Candy Bar

By Isidro Zapata

I never knew how much that a
Simple bag of M & M’s would
Mean so much to me for
I knew how it would all work
After I heard the bell rang and
I run out as fast as my legs
Would go because
I knew you would be waiting
For me then. Every day after
School Mom U came to
to pick me up and I was so excited to show
You how well I did and show you the note
from my teacher telling you that
I was so far ahead of my
classmates in writing that
she expected to see me having my own book signing
my teacher was amazed in how good I could write
and was so proud of me but I really
just wanted U to be proud
I know I did all that hard work for U
Because I knew how happy U were
Every time I showed U my report card and notes
from my teachers in how I won another writing contest
I would jump into the car after school and then we would drive away
Just U and me to Allsups we would go and U give me some money to
buy a candy bar and sometimes a soda
but mostly just a candy bar and
I felt so close to u and I really felt
U loved me and started to forgive for all those
birthdays that came and went and we never ever
even had a party for me but for my brother and sister
it was always a huge event full of guest toys food and a
Giant birthday cake and what did I get but nothing
Later in a few short years I never knew how much
those trips to the store to would mean so me
Maybe I was foolish to think
it would always be that way U picking me up from school
like I was living some kind of T.V show because this
was real life not a fake T.V show then in a New York minute U
Stop showing up picking me up from school guess
my luck had run out and U no longer loved me because most of all Mom
I loved just spending time with U
Just U and me and our big heist regarding a
Candy bar. We grew further apart until that
night Pams sister and her husband took me home one night
but U had all moved away and left all I owned in the house
that I was unable to get into so all I had was the clothes
on my back and my shool books and I remember their silence
for they knew that I had been abandon by my own mom
I was in the dark and alone and
the woman on the corner started to yell
and call me names and trying to chase me
away telling me I better get going and be home before
the police take me away for breaking the law a minor out
at night in the middle of the streets past midnight
but I did not have a home was a homeless teen
they soon knew what was going on with me and had
my back and would look after me when my home
was just some brushes in front of the side wall of a hotel
off of Central and San Pedro when I feel asleep
but on the nights I could it sleep my mind would race
back to the times U simply bought me a candy bar
to show your love for me. I would wonder and
it brought tears to my eyes would I end up being a homeless man
for the rest of my life and die in the streets and holidays
were the worst I would never go to a shelter I
hope and even prayed that on a holiday U would some how
Show up and bring me back home but that
never happen. The streets became my home
with a small backpack and trash bag with a few clothes
I still went to school but was hard hiding my secert Mom
all I ever wanted was for U to be Proud of me Mom
and I promise U for me to be never
be like my dad and even until this very day I have
kept that promise but U broke
yours in being a Mom but I forgive U and i love U Mom
But as those nights came and went I had a dream of one day
having my own family and never treating them
like U and dad did to me not until years
later that I would see how much
a candy bar would mean so much to me
for it showed me that one time u loved and cared for me
I had no idea why U left me in the streets and for
seven years U never tried to contact me for I tried to
find U but was unable I thought about my 3 brothers
and my little sister and she expose U for what you told her
after all those years and it was a miracle how I ran into U three
Stepdad, U my mom and my little sister and those
screams and her crying still haunt me today for her
reaction was like nothing I had ever seen for she kept on
saying Mom told me U were DEAD and how tight she hold me
as tears after tears and her screams got louder and louder
How dare U tell her I was dead for those 7 years Mom I think
U might be sick but U are my Mom and I need to forgive
U and show U how much I love U even after all that time
U never went to see and try and find me to see if I was okay
it was like I was never born and it seemed like u were happy
that way but I want U to know MOM
I love U and it is hard to forgive U
but I love U and
will never forget the times
U BOUGHT ME THAT CANDY BAR