Writer's Workshop- Civil War

Writers workshop prompt: Write about a heated argument you had with your parents. Well, I could write a whole book on this prompt, but here's just a tiny look. Check out Mama's Losin' It for more writer's prompts.

Mom: "What the hell, are you listening to?!"
Me: "It's Bell Biv Devoe" ♪That girl is poison♪
Mom: "I've told you I don't want you listening to that nigger music!"
Me: "It's not that! It's hip hop, and I like it!"
Mom: "Can't you get some white friends?!"
Me: "I have white friends!" "And, who cares what color they are?!"
Mom: "People will talk"
Me: "I don't care what people think!" "I like people of all kinds!" "You're such a racist!"
Mom: "I am not. Some of my good friends are black."
Me: "Well, so are mine. So, leave me alone!"
followed by doors slamming, screaming, hair pulling, kicking, slapping, more screaming...the battle was raging...

There it was the start of the great civil rights movement of... 1990?! Yep, not the 60's, the freakin 90's! My mother was a young smart, professional,modern woman, with these horrible backwards ideas. And, the worse part was they weren't really her ideas, at all. It was all about her keeping her man happy. That was what he thought, so she would think it, too.

Together, they stood to create a battle line that I was challenged to cross. I tried hitting it head on, and demanding that I be allowed to date and be friends with whomever I wanted, and listen to whatever music I wanted. I hit, and was hit back harder. Every tape, (remember before CDs, it was all about cassette tapes?!) of any music other than what was deemed acceptable, (definition of Acceptable: White music: not hip hop or rap) was taken away and destroyed. MC Hammer: gone! 2 Live Crew: Burned! Beastie Boys: out the door! (but they're white! you say, doesn't matter, they were rapping that "black crap" so they were UNACCEPTABLE!)

So, with Hitler's regime, in command, I had only one choice. I couldn't just give in to their way of thinking. I had to do something. I needed my music! I needed my friends! So, I did what anyone would do. I lied!

I began plotting a way to go to homecoming with who I wanted, by introducing my mom to someone she would like as my date (oddly, enough, he wasn't white, but was Mexican, and somehow, that was, ok. Crazy!) So, I plotted and schemed, and sure enough I went to homecoming, in a limo, with the boy I wanted. And we danced, to hip-hop! ♪The humpty dance, here's your chance to do the hump♪ (Digital Underground)

Victory was mine! Although, it was short lived. Because, as parents often do, they found out about my little lie. They knew who I was dancing with, and, I was grounded "for life!" So, in my room I stayed just me, and nothing to do...nothing but listen to my...Headphones! Thank goodness for headphones, mix tapes, and the radio station! With my headphones on, I could listen to anything! ♪Ooh. baby, baby, bababy, baby Push it, push it real good♪ (Salt n Pepa)

8 comments:

  1. LOL, your Mom sounds like a the lady that lived next to me when i was in Elementary.. except I would tell her "but I am black" and she'd say *in her nasty ol' phlegm voice* "That don't mean you have to act it!"

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  2. Love this post, it was very honest:) Stopping by from Mama Kat's! My parents and I argued over more than just music, drop by my site if you get a chance:)

    Ms. Wanda

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  3. Your mom exhibited many of the things I saw in my father in the 60's right on up to his death in the 90's. The interesting thing was that although he expressed all kinds of un-PC and prejudiced thoughts in his language, he'd give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it, regardless of color or race or religion. He had just grown up thinking the "bad" language was OK and couldn't get a handle on the idea we were no longer living in the 30's of his formative years.

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  4. You really had this conversation with your Mum?? Sing you a song? Err, cover your ears...'I think we're alone now, doesn't seem to be anyone around la la la' uncover now.

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  5. Ewwwww...that is a tough one! I didn't have that problem with my parents but older relatives and neighbors ... it was awkward and horrible.

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  6. Sounds like some of my formative years. Glad that's over.

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  7. Love the Digital Underground reference... not enough people admit in public to dancing to that song. They dropped a new album last year, you should check it out.

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  8. hahaa! i LOVE poison! you can't trust a big butt and a smiiiiile! lol....those are the jams right there!

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Thanks for stopping by! sing me a song.