Massage Ginny

By Marvina Sims

Massage Ginny is composed of short stories, poetry and prose. This book is a combination of facts and embellishments. Names, dates, places, events, and details have been changed, invented, and altered for literary effect. The short stories highlight topics such as domestic violence, rape, mental illness, living with disabilities, etc. Some event

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lettra Press LLC
• Release date: Feb 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781951559083

Marvina Sims

Marvina Sims is passionate about reading, writing and researching. As a result, her college majors were English and Library, and a minor in creative writing. During her service at the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board as an Equal Opportunity Specialist her position as editor and publisher of the quarterly newsletter, OEO Times, is what catapulted her into pursuing a career in writing. Her personal experiences as a victim of abuse, along with her desire to help other victims, and perpetrators in abusive situations is what inspired her to become a certified Domestic Violence Advocate and an intervention specialist in the Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP). Marvina has also acted in various live stage performances, movies, and web series. In her youth, she was shy yet empathetic. Finding it challenging to verbally express her deeply felt emotions she journaled. Today, though no longer shy, her empathy is amplified. As a result, impactful events and emotionally touching moments are expressed via poetry, prose, short stories, and creative non-fiction. In 2013, Marvina began an organization called WEWIN-Women Empower Women in Need (www.wewinqueendom.org, http://wewin4all.weebly.com, https://www.facebook.com/2LOVEWEWIN/). Her goal is to help empower women and many others who are less fortunate and in need. Prior to Marvina's birth, her mom, Annie Mae Jones (Ann), attempted homicide and suicide on several occasions. A struggling single mom with three kids, and living within one of Chicago's poorest and dangerous neighborhoods added more stress to Ann's already inundated life. After Marvina is born her mom notices something is physically wrong, but doctors do not detect any problems. Years later Marvina is diagnosed with a debilitating bone disease, which causes her to endure countless fractures, numerous surgeries, and months of hospital stays. But Marvina still manages to get caught up in what many others are doing-drugs, drinking, gambling and indulging in sexual activities prior to legal age. Despite Marvina's tumultuous life, her biggest fear was remaining entangled in the vicious cycle of generational poverty, crime, and substance addiction. For this reason, Marvina was determined to do what was necessary to avoid becoming a statistic. Brittle Never Broken is definitely not your typical rags to riches memoir. In this case "riches" refers to Marvina's ability to remain self-motivated despite relentless afflictions, turmoil, and heartaches. Marvin's bones may be brittle but nothing or no one can break her awesome spirit!

Book preview

Massage Ginny

MARVINA SIMS

MASSAGE GINNY

This book is written to provide information and motivation to readers. Its purpose is not to render any type of psychological, legal, or professional advice of any kind. The content is the sole opinion and expression of the author, and not necessarily that of the publisher.

Copyright © 2020 by Marvina Sims

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or distributed in any form by any means, including, but not limited to, recording, photocopying, or taking screenshots of parts of the book, without prior written permission from the author or the publisher. Brief quotations for noncommercial purposes, such as book reviews, permitted by Fair Use of the U.S. Copyright Law, are allowed without written permissions, as long as such quotations do not cause damage to the book’s commercial value. For permissions, write to the publisher, whose address is stated below.

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN    978-1-951559-07-6    (Paperback)

ISBN    978-1-951559-08-3    (Digital)

Lettra Press books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

Lettra Press LLC

30 N Gould St. Suite 4753

Sheridan, WY 82801, USA

1 303-586-1431 | [e-mail]

www.lettrapress.com

CONTENTS

Loving Is Not My Choice

Take

Against My Will

Them Words

Janbilacal

Bryked

Boundaries

Spiritual Connections

Ratatarian Wigwam

Distance

Severely Interrupted

Non-Golden Silence

Mislaid Mama

Release

Modern Day Bartering

Assis-Tive Let-Ter-Ing

Massage Ginny

Resource For Victims Of Domestic Violence

I Am Enough

Stacked Cell Holes

Dodwinkle And Dingleberry

The Horrors, Humors And Humiliations Of Dating With Disabilities

Half Ass Gesture

Military Terror – Vietnam 1970

Resources For Victims Of Rape

Assumption Vs Judgement

Mental Mayhem

Mindful Death

The Voice

Nami—National Alliance On Mental Illness Resources

Drive Yourself Sane

Dough Boy

Captured

Resources For Victims Of Trafficking And Child Abuse

Another’s Love Is Unneeded

Numbing Out

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Thawed

Tradition Stole My Birthright

Inspired By: Gather Together In My Name By The Legendary Dr. Maya Angelou

Rose Among Rocks

Prologue

Additional Resources

Works Cited

Marvina Sims is passionate about reading, writing and researching. As a result, her college majors were English and Library, and a minor in creative writing. During her service at the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board as an Equal Opportunity Specialist her position as publisher and editor of the newsletter, Working Together, is what catapulted her into pursuing a career in writing. Also, her personal experiences as a victim of abuse, along with her desire to help other victims, and perpetuators in abusive situations is what inspired her to become a certified Domestic Violence Advocate and an intervention specialist in the Partner Abuse Intervention Program (PAIP). Marvina has also acted in various live stage performances, movies and web series. In her youth, she was shy yet empathetic. Finding it challenging to verbally express her deeply felt emotions she journaled. Today, though no longer shy, her empathy is amplified. As a result, impactful events and emotionally touching moments are expressed via poetry, prose, short stories and creative non-fiction. In 2013, Marvina began an organization called WEWIN—Women Empower Women in Need (www.wewinqueendom.org, http://wewin4all.weebly.com, https://www.facebook.com/2LOVEWEWIN/). Her goal is to help empower women and many others who are less fortunate and in need.

ABOUT MASSAGE GINNY

Massage Ginny is composed of short stories, poetry and prose. This book is a combination of facts and embellishments. Names, dates, places, events, and details have been changed, invented, and altered for literary effect. The short stories highlight topics such as domestic violence, rape, mental illness, living with disabilities, etc. Some events have been re-written from my personal life experiences. Some are recalled from other’s experiences. In certain stories, I have taken both my personal mayhem and other’s turmoil and combined them into one, in hopes of giving you a powerful and impactful story. But what’s more important is that these unfortunate issues are global. Although men are hurt by many of these incidents more women suffer due to patriarchal dominance, and have been dealing with it for centuries. My overall goal is to inspire and educate. My desire is to eventually make these short stories into a full novel. Here is a hint about the title: if you say the words fast enough you will hear what the title describes. This is a pandemic issue that needs to be addressed in order to make changes for peaceful and respectful living conditions for everyone!

TAKE

IT TAKES

NOTHING

FROM YOU

TO BE LOVING

AND KIND

TO EVERYONE

EVEN

COMPLETE STRANGERS

BUT IT DOES

TAKE SOMETHING

FROM BOTH OF YOU

WHEN YOU ARE NOT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

AND KIND WORDS

CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

IN ENCOURAGING SOMEONE

TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE

AND EVEN GIVE THEM

THE DESIRE TO WANT

TO CONTINUE LIVING

I’VE LIVED LONG ENOUGH

TO KNOW

I WOULD MUCH RATHER

BE REMEMBERED

AS LOVING

AND KIND

THAN NOT

AND LIVE WITH REGRETS

I HOPE YOU

DO THOSE THINGS

THAT FEEL

OUT OF CHARACTER

BY SHOWING

SO MUCH MORE LOVE

NO LONGER

HOLDING BACK

SOMEONE IS

IN NEED OF

AND

LOOKING

FORWARD TO

YOUR LOVING

KINDNESS!

AGAINST MY WILL

I exit the elevator on the third floor. The sign says intensive care unit but there is no arrow pointing as to which direction to enter. There are three different doors. One says, Personnel Only. Another says, Do Not Enter with yellow tape crossed in front of it. The third door is sliding glass. On the wall in front of it I notice the silver, metal plate with a blue stick person in a half-circle symbol, indicating a wheelchair. It’s so faded it’s hard to tell where the silver metal ends and the blue begins.

I hit the round metal plate. The double sliding doors open extremely slowly. Sounding like an old, rickety, wooden roller coaster along a rusty track. I push myself into room two, where my aunt Mira is sleeping. They finally took all the tubes from her arms and nose. I look up and see an old television show playing in black and white. I don’t bother to remove my coat figuring if she doesn’t wake up in ten minutes, I’ll just write a note then leave.

She just had the temporary pacemaker surgically removed. It is no longer needed since she finally agreed to start dialysis. The toxins had gotten so bad in her system it caused her heart rate to slow down. She’s had her first dialysis and all of her vitals are back to normal, which is why her pacemaker was removed only three days after it was put in.

I hear a bell chime. I look at my aunt Mira thinking maybe it came from somewhere around her. Her eyes pop open. She yells. I can’t tell if she’s excited to see me or if I scared her. I laugh. She starts laughing. The bell rings again. We look at each other. She says, That ain’t me. I look at my phone. It’s the notification from my front door camera app. Another squirrel is scampering along my front porch. I watch it until it jumps onto my neighbor’s porch then disappears from the camera’s view. I put my phone away.

Have you been allowed to eat again? I ask her. She responds. Yeah but I don’t want that nasty junk. I chuckle. What did they do to your neck? It looks like a coin is sticking out of an open slit. And they just threw clear plastic tape over it.

I take a picture and show it to her. I don’t know what they’re doing to me. My baby girl was up here yesterday getting on their asses cause the nurse put the needle in my arm wrong and caused it to swell up.

I raise my eyebrow and respond. "Yeah this place gives me the creeps. I didn’t like how they cared for mama when she was in here. Getting off the elevator it looks like an abandoned building. I didn’t know which way to go to get to your room."

My stick-on visitor’s pass falls into my lap. I bawl it up and throw it into the trash next to the bed stand. I ask, Did they say when you’ll be getting discharged? She replies, They’re saying possibly tomorrow but I’m ready to get the hell outta here now. We look at snippets of the black and white tv show, Bonanza¹, but not really paying attention to it, since we’re chatting.

When the commercial comes on, I tell her, I’m gonna be heading on home. I stand on my footrest to kiss her goodbye." She thanks me for coming to see her.

I go back through the double glass doors. I thought the elevator was to the left but I don’t see it. I push open another door. Still no elevator. I turn around to head back when a man dressed in a white uniform opens the door. He looks shocked. Whoa…sorry…Are you lost? He asks. I tell him, I’m looking for the elevators. He asks, Where are you trying to go? I reply, To the parking lot.

He looks at me questionably and asks, Have you been discharged? I roll my eyes in my head. He’s looking at my wheelchair, assuming I’m a patient. I respond snappily. I cannot get discharged if I was never a patient!

I continue pushing myself through the door. He grabs the handle on the back of my wheelchair. Stopping me abruptly almost making me topple out my chair. But I save myself by pushing my body back.

With hostility he replies. "Before I let you go,