Leslie Okoye writes
#DoyouByLeslieOkoye #tbt ✏ Daddy always said we were 'blue blood' but after he was hit twice with the US stock market crash in 1998, and 2001 both his world and mine were turned upside down.
It was a cold morning as she began her Sophomore year at Catholic University of America. As her Philisophy class ended, she was called to the Dean's office. Ms. Blue Blood was suspended, for late payment and if Daddy didn't pay up in 48hrs she will be kicked out indefinitely. Long story short, the money never came. Two days later, Blossom as her parents called her found herself squatting in a friends studio in a part of town she's wasn't familiar with.
A year later, Blossom is renting a tiny plain room in the home of an Iraqi family that lived closer to the community college she now attended. She couldn't afford a digital tv and so had no cable. Infact she never watched tv. The bathroom which she shared with the Chineese tenant was so small, and to make things even sadder, the makeshift kitchen was in the garage. This meant she had to leave her room and go outside into the cold to the garage to cook. She almost never did as it was too depressing, plus she would have to buy Cookware.
One evening, after working a 12 hour shift as a waitress, Blossom had to make a stop at the grocery store. It was 9pm, she hated making this trip. With no money to spare on a taxi, she had to walk 15 mins to and from which she was okay with. However on her way back, the strong lady couldn't run away from her reality, she was freezing, afraid, alone and her shoulders were heaving with all the weight she was carrying. She dreamed of how nice having a boyfriend would be right now, not to buy the groceries, but to at least help share the load. It was a pleasant thought, but there was no one, no one to help, and no one to protect. And in that moment, Blossom put down the bags, looked up to her God and cried. As quickly as the tears came she was reminded by the freezing wind and the darkness that she had to hold it together at least till she got home.
It was a cold morning as she began her Sophomore year at Catholic University of America. As her Philisophy class ended, she was called to the Dean's office. Ms. Blue Blood was suspended, for late payment and if Daddy didn't pay up in 48hrs she will be kicked out indefinitely. Long story short, the money never came. Two days later, Blossom as her parents called her found herself squatting in a friends studio in a part of town she's wasn't familiar with.
A year later, Blossom is renting a tiny plain room in the home of an Iraqi family that lived closer to the community college she now attended. She couldn't afford a digital tv and so had no cable. Infact she never watched tv. The bathroom which she shared with the Chineese tenant was so small, and to make things even sadder, the makeshift kitchen was in the garage. This meant she had to leave her room and go outside into the cold to the garage to cook. She almost never did as it was too depressing, plus she would have to buy Cookware.
One evening, after working a 12 hour shift as a waitress, Blossom had to make a stop at the grocery store. It was 9pm, she hated making this trip. With no money to spare on a taxi, she had to walk 15 mins to and from which she was okay with. However on her way back, the strong lady couldn't run away from her reality, she was freezing, afraid, alone and her shoulders were heaving with all the weight she was carrying. She dreamed of how nice having a boyfriend would be right now, not to buy the groceries, but to at least help share the load. It was a pleasant thought, but there was no one, no one to help, and no one to protect. And in that moment, Blossom put down the bags, looked up to her God and cried. As quickly as the tears came she was reminded by the freezing wind and the darkness that she had to hold it together at least till she got home.
#DoyouByLeslieOkoye ✏ Didn't know I had already told this story. I wrote this version two days ago. It got me thinking that this was truly a defining moment in my life and now I see why.
On her own, living in a rented room just outside Georgetown DC, Blossom started looking for a job to keep up with the $400 monthly rent for a room in a house. One night, she got home after 8pm to an empty refrigerator. All she had was frozen chicken. Not owning a car plus not having $15 for a taxi Blossom had to walk to the grocery store. She didn't mind the walk, but it was cold and windy. Plus, with no cable television she had nothing to entertain her. So, she put on her coat and walked.
At the store she carefully picked a small bottle of milk, water, 1/2 a dozen eggs, cereal, bread and a small box of laundry detergent. She wasn't on a budget. Blossom was thinking about the uphill walk back home especially with the wind, she didn't want to carry too much weight. As a fan of Law & Order SVU, she got paranoid and jumpy a lot when walking by herself at night. Her own thoughts of being jumped, pulled into the woods or thrown into a white van scared her more than the darkness.
As she walked uphill back to her tiny lonely room, her hands got cold. Then she began to feel her shoulders get heavy. The wind was blowing so hard she felt as if someone was pushing her back. As she kept walking, one breathless step after the other, Blossom stopped. As she put down her bags she looked around to see if anyone was there to help, but she was all alone. She thought of whom to call, but she drew blank. Right Then, tears fell down her cheeks and as she felt herself about to lose control and cry, she remembered she was on the streets and still had to make it home because she was her own help. No man and no one was going to do it for her. Blossom took a slow deep breath , gently but firmly picked up her bags and walked.
When she got to her room, she slowly put her things away, fixed herself some cereal and bread, and went to bed. .
.
#tbt #Part2Loading #doyoubyleslieokoye #growth #life #love
#DoYoubyLeslieOkoye #Part2Loading #LeslieOkoye #growth #life #wisdom #changeistheonlyconstant #bestrong #thistooshallpass - FOLLOW fb.me/jaiyeorieblog m.me/jaiyeorieblog ... spill TEA ABOUT THE TOPIC ABOVE.... Easy on Shade #jaiyeorie
On her own, living in a rented room just outside Georgetown DC, Blossom started looking for a job to keep up with the $400 monthly rent for a room in a house. One night, she got home after 8pm to an empty refrigerator. All she had was frozen chicken. Not owning a car plus not having $15 for a taxi Blossom had to walk to the grocery store. She didn't mind the walk, but it was cold and windy. Plus, with no cable television she had nothing to entertain her. So, she put on her coat and walked.
At the store she carefully picked a small bottle of milk, water, 1/2 a dozen eggs, cereal, bread and a small box of laundry detergent. She wasn't on a budget. Blossom was thinking about the uphill walk back home especially with the wind, she didn't want to carry too much weight. As a fan of Law & Order SVU, she got paranoid and jumpy a lot when walking by herself at night. Her own thoughts of being jumped, pulled into the woods or thrown into a white van scared her more than the darkness.
As she walked uphill back to her tiny lonely room, her hands got cold. Then she began to feel her shoulders get heavy. The wind was blowing so hard she felt as if someone was pushing her back. As she kept walking, one breathless step after the other, Blossom stopped. As she put down her bags she looked around to see if anyone was there to help, but she was all alone. She thought of whom to call, but she drew blank. Right Then, tears fell down her cheeks and as she felt herself about to lose control and cry, she remembered she was on the streets and still had to make it home because she was her own help. No man and no one was going to do it for her. Blossom took a slow deep breath , gently but firmly picked up her bags and walked.
When she got to her room, she slowly put her things away, fixed herself some cereal and bread, and went to bed. .
.
#tbt #Part2Loading #doyoubyleslieokoye #growth #life #love
#DoYoubyLeslieOkoye #Part2Loading #LeslieOkoye #growth #life #wisdom #changeistheonlyconstant #bestrong #thistooshallpass - FOLLOW fb.me/jaiyeorieblog m.me/jaiyeorieblog ... spill TEA ABOUT THE TOPIC ABOVE.... Easy on Shade #jaiyeorie
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