Sample from "Derrick"

September 9, 1968

Today was my birthday, I am eleven years old now. Every year since we moved to California I had my birthday off from school. Mom says it is the day that California became a state. I don’t care about any of that, I just know it is one less day that I am bullied at school or stuffed in a locker. Dad is in the Air Force and mom tells me we have to move ever 4 years. So just when I start making some good friends, we move somewhere else.

At least I always have my imaginary friends. Egi and Ogo. They have been my constant companions since I was 3 and invented them. I am not sure if they really like me though. They say they are my friends but they have betrayed me several times. It seems like they do something wrong and I get the blame for it. I don’t really see the fairness in that. Mom always says I should take responsibility for my own actions. I feel Egi and Ogo should do the same.

I hope I am drafted to go to war. I see it on the news every night but mom says I am too young to go. Little does she know that I find war fascinating. I can get paid to kill people in their own country. I really wish I was 18 today and not just 11. 11 is a useless age. I am not a little kid anymore, I am not a teenager yet. I am stuck in a middle age limbo. Just the cute little 11 year old. Mom’s friends keep saying how much I have grown. I don’t feel any bigger, I just feel older. No matter what I do I can’t really be happy and I toss and turn every night when I try to sleep.

The cake, that was good. It was chocolate with a strawberry frosting. My younger brother got the bigger piece though. Seems to be the story of my life. Every since that kid was born he has been favored over me . It is like we are the two sons in the Bible and mom really has her favorite. But it is fine with me, I will be going to war soon. He can stay home and wash the dishes.

I got crappy presents this year. Some clothes, some books and of course cash from the aunts. Aunts are always good for cash. It seems they could be eating cat food this year and still send their little Derrick some cash. I put it with my other cash in the shoe box in my closet. Mom says when I save up enough I can buy something really nice. She probably has something like a bike in mind, but I am thinking more like a Glock 9. I wonder what age you have to be to buy those?