The Babysitter

By Alexander Nweze

The story of The Babysitter is the story of Mrs. Tizzardy Quenz, from her birth in Mexia, West Texas, to her relocation to Dallas Texas. There she went to school and met her husband, John, after high school. Her husband went to the army. He served in Korea in early 1950s, and he later served in Vietnam. During John’s absence, Mrs. Quenz started babysitting as a hobby, which was intended initially to help other older housewives and wives of soldiers. This babysitting occupation later blossomed to a full industry in Dallas, Texas.

When her husband came home, he was stunned, that Tizzardy had a full-fledged babysitting industry. It was a paid industry, subsidized by the city government.

Another part of The Babysitter was to showcase the story of Dallas, Texas. Most people do not know the dynamics of Dallas, Texas. This was what the author decided to explain to readers. Dallas is not just known worldwide for President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Dallas has a huge government, religious centers, an elaborate law enforcement association, and two nationwide sports organizations, like Dallas Cowboys (football team) and Dallas Mavericks (basketball team). Dallas has elaborate school systems—Ivy League universities like the SMU (Southern Methodist University), numerous state universities, colleges, high schools, and elementary schools.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781984557704

Alexander Nweze

Alexander Emeka Nweze, I went to High School at Christ The King College Onitsha, Nigeria, graduated from University of Phoenix, in Orlando Florida USA, studied at Bishop College, Dallas Texas USA, and Valencia Community College in Orlando Florida. I also worked at ECBS Television and Punch Newspapers in Lagos Nigeria.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Mrs Tizzardi Quenz was born in Daingerfield Texas in the 1940s, when they still had Slave Quarters. She attended Elementary School, High School and finally married, relocated to outskirts of Dallas Texas, named Pleasant- Grove, where, she wen’t to College and trained, as a school teacher.

She later taught in many of the local schools, the Husband later, went to the Army in 1960s, in other to fill up, the void of his absence, she began to babysit at least part time. At the end of the Vietnam or Indo-China War in 1975, the husband, did came home. Her babysitting trade, intensified, she was able to meet new friends, in the process.

Her Husband, John, saw action, at Danang in Vietnam, and earlier, he was among United Nations Troops, at demilitarized zone of North and South Korea in early 1950s., Mrs Quenze’s, a very cheerful volunteer, for all Women’ organizations, in town, she joined other veteran wives, support groups, to cheer them up, and co-act as support systems to them, including babysitting, and children’s games, activities. Mrs Quenz had five children.

The names of her Children, was Bobby, Ferdinand, Floria, Charles and Phoebes. She was the most gentle of all the Quenzes siblings. They had numerous friends, including other lady friends, from the local YWCA. (YMCA) and Boys and Girls Club, the Department of Families, Supervisors, drop by, once in awhile, to monitor ladies and children’s activities, at the public Parks, then still, segregated to Blacks Recreational Parks and Whites Recreational Public Parks, like Schools and Drinking Fountains, were segregated. All those Laws, were later struck, down by Federal Action, at the bequest of Civil Rights Movements, led by Dr Martin Luther King Jr, by Kennedy/Johnson Administrations, and United States Congress, at the time in 1960s. Among Mrs Quinzes, inner circle of friends, were Mrs Joyce Bonsue, an Entrepreneur and Educator, a retired School Principal, who runs number of businesses, a pretty lady, in her Sixties, she had grown children, who have all left home, chasing the Golden Fleece or American Dream. (means, two- Car Garage Home, Two cars, a Husband, two domestic Animals, one Cat and one Dog and a fat bank account)Mrs Quenz, was given an elaborate, Home, with a big Yard, in West Dallas, Middle Class Section, it was there, she was able to witness, the most downtrodden children in Big D. Metroplex.

It was hard, at first, to relocate, from serene Neighborhood of Pleasant Grove, but it was a Government offer, to further assist the indigent Children. A Police Guard was promised too, for Safety Concerns, she may miss her friends and neighbors in the nearly twenty Mile Township of Pleasant Grove, a Suburb of Dallas Texas, off course they can drive an hour Drive to West Dallas, another Township in the sprawling Metroplex, among the largest in United States of America. The largest Metroplex being New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas and Washington DC/Virginia/ Maryland axis.

CHAPTER TWO

In West Dallas, the Government have a very, extended Project, or Section 8 Housing Subdivision, containing, about one thousand Apartment Units, (Flats) in a Red Brick Subdivision, this subdivision, built around the New Deal Era. It was ameliorate Housing Shortage for the Poor, for them, to catch up economically, It appeared to become, the opposite in 1930s, the good intentions, the Federal Government planned, it metamorphosed, from Housing for the Poor to another subclass, of Law Breakers, and deviant behaviors and other social misfits, in the Community, just because, the House Rent is Free, courtesy of benevolence of Federal Government of United States of America, of former President Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt, Administration, former President John Fitzgerald and Jacqueline Kennedy, and former President Lyndon Baines and Lady Bird Johnson Administration, the favor became abused.

The Section Eighth, turned out, to become a Home of Transients, Gamblers, Pimps, Drug Dealers, Prostitution, Lesbian and Gay purveyors, and Gamblers. One can see, these Cadillac El Dorados with, sparkling Wheels, come for repossession, of Tenants properties, as Gambling Debts Fees. Young Teenagers, (Females) as young as Fourteen Years old, deliberately, get pregnant, to secure free Apartment, since only ladies, with children, a qualified for Free Housing and other Household benefits. Men are disposable and unqualified for any benefit, in American Family.

These Pimps (Prostitutes Illegal Managers) Drive through Projects, with their Armed Bodyguards in tow. carting of Electronic Equipments, (TVs) Microwaves and Refrigerators and Computers)belonging to defaulters in one debt or the other, while their kids weep. Unfortunately, Phoebes, once, ejected by her Family, she ended up in YMCA Shelter, for a few weeks and was later, assigned a Free Apartment, with her boyfriend, both did not, complete High school then, but now, both are University Graduates, after Department of Families, mandated them, to be good Citizens, once again, or Head into Prison System (Penitentiary System), they complied. Other Mrs Quenz friends, were Coaches, Eddie and Randolph. Other ladies, Sandra, a Single Mother, because in America, it looked like a virtue, to be single and free, but the community, did not realize, it was Man Made. Policies of the past Centuries in America, created Single lifestyle. Corporate American and American States Congresses, Policies, gave room, to separation of Families, clans, due to juxtapositioning of jobs, far away from Homes. extended Families disintegrate, and Clan support systems disentangled, hence Social Problems, replace Clans and Family cohesion the body fabric tears apart.

Uncles gone, nephews lack gentle Supervision and role models. Aunties, become Single as Domestic servants, in faraway Suburbs, it happened in South Africa, same way between 1870s, through 1950s in both Continents. North America and Southern African Countries, and both was initiated by Europeans in America, and Europeans in Southern Africa. (the Europeans the Boers and the Jews). Unfortunately, the Middle Class, working Class, and Welfare Classes of America, are now the victims of Singles Lifestyles, all ethnic Groups, are paying the Price, while Glamorizing Single One-Parent Families, only in America is it legitimized, and Men are shunted away, from Family Homes, and labelled loosers cannot keep a job, and dealing Drugs they forgot, who sent him, there. Mrs Quenz, humbly built, a Daycare Center for Children, for Working class Mothers, to look after, their Children. They have an elaborate Play Pens of various colors, sliding Plastics, Swings with Ropes, while Mrs Quenz hired many willing staff members, and set up nice Dining Tables, very small chairs for youngsters of below Ten years of age. Their Dining Tables were small too.

They have Computer and Television rooms, they have Day Beds, to take afternoon naps, in unison, clean their faces and brush their teeth, and dress properly, for Lunch and awaiting their respective Mothers and Guardians.

At the weekends, Mrs Bonsue Mrs Achimota, Sandra and Tizzardi Quenz, attends any Protestant Church of their choice, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic Churches, Methodist, AME African Methodist Congregation and Unity Churches, after the Service, all clad on white Gowns, and White Hats. All the Churches, were not Air Conditioned, quite unlike 1950s and earlier, since Reconstruction in 1860s, the Heat and High Temperatures Inside the Pew, is 80 degrees average Fahrenheit.

All Ladies come, with their Fans, Men seldom carry Fans, they carry Walking Sticks and umbrellas, although, their Stetson Hats, can substitute, for Fans. Men wear dark suits, plain Shirts and ties. Mrs Quenze’s children, help, in the Choir Groups, some of her Boys, does not attend Church Services and Sunday Schools frequently, because of Females dominate at Church Services, and these young boys, does not like that. Their Peers are few in the Church Services. Floria, was a lead singer. Mrs Quenz and her team, were licensed to help Supervise other Daycare and Babysitting Services in t Dallas, and lookout for any children, who does not, attend schools. What she discovered, in many Private Babysitters was simply appalling, Cigarettes and Alcohol was being used by adults, in some Babysitter, without Licenced Homes, some of the Males occupants, were found to be physically, abusive of Female little toddlers. They were duly reported to department Of Families and Police. She later observed one, where the Lady, left the children, to themselves, drove out to Purchase Groceries from the Food Stores, around the Block. She was fined and warned.

CHAPTER THREE

Mrs Quenz, started discovering, she was up against, many odds in West Dallas, one the biggest businesses, in West Dallas was a large Ice Cream Trucking Company, no Police Posts, at night, the small town, is a beehive of Illegal activity. One Nigerian-American was shot dead, inside his Ice Cream Truck, while making sales to kids, He was about forty years old College Graduate That was in Canada Drive in West Dallas in 1980s. Youth Gangs, were rife, that was what neighborhood watchers, like Coach Eddie was discussing, with Mrs Quenz, her Husband John, and Ms Sandra, The Teenage Boys, formed Gangs, match in double-file Parades. They use these Youth Gangs, as support-systems, or brotherhood, in absence of Clans of Uncles, Aunties and Grandmothers and Grandfathers, they use Gang membership, to fill the void, on Holidays of Three Months. They have female companions, too. Their girlfriends, join them too. These fellow girls, have children, for the gangmembers.

Most of them, never travelled outside Dallas in their lives, no relatives to visit. They were mostly bored and the teenage girls, were not better, suffering from inferiority complex. Their respective Mothers, undergoing series of deprivations, like frequency, of Dallas Police Departments, stopping at