Chapter 1 - Promise Land

I always loved my mother, like I was my father.She currently resides in Mexico due to legal issues I can't explain.I do this yearly in the summer, to not let her feel alone.Not many in my family give her much attention but she's still my sweet mother.My father is too old and stubborn to visit while my siblings have children of their own to watch over.I am currently seventeen, just finished high school and hope to enjoy 2 nice months with my Mother.

Sitting in this Van for hours now is exhausting.No air conditioning and I have to pee.My brother is driving me to the airport, along with sister.I try to turn down the window for fresh air but he insist the AC will kick in, he's been saying that for twenty minutes straight.I'll ignore it for now as I listen to my music, music is a comforting remedy not many get to enjoy.We've arrive at the airport and now he has to find parking.I should be in terminal B for Delta.

"Alright Cmon on …" says my sister as she gets out and walks up to a the terminal doors.I followed beside her as she left me with the luggage.All this worthless clothes and needless necessities is what's inside them.I guess I'm like any Mexican household and we have to take dozens of bags full of clothes to send over to Mexico.I hate this with a passion, I just wanted to take my belongings but they think I'm Superman.After walking for a while we arrive to a line to check in the luggage.Thankfully it's not so packed so we're up next.

"Passport and ticket please …" says the worker as my sister gives it over.

"Just him ?" She asked as my sister responds jokingly "yes, we could only afford one ticket…"

I pay no attention to it as I'm looking for the nearest restroom.As my sister does all the adult things I aimlessly wonder through the terminal as I finally found the restrooms.I barge into a stall and finally, I'm a peace.I finish up and return to my sister who is sitting down now.I join her as she reminds me

"Remember, you'll to be safe and don't talk to strangers…" she as i annoyingly responds "I know…" she gets a bit fussy and smacks me in the head. "Hey don't give me that tone, Remember what happened to Uncle Dolby….thank Christ they didn't kill him…" she says as we sit now in silence.I notice this little girl and her mother I assume, sitting across from us.The kid is looks to be 3 and is dancing her heart out to whatever song her mother put, very lovely.I look on my phone and I Think it's time to go "Well it's 10:40, I should go now…." I says as my sister shrugs it off.I stubbornly walk off with my backpack, also if you're curious.My uncle Dolby, he was walking home from the local casino and he was followed by 2 men who held him up at gunpoint.All he had was 200 pesos, imagine that, getting killed over 200 pesos.That's nearly 10 US dollars, very saddening for my home country.

Well as I walk through TSA I remove my shoes and go on with the separate items and scanning processing.I now voyage on a melancholy adventure to my flight.I walk through crowded areas to reach an escalator which leads to another which in turn meets me to a hallway.So after I walk towards another hallway which leads to another Escalator, leading to my plane.I hand over my ticket and passport ad now I walk the entrance to the enter the plane, the disorganized trials of airports are the epitome of Patience.I show the stewardess my ticket as I go to my seat, I'm at the aisle seat.As the steward shows their safety procedure routine I look next to me seeing an old couple.I try to ignore them due to not being good with small talk but the woman next to me makes eye contact.

"Oh are you flying alone ?" She asks in curiosity.

"Yes ma'am…" I respond as she tells me "well you're mighty young, you don't wanna get lost, how old are you ?" She asked me, which seemed like a very personal question to ask since we've just met. "Uhh I'm seventeen ma'am, I turn eighteen in 2 months…" I said idiotically, why the hell did I say more, she only asked for my age.

"Oh you're an August baby, ohh how sweet my niece is as well…" she says joyously as she turns to her husband and wakes him up from his nap. "Gene, gene this boy here is traveling all alone isn't that crazy ?" She asks he grumpily responds "I don't give a shit Ester I'm trying to sleep…" he says as she gets pouty as he goes to rest again.The plane has been moving for minutes now around this place , how long is this runway ?. "Oh go back to sleep you, listen son I'll leave you be now but I'll be here if you'd like to talk." She says to me as she turns to looking out the plane window.Finally I'm free from this awful conversation, the light on the plane dim down as it's dark.All that's on is the exit sign, it flickers with a cold breeze gently following.I forget to mention my passionate hate for Airplane and flying overall.Many greats were lost to them, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens,Ronnie Van Zant, Ricky Nelson, Jim Reeves….I can go on and on.Planes are a man made gamble for so called "safe travels." Well it's quiet now as I hear this baby start to siren a noise only a mother could tolerate.It's been an hour in the air so I guess it's safe to listen to my music.I go to my playlist and play my Miscellaneous playlist.God I love this song, It's only make believe by Glen Campbell.I mainly love it because me an the Musician share a first name expect mine ha 2 N's.This song reminds me of 9th grade, the second-embarrassment of the youth.I remember Valentine's Day, I was idiotic and it still haunts me now, 4 years later.Well I'm starting to feel drowsy but Ester decides I don't deserve that.

"WHO going to visit ?" She asked me as I wake myself up, "Uhh my mother…." I say as she smiles and responds "oh how sweet…." I nod as I think she gets I'm trying to sleep away this plane ride.

It's a bit a turbulence, is what they should've said but nobody said nothing.The plane shakes dangerously as it was my alarm clock.I see it's now 4:30 am.We should arrive shortly as Ester and Gene are filling out a paper that has validation on how long your planning to stay.

After a gruesome 30 minutes of blanking out, we land.The signal to remove seatbelts is on and passengers are proceeding to get their carry-on luggage.I try to sneak through since I only have a backpack.I get down the staircase and I walk into the airport.Im given the same paper to fill out, as I wait in line I do so.Finally after waiting an additional 45 minutes I'm up next.

"Next in line !" Yells the woman as I approach with my passport and paper.I stand there like with a happy smile because a thing you gotta know about airport workers is they're like DMV workers.Kiss their ass and go on with your day.

"Alright so you're staying only 2 months ?" She ask as I respond charismatically "yep "

She hands it back over with a stubborn look and says "okay, follow the signs to exit." She says.I get my passport and paper back as I walk through and go for the one bag I brought.I go through this little machine that sees if I'm not bringing anything illegal and I pass through.I see mother once again.

"Oh look at you, let's go Cmon….are you hungry, do you need to use the restroom ?" She kept asking and asking questions as I laughingly responds "I'm alright I just wanna get home and sleep…" I say as we continue to walk up the street, exiting the airport.We get a bus passing by which will drop us off in our neighborhood.We enter the bus as my mother tells me to go get seats as she pays the driver.It's crazy to see a young boy, looking about 7.Being the one who accepts the money and gives change.Working so young or maybe he was dragged along to work.

I find a good seat for me and my mother as she catches up to sit with me.I stare out the window as she starts to tell me " you know I'm feeling ill, it's my back…it's been hurting for weeks now…" she tells me this as I respond "have you gone to a doctor ?" I ask as she in poor taste says "no no, I don't need it plus I don't have the money for it and your siblings can be real stingy."

Can you believe what she's saying about her children.She's not wrong on most part but it's egregious how she interprets sympathy.I love my mother but she's a very over dramatic woman.

After sitting in this hot bus for 20 minutes we arrive at our destination.I grab the heavier bag as she Carrie's my backpack.We get out as she thanks the bus driver and kid.Right at home, the same gasoline smelling air and kids smoking cigarettes like it's candy.I always see this place is decades behind in America's style.Right now they live like it's Regan era all over again.As we walk up the neighborhood I see a police truck filled with men armed to the teeth.They drive by as I make eye contact with one man, very crazy to see that's the law, looking like a swat team.

We pass by a pack of dogs fighting, it's crazy to think but it feels like dogs outnumber humans.We arrive home as she opens the door, we enter to see my golden retriever named "White ", he jumps up at me in excitement.I love when he remembers me, it's a sudden surprise of joy.My uncle is sitting in the living room as my mother enters and leaves the backpack on the couch.I just love this dog, playing with it, fighting with it and even fighting other dogs too.My mom sits on the other couch aside my uncle.I finally place the luggage on the floor as it got tiring to carry.

"Mary where the hells is Glenn and who's this kid right here ?" Ask my uncle jokingly as we all laugh. "That's him silly, he's gotten bigger…" she says with a smile as my uncle gets up to hug me "he sure has huh…." He says as we hug.He sits back down as I stand there tired, trying to catch my breath."jeez Dolby get him a coke or something…" demands my mom as I sit on the floor with White.I rug his belly as my mom is on her phone, my uncle enters back in with a nice cold Coca Cola bottle.I start to drink it quickly as my thirst was getting over me.

"Alright remember Glenn, you enjoy that soda for now because starting tomorrow, as of June 26, you're gonna go on your diet and weight program….you promised…" she says as I shrug it off and says "yes ma'am…"

She annoyingly gets back on her phone as I just rub the dogs belly, goofy dog.He has his tongue out as he smiles and scrapes his Feet on my arm, it's adorable.