THE HISTORY OF MISS TAYLOR SPARKS

M

ama was born in Detroit, like myself, she had absolutely no idea who her real father was, she lived all her life with her mother, Stephanie Sparks, who worked  hard as a clerk in one of Detroit’s largest bookstores.

But while Taylor was twelve years old, her mother, Stephanie, was diagnosed of breast cancer, she tried all she could to fight it, but medical practitioners at that time were not having enough modern facilities, research tools and drugs to save her life, unlike what we have today. Therefore, seven months later, she gave up the ghost at the hospital.

Mama had to start living with her only maternal aunty, Aunty Andrea, who had just recently moved to Bayton, California from Detroit. She took young Taylor along with her and both stayed together for some few years, but mama was forced to flee, since Andrea’s boyfriend, Royce, who happened to be four years younger than Andrea, always wanted to have a feel of young Taylor, whenever and however the opportunity presented itself. Taylor made the matter knowmuch more younger lady since she had no issue for him and he would constantly make a complain of the entire situation and then threaten to live  Andrea even though he was quite some trash himself and a constant flirt.. Therefore, she intentionally chose to turn a deaf ear to young Taylors story and so she had to leave the house.

At age fifteen, Taylor was wild out on the streets of Bay-town, doing everything she could for survival. She later left Bay- town and every dumb stiff in it, in search of a better life.

Brooklyn turned out to be a hot spot and a better option; she got a job at a motel, where many different travelers around the world checked in and out.

One of the travelling customers at the motel developed an interest in Taylor who was now looking all grown up. He’s name is Gregory, they hung out a few times, until he suddenly disappeared and was no longer seen anywhere near Brooklyn again.

But mama’s pay was really low and she needed more money, and so she came across this guy who regularly visited the motel named Mayson. He offered to help her with a good and legitimate job. Mum truly thought it was legit, but later came to find out on the very first day of the job that it was three times worst than her former job and one hell of a risk.

It was a bank robbery job, and she was caught in too deep before been finding out the whole truth, and the cost of pulling out at this time will only be at the risk of her life.

The robbery turned out a massacre, as it left eight people killed, including members of the robbery gang and several injured victims, mum had no idea what she was in for.

Every member of the robbery gang was killed that night except Mayson, Taylor and a white guy who was severely injured on the left part of his stomach and on his neck by gunshots from members of the S.W.A.T team who quickly approached the crime scene.

Mayson was quick to escape the bank as soon as he spotted the S.W.A.T.

But Taylor wasn’t fortunate enough to escape.;. the crime scene and the SWAT and FBI clouded all around her, handcuffed her and took her away for further questioning. The other white guy could barely leave the crime scene before he gave up and died.

Mama was before a high court, where the judge, Judge Richards, who somehow  felt pity on a young black girl who although was involved in a very serious and tragic crime, decided to temper justice with mercy by sentencing her to a fifteen-year jail term instead of a twenty-year jail term. This was understandable since the hidden camera at the bank, which captured the crime scene, clearly showed that she was the only robber amongst the gang who wasn’t holding a gun but ordered to do other menial jobs and so was never involved in the shoot outs which resulted to the death of the eight persons.

But Judge Richards wasn’t done as he said ‘if after this jail term, and I see you come anywhere near my court again, I’m gonna personally see to it that your bones rot in jail.’ And he meant every word he said.

Mum got heavily pregnant, while in jail and gave birth to me, due to the uncondusive life in there she had to hand me over to a very caring and loving neighbor, Christopher Jackson and his lovingly, caring wife Mitchelle who was also two weeks pregnant.

This transfer had to take place, since Bedford Hills Correctional Facility was one of the worst environment you wonna see a baby come close to, or she is gonna grow up being a thug. Now you understand how Lloyd became my adopted cousin and not my younger brother but became most of my entire best friend for the ten years mama remained in jail.

We did virtually everything together from home works to video games and learnt how to dance together from the master himself, his father, the Black Jackson.

Mama’s sentence was suppose to had last for fifteen years in jail but due to her good and proper manners; nice behavior, she only ended up spending just eleven years and was set free. It was a correctional centre, not just a prison.

By the time mama came out, she vowed to stay clean, that day was the happiest day of her life, uniting with her daughter again after ten long years of patiently waiting for her own sunny day, as the Africans will say.

Mama kept her vows by getting not just one, but two clean jobs and had to work two shifts to put bread on the table, and give me the best future there is. But life in Arlington Avenue was quite tough; mama later lost both jobs within a short span of two months and had to start selling her body secretly just to put bread on the table.

I had absolutely no idea what mama was going through all this while until the Hudson’s saga. Mr. Hudson was one of those men who took advantage of my mum, while I was away at school. He had come into our house on that faithful day upset and heavily drunk with a bottle of whisky in his hand and kept accusing mama of stealing his ten dollars, but he actually came in with no money on his coat, this resulted to the big fight, which led to his death.

The jury certainly weren’t interested in Mr. Hudson been drunk or not, but someone just had to be punished for the death of such a high profile member of the society. And so they were more interested in an execution of punishment and not justice.

Judge Richards came across Miss Taylor in his court again and without any hesitation kept his promise, Mama was sentenced, for the murder I committed, to a life in-prison, without any bail.

Mayson later became one of the most wanted men by the FBI and in New York, but no longer known as Mayson Carter but now as the Ghost. Due to everything, she went through, mama wanted the best possible life for me; that free of crime and a jail term, she saved my ass.