1 Chapter One
1940, 2:17AM, Harlem, New York City.
A single mother was in labour screaming. "Push, push you're almost there keep going" the obstetrician told the woman. She kept giving all she had and finally after an hour of pushing it was over.
"Congratulations it's a boy. Do you have a name in mind?"
"Yes Rasheed... Rasheed Henderson" the mother replied. Rasheed would grow up to be the greatest guitar player Harlem has ever seen.
1948, Harlem, New York City.
"You're nothing but a rash, is that why your mother named you Rasheed?" kids on the schoolyard bugged. The kids bugged Rasheed almost every day giving him the nickname "Rash." They would push him around and steal his lunch money. Rasheed kept it to himself and wouldn't tell his mother, he wanted to be strong. He thought if he could be strong he could be just like his mother. Rasheed was a fan of Charlie Christian, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and more. All inspiring him to want to play guitar. He told his mom
"Mama I'm gonna be the best guitar player ever. Then people will actually love me." His mom got upset
"Me and your sister Lynette will always love you no matter what remember that. Your father too but that's too hard to explain right now baby" she said. Lynette was his sister and his fathers name was Percy. He hadn't seen Percy since his mother brought him to the institution to visit when he was a baby. He was only four months old the last time he was held by his father. Rasheed really wanted to meet him but his mom told him to wait until his 11th birthday. She also said if she had gotten a raise by then he might even get a guitar for his present. He had wanted one since he was five years old but his family just couldn't afford it. His teacher Mrs. Pinkerton asked the class what they all wanted to do when they were older. "I'm gonna play guitar and be in a band" Rasheed told his teacher. "You'll never play guitar you rash, you're too stupid" kids bugged him. This only added fuel to the flames of Rasheed's ambition. He'd follow his dreams and show everyone how wrong they were. It wasn't long before he had enough of kids teasing him. He dropped out of school in grade 6 and his mother told him to get a job.
"You best not think you can drop out of school and not do nothing around here" she said to him. He went out everyday searching for a job until he found one. They needed help at the docks unloading fish. He wasn't very big so he started off getting them coffees and whatever else they wanted. Every dollar he ever made he gave to his mother to help with rent. They stayed in an apartment on 5th Ave. It was a day away from Rasheed's 11th birthday and his mother had great news. She had gotten a raise and her 75 cents was made a $1.00. Rasheed assumed this meant he was going to get a guitar. Also knowing he was going to meet his father gave him a rush of excitement. A rush of excitement he hasn't felt since his grandma taught him to ride a bike at the age of 5. It was the next morning and he ran out of his room to the kitchen. His mom was at the counter sipping a coffee.
She pulled the mug away from her face as he entered the room -
"Happy birthday! How old are you now, old enough to get your own place?"
"Ha, ha. No not quite yet, when do we get to go see dad?"
"Not for another two hours then it'll be visiting time" she answered. My excitement disappeared as if it was flushed down the toilet and my smile faded.
"Get rid of that frown aren't you gonna ask about your present?"
"I almost forgot! What is it?" Rasheed asked having a good idea what it was already.
"It's over there in the closet under the garbage bag" she said. Lynette entered the kitchen
"happy birthday butt sniffer!" she sister joked giving him a playful shove. Lynette was two years older than Rasheed and would often tease him. Rasheed didn't mind though because she always had his back and stood up for him.
"Leave your brother alone Lyne, go open your present Rasheed and I'll start breakfast. Do you guys want some pancakes?"
"Yes! Both the children answered. He continued to the closet door and slid it open quick. Lifting the garbage bag he found laundry, dirty laundry. He turned around saying "ok I know I forgot about laundry but what is thi-" he froze. Standing across from him was his sister and mom smiling. In his mother's hands was a baby blue Fender Telecaster. "You eat breakfast, practice for a bit and then those clothes better be cleaned" she told him.
"Thank you, Thank you! Rasheed yelled hugging his mother then grabbing the guitar and running to his room.
"That boy better come back and eat his breakfast"
"He's not coming back" Lynette said and they both laughed. Finally it was time to leave and meet his father. Now Rasheed was nervous
"Rasheed let's go, me and your sister have been waiting for 15 minutes!"
"Coming!" Rasheed yelled back putting on his jacket and swinging open his door. They all filed through the door and down out of the apartment. They got into their car which was a puke green Mercedes-Benz W187 convertible. They drove and drove out of the city and down a long dead road. There was a lot of trees with the wind ruffling through the leaves as some fell and flew away. The sky was dark and a storm raised rolling in slowly. Then there it was "Forest Heights Institution" with a big iron gate. They drove up a long gravel driveway to the entrance that seemed never ending. Lynette had already been visiting their father for two years since she had been thirteen now. Rasheed's father was diagnosed with identity disorder thinking he was someone else every day. He was put in the institution when he was found in a bar dancing naked. Not only was he naked but he believed he was playing the trumpet. He also truly believed he was Louis Armstrong. The officers who arrived on the scene just thought he had one too many drinks. Although he hadn't had a single drop of alcohol. They parked and entered the building signing into the visitors list. They walked through big doors and down a long white hallway to a door that said "visiting room." Their mom bent down and asked Rasheed
"Are you sure you're ready to meet him?" He was never more sure about something in his life.
"Yes Mama, more than ever" he responded.
"Okay baby lets go" she said leading them in with her arms around them. "There he is over there" said Lynette pointing at him. He was tall even sitting down, skinny, with an afro and a stubble goatee. His afro had a patch of grey and his eyes were green. His face was ashy with a scar over his upper lip and small moles on each cheek. He had huge bags under his eyes and a gold piercing in his left ear. They approached the table with a nurse who explained
"Percy this is your family, your children are here. There's Lynette and I haven't met-"
"Children? I don't have any children. Who's Percy? I'm John Wayne now please go I have someone arriving at 3 o'clock for an interview." Percy interrupted
"Percy it's me, you've met Lynette before and I want you to meet Rasheed, your son" Rasheed's mothed said. She nudged her kids closer to the table.
"Hi daddy! I made you this bracelet in school" said Lynette holding a red, white and blue string bracelet. Percy was frozen staring into Rasheed's eyes. He didn't know who he was or the life he had lived but he remembered one thing. Before losing his mind he remembered staring into Rasheed's big brown eyes the day he was born. "Son, my son please sit down with me" he said as if he snapped out of hypnosis. Suddenly the John Wayne act was gone away, he then looked at Lynette and took the bracelet. He patted the chairs across from him wanting them to take a seat. They sat down and Lynette went on and on about school and friends. Percy was happy to see how beautiful his daughter had grown to be and proud of how well she did in school. Of course they had already met and Lynette had told him these things many time, Percy just couldn't remember.
"What about you....Rasheed is it? How are you in school?"
"I left school in grade six sir and now I work down at the docks."
"What, why did you drop out of school?" Percy asked confused. Rasheed hadn't told anyone the real reason and certainly didn't think it'd be his father.
"Kids bugged me and they'd call me Rash, push me around, take my lunch money. On top of all that I never got any work done I didn't feel smart enough."
"Now I understand not getting the lessons and such but let me tell you something. Don't ever, ever let someone get in the way or stop you from being who you are or what you need to do. You hear me son?"
"Yes sir" Rasheed answered and a few minutes passed before Percy's identity changed again. It was time to leave so they said their goodbyes and went back to their car. It began to rain and and thunderstorm while the kids waited for their mother to unlock the car.
"How come you never told me about the way kids treated you in school?"
"I never wanted you to worry Mama" Rasheed answered. Tears started to roll down his mothers face
"I will always worry about you baby. Both of you, I love you both more than anything. You guys are my world and nothing matters more to me than you guys being happy" she cried. That was the first time Rasheed witnessed his mother cry and that was something you never forgot. "We love you too Mama" Lynette said trying to comfort their mother. Rasheed was never good at comforting he just never knew what to say. Though that night when he got home he hugged his mother so tight he could hear her heartbeat. She kissed him on the forehead and he headed to his room and picked up his guitar. He practiced and practiced and didn't stop no matter how frustrated he got. After that day he went and played for his father every single day.
