Black Boy Essay, Research Paper

Peter D’Angelo

English 12, Period 6

October 18, 1999

Dear Brother,

Hello, how are you doing? How are things in Detroit? I hope that living with Aunt Maggie has been good for you. Aunt Jody and Uncle Clark treated me like a grownup. They gave me a hundred chores and were very hard on me. I did not like my situation in Greenwood with Aunt Jody and Uncle Clark. They made me sleep in a room where a boy once died. Words cannot describe the fear of an encounter with the boy’s ghost. Every night I was so scared that I could not sleep in that room for one minute. After pleading with Uncle Clark, I was able to go back to Jackson and live with Mother and Granny again.

Life with Granny and Ma is much better. However, I cannot bear the hunger much longer. It makes me angry and I often feel weak. I hope that you are having plenty to eat where you are. Granny makes these peanut roasts that taste strange and I don’t like very much. Most of all, I crave meat. The fact that I can’t eat when I want to makes me feel gaunt. Every time I earn a nickel, I run to the grocery store and buy a box of vanilla wafers. Although being hungry really bothers me, I would rather go hungry than live with Aunt Jody and Uncle Clark. I would like to hear an update on how you are doing and things that are going on in your life. Please write me back and take care of yourself.

Yours truly,

Richard