Teresha
Wide eyed of a new world that was always round him, and having missed his early childhood of asking, “Why? Why? Why?” David's twenties came in roaring. Roaring in understanding the hood 1**click her to see Endnote** that he lived in. Volunteering in their after school program for intercity children of Chicago gave David a deep understanding about the children of the hood and their understanding about life; Not just the children’s, but also of David’s life. That is when the streetlights were darken, not glaring the brown-pinkish light down on the city streets and sidewalks, David understood this as a sign to be careful since there was to be a rumble - a clash of street gangs.
He also started to understand the people in the hood living with high unemployment and crime. How living in this northwest area of Chicago interacted with the family structure making many people of the hood not knowing their routine was of despair. It was the only life they knew. In fact, most of the children of the hood never been outside their world of the hood. For an example, the children of the hood never been to the many beaches of Lake Michigan that lined Chicago's east side. They never felt the sand between their toes or heard the sounds of the lake’s waves. It was only three miles away; Just an EL ride away. All saw the skyline of downtown Chicago from afar, but many never been in the Loop. This was the life for the many people in the hood.
He also started to understand the people in the hood living with high unemployment and crime. How living in this northwest area of Chicago interacted with the family structure making many people of the hood not knowing their routine was of despair. It was the only life they knew. In fact, most of the children of the hood never been outside their world of the hood. For an example, the children of the hood never been to the many beaches of Lake Michigan that lined Chicago's east side. They never felt the sand between their toes or heard the sounds of the lake’s waves. It was only three miles away; Just an EL ride away. All saw the skyline of downtown Chicago from afar, but many never been in the Loop. This was the life for the many people in the hood.
During the late 1970s, the United States’ pregnancy rate for girls 15 years old and under was around 16%,2**click here to see Endnote** while in the hood [Chicago’s Humboldt Park and Logan Square areas] the pregnancy rate for the same age group was around 73%3**click here to see Endnote**. High School drop out rate in the hood during the late 1970s was in the low 80 percentile. During this time period, the hood was listed as the lowest white income neighborhood in the whole city of Chicago, as well as the highest gang crime area of all in Chicago. This neighborhood was an old German-Polish community changing to an Hispanic population; and with its many abandoned buildings, this neighborhood was within an arson prone area 4**click here to see Endnote**. Many believed that landlords torched their buildings because they were worth more for the insurance.
Two children stood out to David and his live-in girlfriend, Carol. One child named Jose Ruiz, a boy who learned to let his guard down with David and Carol and be himself. His brown eyes looked upon his world as a dreamer who wanted to know life’s many prospects toward freedom from the hood. This good humor boy with thick black curly mop of hair and his wide lips circled a big toothy smile adore being with David and Carol. He wore different mask within the hood versus his family versus with David and Carol. His father was a very austere man who kept Jose’s older siblings off the streets and out of gangs. Many times Jose had to walk very carefully around his father. With David and Carol, Jose was able to explore being himself through art and music.
Two children stood out to David and his live-in girlfriend, Carol. One child named Jose Ruiz, a boy who learned to let his guard down with David and Carol and be himself. His brown eyes looked upon his world as a dreamer who wanted to know life’s many prospects toward freedom from the hood. This good humor boy with thick black curly mop of hair and his wide lips circled a big toothy smile adore being with David and Carol. He wore different mask within the hood versus his family versus with David and Carol. His father was a very austere man who kept Jose’s older siblings off the streets and out of gangs. Many times Jose had to walk very carefully around his father. With David and Carol, Jose was able to explore being himself through art and music.
The other child named Teresha Roach, a girl with bright flowing blond hair. David referred to her ice crystal blue eyes as Jesus eyes, an image that David has of Jesus Christ portrait by the many Hollywood actors playing Jesus -- seemingly always having light blue eyes. Have you ever seen a movie that had Jesus with brown eyes? Making her eyes more divine: Teresha’s left eye was accented by the black pupil being an odd shape. As a little girl, her pupil was damage by a snowball making it’s former round pupil sort of an infinity symbol [the number eight laying on its side]. Her doublet crystal blue eyes share their ice, but the infinity pupil had a light gold hue at the bottom of its iris -- All making her eyes stand out even more. While her eyes seemed of ice, with her smile created a warmth of tenderness and consciousness. Looking into her unique eyes was a deserving admirable soul. Apathy and gossip was the norm in the hood, but Teresha showed great compassion and concern toward others. In some ways, she was a female child version of Christ. She was mature for her age. With her vitality, many thought she was older. Nevertheless, her body had mature well before other girls her age. Her body didn’t blossom from puberty; it exploded into a voluptuous curvy woman. All in all, people on the streets saw a woman in her late teens/early twenties when she was just a little girl not yet a teenager.
To David and Carol, Jose and Teresha became the Teacher’s Pets. Outside of the after school program, these two spent time with David and Carol by going to movies, eateries, or shopping. For the two children, it was doing something different and away from the hood with model roles. However, for Teresha it may have been more than just a role model. Maybe an older sister and brother? Teresha lived at the end of the block with people she knew as “mom” and “dad,” while by blood they were her grandmother and step-grandfather. Her older brother of six years was her half-brother by Teresha’s blood mother. They had different fathers. To Teresha, this was her family. To the hood, these people were in fact her mother, father, and brother. While her mother, Arlean, was older than other mothers, she was more so protective and loving than most. Her age gave her wisdom from her kinder and prosperous youth that the other [younger] mothers lacked. A scents of hope and liveliness. Arlean was Teresha’s lifeblood; In every way her true mother.
To David and Carol, Jose and Teresha became the Teacher’s Pets. Outside of the after school program, these two spent time with David and Carol by going to movies, eateries, or shopping. For the two children, it was doing something different and away from the hood with model roles. However, for Teresha it may have been more than just a role model. Maybe an older sister and brother? Teresha lived at the end of the block with people she knew as “mom” and “dad,” while by blood they were her grandmother and step-grandfather. Her older brother of six years was her half-brother by Teresha’s blood mother. They had different fathers. To Teresha, this was her family. To the hood, these people were in fact her mother, father, and brother. While her mother, Arlean, was older than other mothers, she was more so protective and loving than most. Her age gave her wisdom from her kinder and prosperous youth that the other [younger] mothers lacked. A scents of hope and liveliness. Arlean was Teresha’s lifeblood; In every way her true mother.
On a cloudy December day, the news spread throughout the hood that Arlean die during the night. David and Carol knew that morning as the 13 year old girl cried in their arms. There was no denouement of Arlean. Her love surpassed her death. It gave Teresha an unknown push to the once known life of Arlean’s younger years. An Irish saying: “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; Love leaves memories no one can steal.” For Arlean’s love flowed over Teresha and onto others, including David.
Teresha’s father was having a hard time dealing with his wife’s death. Arlean was his only person he was open to, and now he was alone. Nights were the hardest for him. Now there was a teenage girl he had to care for. In her, he saw Arlean. Teresha was very much like her mother. Arlean was the parent, the caretaker of this child. Without his wife, he felt incompetent. His solution was to approach Arlean’s family in Rockford, Illinois [second largest city in Illinois that is 85 west of Chicago]. He asked David and Carol if they would allow Teresha to move in with them till the end of the school term, when at that time she would move to her known blood family in Rockford. He offered to pay for Teresha’s food and board while she stayed under their roof. Besides, he would still be down the street for her.
During those six months, Teresha’s trips down the block became more of checking up on her dad. Teresha was very much like her mother. Arlean was the parent, the caretaker. And like her mother, she took care of her father.
Teresha moved into David and Carol's third floor apartment in the front small, very small, bedroom. Small enough to only fit a bed and a tiny bedside table. Nothing else. Only her winter clothes were in the bedroom’s closet. The rest were down the street in the only home she ever known. The three of them fit well living under one roof. To David, it was easy as having a little sister.
Those six months pass quickly.
Teresha’s father was having a hard time dealing with his wife’s death. Arlean was his only person he was open to, and now he was alone. Nights were the hardest for him. Now there was a teenage girl he had to care for. In her, he saw Arlean. Teresha was very much like her mother. Arlean was the parent, the caretaker of this child. Without his wife, he felt incompetent. His solution was to approach Arlean’s family in Rockford, Illinois [second largest city in Illinois that is 85 west of Chicago]. He asked David and Carol if they would allow Teresha to move in with them till the end of the school term, when at that time she would move to her known blood family in Rockford. He offered to pay for Teresha’s food and board while she stayed under their roof. Besides, he would still be down the street for her.
During those six months, Teresha’s trips down the block became more of checking up on her dad. Teresha was very much like her mother. Arlean was the parent, the caretaker. And like her mother, she took care of her father.
Teresha moved into David and Carol's third floor apartment in the front small, very small, bedroom. Small enough to only fit a bed and a tiny bedside table. Nothing else. Only her winter clothes were in the bedroom’s closet. The rest were down the street in the only home she ever known. The three of them fit well living under one roof. To David, it was easy as having a little sister.
Those six months pass quickly.
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1 For statistics of Chicago, the city labels neighborhoods by major streets. The Hood is made by the boarders of Western to California Avenues, and Armitage to North Avenues, as seen in red on map.
See map below.
2 Bachrach, Christine A., and Ventura, Stepanie J. National Vital Statistics Reports, Center for Disease Control and Prevention - National Center for Health Statistics, Volume 48, Number 16.
3 Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, 226 S. Wabash Ave. Chicago IL, Email: info@icah.org.
4 NCO, Northwest Community Organization, seehttp://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/909.html .
1 For statistics of Chicago, the city labels neighborhoods by major streets. The Hood is made by the boarders of Western to California Avenues, and Armitage to North Avenues, as seen in red on map.
See map below.
2 Bachrach, Christine A., and Ventura, Stepanie J. National Vital Statistics Reports, Center for Disease Control and Prevention - National Center for Health Statistics, Volume 48, Number 16.
3 Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health, 226 S. Wabash Ave. Chicago IL, Email: info@icah.org.
4 NCO, Northwest Community Organization, seehttp://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/909.html .