My First Home

I lived in an apartment complex outside of Taipei in Taiwan. If I remember correctly, it was on the third floor. We had a small balcony facing the street... and the ony view was the building across from us, and maybe the neighborhood kids playing in the street below. Our street was a narrow one-way street filled with huge apartment buildings. The buildings were of all different colrs, sizes and styles. Like they were just jumbled together and built during different times. They weren't pretty at all, but dirty, messy and every balcony or window was different with its own shade of dirt, grease, clothes hanging, barred windows and sounds.

Each apartment had it's own sounds as well. Whether it's kids playing, crying or getting a beat down from their parents or siblings. Or even dogs, cats, adults yelling and music playing. Everything was loud and full of life.

But my house... my house was my safe haven. I never went outside to play with the kids on the street. I never joined in on their games, yet I would watch them from above... playing with their sticks and stones or even some broken toys. I was lucky... spoiled even... and thus began the development of my reclusive nature.

My home had three bedrooms, one bath and one kitchen. I slept on the bottom bunk of a bunk bed I shared with my older brother. We had everything we needed and almost everything we wanted.

- posted by Jack @ 12:37 PM

 
I'm not sure where to start or what to start with. But I wanted to tell the story of my life. It may not be as interesting as other people's life stories. It may not be as adventerous, exciting, sad, or complicated. It may not be filled with danger and life changing, traumatic experiences, but it's my life.... and every life is a story.

I'm not exactly sure what my earliest memory was. I do remember waking up one morning and finding myself inside a cage. For some reason, I didn't think I belonged in that cage. I saw my brother on my parents' bed beside me. And from behind those bars, I looked out to him... wondering, why am I in here and you out there? where's mom and dad? how long will I be locked in here? My brother just rolled around on the bed looking at me, telling me Mom and Dad will be home soon. But why should I believe him? I'm locked in a cage! A few minutes later... Mom and Dad came home... and the whole world was right again.
- posted by Jack @ 11:21 AM