We were not heading for Emerald City

It was 1952 and we lived in the Golf Park Apartments. It was the best of times and the worst of times.There are so many memories of this place I don't know where to begin.I think it was here that I really started to be conscious of the fact that we were not on the Yellow Brick Road heading for Oz. This is where Bobby lost Charlie and where I turned 5 yrs old. We had moved from Broad Street to Golf Park. The only thing I can remember about Broad Street was the steep back steps, the black woman, Louise, that would sometimes come in and take care of us and my oldest brother,Larry, telling me if I didn't learn to tie my own shoes he was going to beat me up. Everyday I would ask Larry to tie my shoes and every time he would say "pay attention so you can learn to do it yourself". I never paid attention. One day he said-- enough! He gave me good reason to pay attention and,yes,I tied my own shoes after that.
Louise would take us to Lake Armstead to play and sometimes take me home with her. I never understood why she did that. Now I think it was because mom and dad were" in disposed." She also imprinted on my mind NEVER to let anyone touch me in an inappropriate way. Funny she did that. I realized much later how much she cared for me and how deeply concerned she must have been. When she took me home with her all the little black children would want to touch my skin and hair. They were curious. I was conscious of the fact that I was different and that some of these children and even some adults didn't like me there. After we moved to Golf Park I never saw Louise again. Living at Golf Park would be a whole new awareness of what was really going on in our family.