Bridget Tatum
« My name is Bridget And I’m an addict ». I heard my mova say that everyday at the various NA meetings I followed her to. Women’s Rap behind the CVS on Charles st. every morning and Wednesdays at Greenmount Rec. But she was so much more than that. I wish I could tell her life story to the magnitude it deserves. She was a hustler, servant of the people, master negotiator (manipulator), with the wisdom of Socrates and deep drug habits. She preached importance of education as if it was the gospel, and was 6 credits short of a BA in Criminal Law; ironic on many levels. Our bond started on a slippery slope with her giving birth to me while serving a bid. Once returning home, our connection over the years was strained due to her habits, rehab visits, and leaving me under the influence of my godmother, grandma and the rest of Greenmount. However, her reputation preceded her, and I had no worries. Our life being so unpredictable, made me versatile and adaptable at an early age. From Gaudenzia, to section 8 homes, back and forth from Philly and multiple schools in between. These unstable dynamics is only the start of the unparalleled circumstances we both had to battle in life. Out of my mother 4 kids I was the only one she raised due to my siblings being in foster care and being raised by other family. From that perspective, it was a learning experience for both of us, trying to establish a firm connection and balance of a mother/son relationship. Our connection was really based on survival. “You good?”…“Aight bet.” I was always good, self reliant and proactive. And If I wasn’t, she would find a way out of no way. Seeing the gross sacrifices she made to take care of us, only made me more independent. Since about 14, I have been living freely on my own with no real authority, which was the total opposite of what I expected out of a mother who lost both her older sons. It was not til I was half way around the world in Cyprus, that my mother and I really became close on a level of speaking past a survival standpoint of needs and she expressed her true genuine feelings and emotions. Who knew my want to escape my family would actually strengthen some relationships?
