How to Smile (On Hold, Will Be Rewritten)

Childhood, Cookies, Mrs.Rodrìguez, and Hugs

Childhood, Cookies, Mrs. Rodríguez, and Hugs

Caleb is someone who I would usually describe as ‘happy-go-lucky’. He was light-spirited, likable, and liked to make jokes about things, despite how bad they might be. Now, when he turned and snapped at Uriah, it wasn’t the first reaction I expected.

       “Look, City Boy, don’t go around tellin’ me what to do, you ain’t jack. Shut up and mind your own frickin business,” he said bitterly.

       “This is my business, estupido, in case you didn’t notice, all three of us were just chased by cops. I’m not sure why, but obviously you do,” Uriah poked Caleb in the chest hard.

       For a long moment, Caleb didn’t say anything, it made me nervous. He sat there with hate brimming fiery in his eyes, at who, I’m not sure. Then, barely audible, he said, “I don’t know.”

       Now I spoke up, “What?”

       “I don’t know those people like that. I don’t know what it was in the bag. I don’t know.” Again there was silence. “But my jackass of a sister might know.”

       Uriah looked puzzled, whereas why he snapped so suddenly now made sense.

       I swear almost every night I pray for him and the rest of his siblings.

       Caleb’s family was a bit more dysfunctional than your average family. His parents had argued a lot. They would be so loud sometimes that I could hear them from a block away. You couldn’t hear all the details exactly, but you could hear voices. It was like this every. Single. Day. On Caleb’s sixth birthday his dad left them, no goodbye, no warning, nothin’. He didn’t even stay for the party. Haven’t seen him since, but word is he’s found someone else. That left Ms. Thomas by herself with 3 kids.

       She stayed for 3 years, and I’ll give her this much credit: She was a hard working woman, and I used to have much respect for her.

       Until she left them, too.

       Caleb and his siblings, Lazarus and Natalie, were put in foster care. Caleb and Natalie stayed there for a year and a half, but when Lazarus turned eighteen a year through, he got out, and the next six months were him trying to get custody of his siblings. Eventually, he did, obviously, because Caleb wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t. He’d gotten them back so that Caleb was still able to attend the 2nd semester of 5th grade with me.

       Lazarus had to’ve been the backbone while they we’re in care, because when Nat and Caleb got back, they were both changed, for better or worse. To make a long story short, Natalie had fallen apart. A mess. A wreck. Caleb almost talked too much, almost as if he didn’t he wouldn’t know what to do with himself.

       Any anger I had felt earlier was no longer there. In its place was sympathy. Although I’d never say it out loud, mainly because Caleb would hate it, I felt bad him.

       In an attempt to get rid of the tension in the air, I said, “You know what, let’s just forget it. No one’s hurt, no one’s in handcuffs. Let’s just get our stuff and go home.”

Without waiting for an answer, I turned around, hoping I remembered this maze correctly. Soon enough, I heard two pairs of footsteps fall in line behind me.

       We had just passed the park when Uriah cleared his throat, probably still unsettled about being chased by cops just five minutes ago. “So, my mom’s been wanting to meet you guys. Today’s as good a day as any…so ya know, if y’all’er okay with it…”