Bobby and the Chicken Hawk

Running Toward Hope, Chapter 7

I don’t wanna talk about it.

I don’t have to, right? I mean I gotta right to remain silent. I know that from Law and Order. Mom’s favorite one is SVU. She wouldn’t miss it for nuthin’. I ain’t old enough to watch it. That’s what she says.

I bet she never thought I’d be layin’ in a hospital talking to two lady detectives from Special Victims. I kinda wish I could call her and tell her. Only she don’t wanna know.

You kinda always think that a mom’s love is special, huh? Extra strong. Nuthin’ can break it. That’s what I used to think.

I ain’t surprised my step dad used to beat me up. He shouldn’t a done it so much, you know, but that’s what happens to kids like me in Texas. We get beat up if we don’t keep our secrets.

What surprised me is she didn’t stop him. Didn’t even try. Like, sometimes she seen him comin’ and she just walked outta the room?

Everything changed when she found out about me for sure. It’s like she was more afraid of what the people at church would say than she was afraid about what was gonna happen to me.

Bobby’s a faggot.

She couldn’t stand that. She couldn’t stand people knowing her own son was like that…