Well, it was a long way from L.A. and
the city lights. We briefly stayed in
each mining town, like making a
circuit. They were pretty much the same,
with old buildings called saloons and
gambling halls with miners passed out
on the benches.
One day when we had enough money
for gas, we went to a small city
called “The Biggest Little City In
The World.”*
By then I was able to
read, don’t ask me how, with all
the confusion. I was surprised as
we rode down the street, it didn’t
seem like the big city I used to
live in. I remember mama would go
into big buildings with flashing lights.
I wasn’t sure why she did, all I
remember is waiting for hours for
her to come out. I didn’t understand,
all I knew there wasn’t much food.
Usually she had a frown on her face,
and I always knew we would go back,
hoping she would be lucky next time.
She didn’t like playing the strange
machines with handles that made a lot
of noise, spitting out coins. She liked the
tables with cards and red and blue dice
with little white dots. I remember the
game was called ‘twenty one.’
Well, one day we were really excited. Mama
won enough money to buy a little trailer. It
was fun to sleep in and it even had a little
toilet, we finally didn’t have to use those
smelly outhouses. But our excitement was
short lived, she didn’t have enough money
to make the payments and they came and
took it away.
Back to the old shacks with its scorpions and
spiders, but we survived. Strange how
children can be resilient and accept things
however they happen!
*Photo Courtesy of Getty Images
Donna's Poetry Blog 