when i was younger

when i was younger

my father was hit in the throat

with a softball. he was

rushed to the hospital, had

a tracheostomy, and couldn't

talk for two months. when i

first learned he was in hurt,

i bought him balloons - then

immediately lost one of them,

popped the other, and ran from

my stressed mom to hide

in the back of a car.

this happened when i was

ten years old, and i

didn't know what to do.

when i was younger

my grandmother passed away

suddenly (expectedly) on

her sixty fifth anniversary.

my mom was with her when

she passed. the funeral was

held two days later, and it

was hard. the coffin was

timy. i couldn't believe that

my grandmother, so full

of life earlier that week, could

fit in there. but i didn't cry -

i held my mom as she did.

this happened when i was

fifteen years old, and i

knew what i had to do.

i was older then. i grew up.