Relationships
Family
Family and Friends
W
e came from the same womb, the
three of us, born within 2 1/2 years.
Our lineage initially connected us, but
deep love and respect have kept my siblings and I
close most of our lives.
My brother and I
from childhood
were constant buddies, never arguing
and always playing
games, like Cops
and Robbers, and
we were always on
the same team,
together fighting
our foes. But our
sister never played
our make-believe
games, too juvenile
for the young sophisticate who
chose to sit around
near the adults.
We weren't close
though she was
Rhonda J. Smith (center) and her
only 11 1/2
siblings.
months my senior.
She thought she was too grown for us, which meant
she could use my belongings without asking. Mostly
because of this, we fought constantly until we made a
pact not to tell my mother that we got into a fight,
our last, where she knocked one of my permanent
teeth loose; we agreed because we would forfeit a
long awaited family trip to California.
I was in 6th grade and she in 7th, at a junior high
school with gangs. She resolved that she was tough
enough for both of us and I would hang with her and
her friends to protect me from my gang recruiters.
And no one ever bothered me. She stayed true to her
commitment and has been true ever since.
We were so close in high school that we on occasion would have to show our driver's license to folks
who couldn't believe that we were