Unravelling the Graveyard of My Past
A thousand years ago, my family was large and falsely united, glued by deceit and innocence. Today we are in disjointed parts of false security, hoarding hurt, pain and information; intentionally forgetting the layers of our past. Today I took a journey of thirty years, initiated a day earlier. Except for my memories, familiarity escaped me. I struggled to see those places as they were.
This is what I remember. In 1970, my parents and their first child moved to New Kru Town. I was about two weeks old and I am certain, satisfied with this choice. We lived in a part of New Kru Town called Lagoon, for obvious reasons. There was an assortment of people of all income brackets, academic and ethnic backgrounds and interests. One thing they may have had in common or as seen through a child’s eye, a sense of community.
We lived here for a eight years and moved to Paynesville, Pipeline Road. Pipeline Road was a new part of town at the time; no electricity; a horse-riding club run by an Irish man, Michael Finnegan, who was married to a Liberian. They also ran a poultry farm in the area that is now the Red Light Market.
We lived here until the coup or when my father sold the house, without my mother’s knowledge. I try not to remember this part.
We moved.
And the Borough Rocks
[size=9]saigon!!! for decoration day, since my people ain't gah grave, i thot to unravel the graveyard of my past-it was interesting. went to saigon, pipeline rd and logan town broad street.
damn, damn-the borough still rocks. the kru old ma dem was scare-wha kinda witch i wa making so...after 30 yrs, i was pointing to all the houses and asking for the neighbors and describing the house plan. i remember the block design, the boys' quarters-o, the flowers were not there-they say da they war. it was good. took my younger brother who does not know about that part of our lives. saw yr house, the walkers', where lovetie dem used to live-man, man, i went back and excavated the debris out of my mind-forgot the war...susana denu dem place, plaza cinema...hmmm
as we left and drove through point four-a group of singers/dancers moved thru the street-a little drunk from decoration day activities. they were dressed in red, gold, black and green-showing off their athletic, dark bodies and amazing locs. someone waved-hello sister. i said hello and wonder why i was his sister. perhaps my locs, or my saigon spirit or maybe both!
the borough never sleeps!
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