The Next few Years

My brother Frank was born in 1967. I liked school and all but boy kids are mean. In 1970 I failed the 3rd grade. That year was my worst to date. My mom was pregnant w/child number 5. My parents split, we moved to Florida w/mom to grandma's in Geneva. My cousin's were there visiting for the summer. So that wasn't so bad. Plus in September we got a new baby sister. I started the 3rd grade then for the second time. The very first week the school principle and assistant embarassed the crap out of me by having me do some tasks, they wanted to make sure I could hang with the normal kids I guess. They had me do things with my left hand to see if I could some I could not. Then they asked me to jump rope, which I can not do. The other kids started to laugh. I cried, the teacher told me to go to the bathroom and wash my face so I did. Luckily it was the end of the day. My mom came to school the next day and gave them what for. Never had a problem there again. But I did love to play kick ball and was good at it too. While living at grandma's we would help with the animals. Well one weekend grandpa was ringin' chickens. It was funny to us kids to watch 'um run around w/their heads flopin'. Then we had to pull the feathers off. All us kids, don't you know my chicken is the only one that poops after it's dead. We all went eeew, and started to laugh. Even grandma and grandpa. It was a little tough eating chicken for a while. About October my dad came down to see us, my grandma pulled a shot gun on him cused him out then let him in. Next thing I know we're all goin' back to NY. All 5 of us. Boy was I glad. Dad said he bought us a house in Otisco Valley. Things started to look up again. The only thing was our new little sister could never come out of the bedroom when dad was home. Which worked while she was little and couldn't walk. If we went anywhere as a family Renee stayed home w/Heather. One day she got away from us kids 'cause we would all stay in the room and play with her, she went runnin' out into the livingroom ran past my dad laughing 'cause we're all chasing her. I remember seeing my dad smile. A couple days after that my mom was flying back to Florida w/my little sister. My grandma adopted her. My sister Renee was mad. See we didn't know it until later her dad was not our dad. This all happened in 1972. In the 5th grade, it's the end of the year track and field day all the certificates are handed out my PE teacher makes this long speech,I'm not payin to much attn. then she call my name boy was I shocked I got my first achievement award. Started going to church that summer at the church up the road. Got saved made new friends. Mrs. Dennis would pick me up every Sunday.