Where I Come From
I come from a land where the earth gives birth to red clay dirt, green grass, blue skies, silver-haired grandparents with Sun bronzed skin and wisdom filled brown eyes. I come from a land that gives birth to Super heroes, not with 'S's on their chest or capes on their backs, but in the form of hard working husbands and fathers, not demanding, but earning your respect.
I come from a land where houses were built on concrete beliefs in God put together by helping hands when times got hard. Where blue prints were designed by open minds placing windows of opportunity on every side. Welcomes mats were placed at every doorstep so you could wipe your feet as you rang the bell and a shotgun and a Bible were within arms reach just in case you came to raise a little hell.
I come from a land where Sunday morning Church wasn't about your financial worth nor were front row pews reserved girls in short skirts and hundred shoes. I come from a land church was filled with Souls that wanted to be saved and collection plate was filled with nickels and dimes that the Sunday school class gave. Dollar bills and written out checks didn't always amount to ten percent, but you gave what you could knowing it would be very well spent, like at the 4th Sunday Church picnic.
I come from a land where the community raised the child, the child didn't raise itself. Where if you got out of line at any given time, Ol' Lady Johnson was there to raise her belt. Discipline was administered Right when you did wrong, then again when Momma and Daddy got home-two whippings for the price of one- and daddy telling you "Now take you butt down the street and apologize to Ms. Johnson.
I come from a land where street knowledge was a well earned degree but still couldn't compete with four years of college at a major university. If you couldn't afford a Formal Education, here is what you did:
If you couldn't afford a Formal Education, here is what you did: Mondays you took Pre-Algebra, Tuesdays Eng. Lit both from 8-10:30, since you couldn't afford a bus pass, you sit in the back of class
so you could sneak out early,
Jump on your bike-rain, sleet or snow, ride down to Joe's Cafe for the 11am shift of washing dishes and mopping floors- all for $4.25 an hour and one Combo Bar-b-que plate to go. Jump back on you bike make it back to class by six- for one hour of Lab and one hour of General Science.
Wednesday, Thursday and Friday is the same routine. Saturday you spent half the day resting half day studying.
Sundays were for praising and explaining to Big Momma why you ain't got time for dating.
Sunday night you spent writing a five page Eng Lit paper, then get to bed by ten, get up Monday morning to start the week over again.
Naw, I'm not a Super Hero or a Superman nor a Super Bum,
but the thought of living life on minimum wage was a hell of a motivation-where I from. 
Rob Anthony
