Excerpts from My Book/Life Story/Journal

Since I could remember, every time I saw a microphone, I would grab it. I bet you are thinking that my next statement is, “The world could see that I was destined to be a famous super star singer since birth”! But… Not quite. I never said I would sing. I loved the attention and I would just talk. And talk… AND TALK… That was me--- > Age three. Jamaal Rashon Dukes. Don’t get confused, but my family would call me Shon. So, for the longest time, if anybody would ask me, “Hey… lil’ guy. What’s your name”? I would reply, “Shon Jamaal Rashon Dukes”. They tried to correct me, but I wouldn’t listen because why would my Ma call me that if it wasn’t my name! I was already thinking logically at age three!

You all really don’t understand. I would talk a lot and I could actually speak very well for my age. Matter of fact, in public, people thought my mother was crazy because who could this lady possibly be having full length conversations with? Not this little boy…

“Did you see anything in that store you liked”?

“No ma’am. But I’m hungry”.

“What do you want to eat”?

“Chicken”!

“Chicken? With French fries”?

“Yes ma’am… But not France fries… American FRIES”!!! (I never understood the concept of “French” fries since we lived in America. Never sat well with me).

 

Not only did I talk ALL THE TIME! I found myself getting into things. I wouldn’t say I was a BAD child (side eye). I was just curious. For example:

 

“MAAAA… If we get on this moving stair thingy, you don’t have to hold my hand because I’m a big boy.”

“Ok… But stay close to me”.

“Yes ma’am"

“Step up…”
“Got it! But ummm… Mommy?”

“Yes”?

“What happens… If I go… backwards!”

“Shon! Stop! Boy… C- her-”

It quickly went from fun and games to a very serious moment when I no longer heard my mother‘s voice, but several voices of worried bystanders… “Oh My God. Look! Oh My God!” Terrified, I turned around and screamed, “MAMA!!!!”

In an attempt to stop me from misbehaving my mother slipped on one of the shopping bags and began to tumble backwards down the escalator. Out of at least fifty people watching, ONE lady ran through the crowd and hit the emergency stop button. When my mother got to her feet, I’m sure that she wanted to curse ALL the bystanders and myself out! But she just whispered, “Thank You Jesus”.

 

Actually, that was her answer for everything in my early childhood before the whoopins began. (Which was about a whole six months. lol) One time I got my head stuck between the railings on the staircase outside at my aunt’s apartment. The fire department had to come and use the crowbar to get me out. And one time, I was in our old school red van with my sister, Jamila, at the post office. No clue why I was feeling a little froggy, but I started banging my head against the windshield and saying, “I’m Da’ Man, I’m Da’ Man, I’M DA’ MAN”! *crack* And I cracked the whole windshield! From the top to the wiper! In that same van, we were riding one day and somehow I got out of my own car seat, opened the door and was swag surfin’ over a bridge, looking at the street! NO LIE! I definitely wasn’t a bad child. (side eye) Just the youngest and a momma’s boy! Love me some Ma Dukes.

 

Ma Dukes is a good Christian woman. She strongly stood by the scripture that says, “Train up a child in the way he should go”. We were in church every Sunday for service, Wednesday for Bible study, Saturday for drama practice and Second Sunday evenings for choir rehearsal! (And I can’t even sing). But we were there. 

 

Right beside my brothers from another mother, Josh and Chris. And my sisters from another (can’t really find a word to rhyme with sister. But you get the point.) Our sisters from another mother. We were definitely a dysfunctional family. But at least a family. We spent so much time in church together that we HAD to be. Josh, Chris and myself were like the three amigos. We all came from different families, but alike at the same time. Abuse, drugs and all that jazz was something that we could all relate to. We were so competitive. Who was the tallest? Who was the strongest? Who could get the most girls? (depending on when I release this, this probably is a current competition.)

 

Josh was The Geek. Glasses. Fitted pants. The music head. Real artsy. (You know all artsy people are weird.)  Chris was The Athlete. Boy was FAST. Like REALLY fast.  We KNEW Chris was going to the Pros! I thought I was going to the Pros too in little league… SIKE!

 

I did play little league, but I didn’t love it. I was just “that dude”. I was the Cool Kid out of the bunch. (Did we ever vote? NO… But this is my story, and I’m sticking to it.) Yea, I was the coolest one. Definitely got in the most trouble though. I was the ring leader. But, to my/our defense, I talked us OUT of just as much trouble as I got us into...

THE END

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