Dedicated to..

The one and only Beth Tarasawa, an intellectual, woke, queen.

Sidenote: This story has a realistic description of a serious social issue that is meant for mature audiences to understand, and is just explained in an innocent representation.

It was a sunny and warm day. Me and Daddy were playing soccer out on the front lawn. Daddy had been working all week and it was my eighth birthday. He said he couldn’t get me a present but that he would play anything I wanted.

“Great kick Aliyah!” Daddy told me. I beamed and looked up to see a black and white car with the red and blue lights flashing. Those cars are always bothering people in our neighborhood. The men got out of the car and came up to our fence- they looked really scary.

“Go on inside with your mom” My dad demanded. I nodded and ran inside. I stood on my tippy tip toes to see out the window and watch what was happening outside. Mommy walked out of the kitchen to see me and asked what I was doing.

“Where are you taking him? What did he even do? He was just playing with our daughter!” she yelled. “Ma’am you need to calm down. I am gonna search your house now to make sure there’s nothing in there.” The scary man said as he started walking to the house as the other one put my dad in the car.

I ran from the window to hide behind the couch as the scary man came into the house. He opened the door and began to pick things up and shake them before tossing them onto the floor. He turned and saw me behind the couch. He walked in and I heard him yell “GOT SOMETHING HERE” The man walked out with a little baggie of white stuff in it and went outside to show everyone else.

My dad looked at the officer in shock, “What?? Where did you find that? That ain't mine! I swear baby I quit that junk years ago!! That’s not mine!” He yelled to mommy and the men.  He kept yelling even when they shoved him harshly into the car.

Daddy had been gone for four days now... Mommy told me that if I wanted to see Daddy, I had to be patient. But how could I. He was always there for me. When he could, he’d walk me to school in the mornings, and he’d always let me have lots of dessert after dinner, even when mommy said no. These last days have been so hard, I miss him so much.

One day the mailman came with a letter for mommy. She opened it and tears welled up in her eyes. I had to know what it said! So later that night, I took it from the table and took it to my room to read.

"Dear Mariah,

That crooked cop must of planted that stuff in the house. I swore once Aliyah was born I wouldn’t deal no more. I dont deserve to be here, and I’m sad everyday. I’ve already been in solitary confinement, as have most these people. Some of these guys have visited confinement over 30 times. Lots of the guys I’ve met are in gangs- purely because they offer some sliver of safety. I wish I could come home to you. Please tell Aliyah I love her. "

I read my daddys words and felt so sad for him.