Section Ocho
Section Ocho
Sylvia loved her 2 bedroom apartment.
She finally found a decent place
Well besides the rodents
And the 4 flights she treks
That dim hallway
Smelling of mold
And tattered souls
Knock, Knock, Knock
She opens the steel door
Resembling a solitary prison cell entryway
INSPECTION TIME
4 men dressed in the finest business attire from kmart
They look at her like a charity case
Exchanging smirks and snarky comments
She is beneath them
Like the soles on their $40 faux leather shoes
She worked in sewing factories her whole life
Until her hands were no longer functional
She worked hard for her $700 ssd check
The men smirk again when they see her ebt card on the kitchen table
Their tax dollars pay for her extravagent lyfestyle
That 2 bedroom apartment on the 4th floor
Collecting bottles to feed herself at the end of the month
She hasnt had a decent cut of meat in years
Chicken legs and corned beef
White rice and spam
But those are their tax dollars being wasted
One man utters:
"We know hes been staying here"
"Que" she replies
"Your thug grandson with the felonies"
Shouts another
"Hes only been here for a week"
He was sleeping at the city mission
She was fullfilling her grandma duties
Family is everything to her
"But rules are rules Ms. Vasquez"
If hes not gone in 2 days she has to move
But move where?
She waited 37 months to get this apartment
Confused she begs the men to let him stay
"48 hours Ms Vasquez" The portly inspector yells as the steel door slams behind the men
Sylvia has a decision to make
How she longs for paradise and gets hell in return
A single tear rolls down her sharp cheeks
"Juan stop hiding they left already"
He can see the pain in her eyes
" Dont cry Abuela, ill be just fine,
Ill pack my stuff and be out in time"
Copyright © William Hernandez | Year Posted 2016
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