My Foster Kid Hat
When you're a kid there's only a couple of things that you need to worry about, what kind of snacks you're going to get in your lunch box, what game are you going to play on the playground, who's your best friend and can you have more than one? You shouldn't have to worry about where you're going to live, what you're going to eat and is this a safe place? I spent most of my teenage life asking myself those very questions, who are these people? Are they safe? Can I trust them? Sometimes the answer was yes, sometimes the answer was I don't know maybe, and sometimes the answer was unequivocally, HELL NO!
Every time I was uprooted to a different place I had the right equipment. After leaving my first foster home, I was given an authentic piece of luggage. My guess is the luggage was from Mexico. It was this odd brown sandy color. It had splotches of dark brown, light brown and zippers everywhere. Honestly, if I had to name it I'd call it, The Mexican Man Shoe Luggage. That's exactly what the luggage reminded me of, a man in Mexico wearing sandy brown chanclas drinking a cold glass bottle of Coca-Cola in the hot sun. The luggage was thick like cow skin, and definitely lasted throughout the years as I moved through the homes, shelters and centers.
If there's one thing I could do, it's pack a bag. I had so much practice packing. I think it really prepared me for packing my classroom at the end of each school year in record time! As an adult I could pack up my whole apartment in less than 3 hours flat and be ready to rock and roll. #lifeskills I guess.
One year the agency that I was apart of had a Christmas party. Want to know what every kid was gifted? It wasn’t diamonds, pearls or a new walkman, but It was definitely a big surprise……. a brand spankin’ new three piece set of sleek black luggage! Yeah, read that crap again, they gave us luggage! I still have a piece, I think. As I look back on that winter evening in December I had to really appreciate the irony. At the time I was so happy to get those three pieces of luggage. Now I have to ask myself, What the heck was the agency thinking and did anyone have the sense to notice? Word to the wise, a foster kid does not want luggage for Christmas!
Since I had my upgrade I discarded my old luggage. I couldn’t tell you what became of the Mexican Man Shoe Luggage. Perhaps one day it will find its way back to me so I can use it for its intended purpose…..vacation.
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