The Cliff

It all started off in a trailer park in Florida, not the usual ones where the trailers are so close together your neighbors could hear you arguing. They were pretty spaced out to where you didn’t feel on top of each other. My mom had moved into a 2 bedroom trailer which had a addition so it was basically 3 bedrooms and I of course got the bedroom in the addition. This all happen when I was nine years old and my parents were newly divorced. My mom really had nothing, she definitely didn’t gain anything from my dad. She only left with her cloths.

My cousins were living with us at the time, they were all older then me and there was four of them, they lived with us a lot. Which my brother and I didn’t mine because at this time it was summer and my mom was working a lot. So we were left with them. Before my mom headed off to work she said I don’t want you going outside when I’m not home. Of course my brother and I agreed but secretly we knew we weren’t going to listen. After we seen her leave done the dirt road, you could see the smoke of the dirt cover half of her car while she drove at some high speed like usually.

We started off our day by just watching T.V., which is by antenna at that time. So it never came in clear. My cousins were getting ready to go outside. I wasn’t planning on going because I’m scared of my mom, back in that day my mom was known as the crazy lady who threw her cat off the cliff by our house. I wasn’t sure if it was true or not either way my mom had a temper and I never wanted to be on her bad side. I said, “mom said we can’t go outside”. As I waited for a reply one of my cousins chimed in,” we will be back before she gets home so she won’t know anyways”.

As I thought about it, they were waiting on me to make up my mind. So I finally walked out the door with them not knowing what trouble I was getting myself into. We headed off to the notorious cliff, it was about a 70 foot drop probably more if I really think about it. All I know is if you were to fall you would definitely not make it. I don’t know why anyone would be allowed to have houses near it. At the time there was no gates to protect anyone from the drop.

We headed down the cliff, not sure what was going through my cousins mind at that time. I was scared of course but they reassured me I would be OK. My brother wasn’t scared at all and I was the oldest, I wasn’t going to be teased about being a baby so I went. We climbed down on to the rocks, no ropes not even the right kind of shoes. We made it to about the middle of the cliff where the cave was. I have to admit it was pretty cool. I could not see myself ever doing something like that again without the right kind of gear. But, at that age you think nothing bad will ever happen to you.

We started to climb back up the cliff, on to the grassy side that went up hill. As we were climbing back up I had lost my grip I could feel myself slipping. I had called out for my cousin Sarah, she had just happen to be right in front of me. She grabbed my hand so fast and didn’t let go until we were at the top. We were all dirty and tired. We ran to the house not knowing what time it was and how long we had been out there. Within twenty minutes you could see the dust from the dirt road and my mothers car speeding down it. I can only describe it as seeing Cruella de vil from 101 Dalmatians  driving in her car. I was relieved we had made it home before her.

I don’t think my mom ever found out we did that day. I was just grateful my cousin had grabbed me when she did because if it wasn’t for her I’m not sure what would of happen.