Memoir of Something Scary...(don't read this if you're scared!)

WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU'RE SCARED!

This was actually a while back. Gabby was about 5 at the time. We still lived on Phelan Avenue, in the more getto part of Vallejo. Our house was small and condensed, with slabs of rock covering most of the front. It was a bit after lunch I would say, when Gabby and Victoria were both running around the house. Gabby had some kind of black ring on her left pointing finger , but nobody noticed it until...well, you'll see in a little bit.

I think it was around dinner time when my mom found out what had happened. She was preparing to give the babies a bath, and she noticed Gabby's finger. She freaked out, really! We all rushed over to see what the problem was. It turned out that Gabby had wrapped a small black rubber hairtie around her finger pretty tightly...It had been there for several hours by the time my parents removed it. The tip of her finger above where the band had been was shriveled and dark purple, like a raisin. We all knew that it may have had to be amputated.

Well, I got freaked out! My mom gave the babies a quick bath. My parents were waiting to see if it would get any better...but nothing had changed. After the bath, my dad took Gabby to the ER at Kaiser. I don't know what happened there.

When they came back, however, things were looking up! Gabby's finger was a bit more plump than before, and the skin had almost returned to its pink fleshy tone. It was still a little purple. We were all really relieved! Her finger would live to see tomorrow!

Now, her fingertip has returned to normal, but her nail had fallen off. The nail that grew back was not the same size, but that doesn't bother us. At least her finger is okay. Everyone in my family knows now never to wrap things too tightly around fingers...or, something like that. I will forever be psychologically distressed whenever I think about it. Like the kids in Signs.

And that concludes my attempt to relay this particular recollection of memories that may have shocked you...

-Jelaya