Story of a Journey to Know Who I Am
“Given Away”
The Place a southern city on the banks of the Red River, A misty morning in the summer of 1955. A boy is born to a family he eventually came to know at six years old as his own relatives, Because I was sent away to my birth mother’s sister, who at the time lived 500 miles away. I was the 6th of 8 kids given birth by my mother, I was 8th of 10 children my father was quote unquote said to have, I was the only child of Naomi & Mack’s Union to be sent out of the state, (the youngest boy. Stay with me for a roller coaster ride.
- First Chapter of Life -
The Early years, We would go to Louisiana for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year from I guess 2 – 7 years old. Then around April 1963 my Aunt Mrs. (Old Mcday) Hardaway died. I had not much feeling about it, u have to understand she was a mean woman, she was the real MaDea Born in Sibley, LA. I don’t know the day or the year she was born. But the day must have been dark, because it was the day we buried her.
The Matriarch in Sibley, Louisiana he was the Pastor of his own church on his own land to this day heading South from Minden, Louisiana on old Sibley Rd. You get to a sign that says 5th street turn left go across the railroad track. The roe of shotgun houses are not there before you get to the land and anymore, But cross the track and there is just a little remnant of the old church still standing. In the 20’s to 60’s my grandfather was where the people went to help with groceries, getting people out of jail he could go to the white establishment and get things done. Now after saying all that, he was a mean fire and brimstone man, had four wives, not all at the same time. So now he talks to the Police to make a plan where by she would have an alternative other than jail for the assault on Grand Paw and the shooting. So what they came up with was she had to leave the Parish and any time she came in basically holiday season, she had to leave town after 72 hours. This was the agreement. Now my dad Mr. Philip Hardaway (pause) Footnote: My aunt stood 5ft 4in weighed 300 pounds, mean as a rattle snake with a size 6 foot. Now my dad worked for the railroad at the time they got me until around 1961. I call him Dad because he was, I call her Aunt because that’s what she was. At 61 he retired but we lost the house on Moselle street and had to move to the Lincoln Courts for about a year until he got his money then we moved a house across town in (2) sections to Laverne St.
- 1st Trial in My Life -
Just before we moved from the Lincoln Court (projects) there was a a big flood mid 1962 the firemen had to come in and take us out in boats. You see, these projects had a ravine running through or dividing one side from the other, but a few days before the ravine filled, my father went to work he couldn’t find anybody to stay home to guide Madea around the house. So on one occasion she ask me to guide her to the restroom. And in those days along with the lights, we had kerosene lamps so as she sat on the toilet, I sat the lamp on the floor beside her, she grabbed me in my collar A slugger “short” bat she told me go get it bring it to me then she popped me on the head, that knot shaped my head forever. (Some background)