Betrayed by Fate

Go to college? This wouldn't be within my reach if I didn't fight to get it myself. I grew up in a strict home, surrounded by religion and doctrine that tend to blind people with all those prohibitions and such.

In addition to a strict home, I can say that I was also sexist. I went to third grade in the small town of Winslow, in Navajo County, Arizona. I excelled in every class, ranking first for grades and everything. I applied to several universities in hopes of getting accepted to one.

For someone who never had family support in anything he did, this had been the best decision I had ever made. It would certainly cost me consequences, but what to do? I never had anyone's support.

The worst disappointment I had with all of this was realizing that I was accepted to several universities because of my exemplary record and grades, only to find out in the end that my mother had burned several university letters that had arrived for me, and had answered the phone from our house several times saying that I had given up my job.

When I questioned her, I couldn't believe my ears. I remember the day in question. I had found one of the letters in the trash. It had been torn in half. I picked up that piece of paper where it said I had been accepted to L.A. University, one of the best colleges in Los Angeles.

I strode into the house to find her in the kitchen doing something while my dad was sprawled on the couch in the living room, watching a game.

— Could you explain to me what this is? — I confronted her, showing the letter from the university in my hands, without thinking about the consequences.

— How dare you raise your voice at me, Maya? I'm your mother and I demand respect. What is that in her hands? Give it to me, now, stop digging through the rubbish. — she said, taking the pieces of the letter from my hands.

— How can you do that? You are my mother. Here it says I was accepted, and what do you do? Tear it up and throw it in the trash. Tell me, how many times did you do the same? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME I WAS ACCEPTED? I asked, getting upset again when I saw the sarcasm on her face.