The People Behind My Eyes

I went outside with my mother and sister and danced in the rain.
I remember getting up from my mother’s fit of rage, turning on the radio and dancing to 80’s music to toss out memory of what was just done.

I remember standing on a balcony 21 stories above the city gazing at a perfect rainbow with complete strangers. The rainbow seemed to hang forever.
I remember hanging out of a six story window looking down, not sure if the mother would really push me that time.

I remember sitting on a dock by the Gulf of Mexico with my feet dangling in the water. A huge bird came and sat beside me. I froze as he ate my shrimp fishing bait.
I remember sailing with my uncle. My fear of water started there. I wondered if I could actually swim back to shore.

I remember standing at Pier 17 with friends laughing at this guys miniature tie. He caught my eye as he walked to the building. The man was gorgeous and well dressed. As he got closer I could see his tie was about 4 inches long instead of full size. We all laughed at such a silly style.
I remember kids making fun of me because I wore torque heals clear up into the 4^th grade.(I was born with a club foot, it took awhile to correct.)

I remember where I was standing the day of the Tiananmen Square massacre. My TV screen went black, there was gunfire and shouting. I was stunned. What an awakening.
I remember what it feels like to be shot.

I remember standing in the same spot hearing the country was at war to liberate Kuwait. Yet another rude awakening for a world I didn’t think could get any worse.

I remember the first thing I ever really stood for. I refused to buy Coke products and called Coke the official drink of Apartheid because they wouldn’t do the right thing and pull out of South Africa.
I remember where I was standing just before I liberated myself from an abusive household.