Page 31 - 1st Anthology 2011

Gerald Meguinis

My name is Gerald Meguinis, I also have an Indian name giving to me by Dick Starlight’s
mother when I was a child. They called me Zask’a, and that means winter. And my
brother was the opposite his was ʔAma, and that means summer. So to tell the difference
between my brother, and me, that’s how you can tell. I didn’t get any other name that I
know of. I turned the age of 61 on December 9th of this last year. It doesn’t seem like it
but that’s my age right now.

My mom was Helen Meguinis, and ever since she’s passed on there’s been people that I
never knew in my life that has been telling me about her. Telling me that they knew her,
and where they met up with her.

She was a woman that took children from different nationalities as her own and they used
to call her mom. So I guess I have a lot of brothers and sisters out there that I don’t know
about. The only time I got to know some of them was when she passed away and they
came to the funeral. So I still have a long ways to go on that, for who she really knew.

When the time was coming near to my mom’s passing it was hard for her to say anything
because she was so sick. The things I do remember when she was well, she said when I do
go you as children stick together. Don’t let anybody go, and help each other. Look after
your children, and your grandchildren, talk to them. It’s your duty, I can’t do it anymore.
They won’t listen to me, they won’t listen to an old lady. If anything when I’m gone do
these things.

When people want you and need you, help them out. Don’t be stingy with anything and
don’t try to hold out. Where is it going to get you when you hold out on a story or
anything? Just you will know and nobody else, so share it. If you can’t write a book well
talk about it.

When people come to you asking you for help, try and help them the best way that you
can. Just do your best and keep checking on each other. Not every one of you are well
people. My sister and brothers are not healthy, so we keep checking on each other. Don’t
fight each other, work as a team. Most of all respect each other, don’t say bad things
towards each other. When they put you down the only time you start crying is when you
ask for forgiveness. So respect each other, or you might lose focus on it some days but try
and stay on that path.

So that’s what she said, and that’s before she got sick. When she got sick all she wanted to
watch was the Calgary Flames game when she was in the hospital. She was always chasing
me home when she was sick. She said you better go home your children they might be
hungry. Go home and feed them. She didn’t want us to be there. She wanted to come
home with us. The more we came, the more she wanted to come home. That’s why she
didn’t want us to be in the hospital. She wanted to come home with me but she couldn’t

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