an angry loud tyrant.”
December 29, 2016, James and Sara held a goodbye party in their home for Donovan and Theenda. Attending the farewell party was Donovan’s two brothers, his older brother’s wife, and two kids. Over a hundred people attended despite the bitter cold. Everyone wanted to bid the young Bright’s farewell, it was a happy, gloomy occasion.
No one from Theenda’s family attended, not even her sister, whom she had invited.
That evening Donovan and Theenda stayed their last night in their apartment, on the floor. Theenda said, “this was our first home together, I am going to miss it.”
Laughing, Donovan said, “you have taken a thousand pictures of the place outside and in when you get a little teary-eyed, look at the pictures.”
They left their keys on the counter as instructed, hand in hand they left. The couple’s furniture and Theenda’s Honda had been shipped to Ogville. With only overnight luggage, they were driving down in Donovan’s sports car.
Before getting on the road, Donovan and Theenda visited his parents to say goodbye, Donovan said, “mom, dad, when you get too old to care for yourselves, you’re coming to live with Thee and me.” He gave them both a hug and asked, “okay?”
Donovan's mom had tears in her eyes when she looked at the young couple. Theenda reached for Sara’s hand and said, “we talked it over, it's okay by me.”
Donovan said, “we found a house with a big room downstairs,” he looked at Theenda and said, “Thee has deemed that room, yours.”
Sara gave Theenda and Donovan a hug and said, “thank you both, but that will be a long time from now.”
Donovan said, “Okay, maybe not now, when you and dad come down to visit. “
James gave Donovan the tin box with the wallet inside. Donovan looked at it and said, “Paul’s the oldest.”
James replied, “you’re my child that love history.”
Donovan said, “thanks, dad. This means a lot to me.”
James and Sara stood on the porch waving as Donovan drove off. Crying, Sara whimpered, “there go, my baby.”
James said, “that’s a grown man.” They stood quietly watching Donovan car mingle in with the others. James continued, “I’ll miss him. That boy can get in more devilment than most.” He looked at Sara and said, “Lord help us, he’s going south.”
*******
The further south Donovan and Theenda got the warmer the air. At the time Theenda was driving, she said, “this is spectacular.” She opened her window then continued, “feel the warmth.”
Donovan was fiddling with the tin box, he responded, “it is nice.” He opened the tin and took the wallet out.
Theenda asked, “what’s that?”
Donovan said, “my great-great long time ago-grandpa, born in 1869.”
“Good gr
ief Sweetie, most folk only know their grandparents, your family can go all the way back to the 1800’s?” Theenda said.
Donovan opened the wallet, put his fingers in the tiny slot and felt something. He pulled it out and froze when he opened the note a picture fell out, he called his dad. Theenda said, “put the phone on speaker.”[RL58]
Donovan turned the speaker on, his father said, “Hello son. Everything okay?”
“Yes, Sir. “Donovan answered then asked, “who’s the woman in the picture?”
“What picture?” James asked.
“The one in the wallet you gave me. On the back, it reads, Paula. Who’s that?”
“You mean the wallet in the tin? There’s no Picture there.”
“I’m looking at it, there’s also a note”
“Are you kidding me, read it,” James said confused.
Donovan read the note, we came to New York 1878, I did everything wrong. My oldest child was killed in a gang fight, I blamed my baby-boy, in 1880, age eleven he left and became in’pendent. I didn’t see him till now. He stand before me a grown man and coll’age gad’u’ate like his dad. He grew to look like his dad who was an Egiptan’ from Afreeca.’ I had nothing to do with my Egiptan son’s success, he’s smart like his dad. He named himself, John Bright.
Long pause before James said, “I’m speechless.”
Theenda said in a demanding tone, “hold on you two, I’m pulling over,” She insisted they say nothing more, “this is too much history you’re talking about. Just wait, stop talking.”
Donovan and his dad hushed for a bit, then James whispered, “your wife pulled over son.”
Donovan whispered, “yes Sir, dad she can hear us.”
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