I Am From

I am from suburban streets and backyard gardens. I’m from Saturday morning cartoons and Sunday night Little House on the Prairie watched in pajamas in front of the fire. I’m from yearly canning parties and playing school with my sisters. Of elaborately-ruled games of tag in the backyard and climbing the apple tree in the front.

I’m from summer ice cream trucks and baby oil tans. I’m from church cult meetings three times a week and talking on the phone late into the night on my waterbed. I’m from orange shag carpet and mirrored walls, from ten-speed bikes and As the World Turns. From MTV and Levis 501s and Keds and Esprit. I’m from strawberry-flavored lipgloss and Walkmans.

I’m from Hamburger Helper and wallpaper in the kitchen. From bleaching the Formica and running the tap overnight in the winter so that the pipes wouldn’t freeze. From maple bars on Sundays and a new thing called a microwave.

I’m from an animal-loving, forklift-driving, warehouse, mechanic, auto-parts, bank-teller family of blue collars stretching every dollar they had, taking college classes in the evenings. A cross-stitch, beer-drinking, book-loving, Do It Yourself family.

I am from creative, strong people that live a long time, talk too much, and move the furniture around when we’re bored.