The Next Big Story: My Journey Through the Land of Possibilities by Soledad O'Brien & Rose Marie Arce

Author:Soledad O'Brien & Rose Marie Arce [O'Brien, Soledad & Arce, Rose Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Biography & Autobiography, General, United States, Biography, Social Science, Personal Memoirs, Women, Cultural Heritage, Editors; Journalists; Publishers, Language Arts & Disciplines, Journalism, Entertainment & Performing Arts, Political Science, African American Studies, Ethnic Studies, Anthropology, Cultural, Television journalists, Media Studies, Women television journalists, Racially mixed people - United States, O'Brien; Soledad, African American television journalists, Television journalists - United States
ISBN: 9780451231376
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2010-11-02T15:01:54.750000+00:00

Brandon, Tina’s older son, scoots around the church that morning, handsome and well spoken. He has no relationship with his father, although he is friendly with Calvin, his stepfather. He has a child with his ex-girlfriend Sherita and another with his most recent girlfriend. He dropped out of school to become a security guard. He says he is trying to contribute to his ex-girlfriend so she can raise their daughter, Salia. But he is detached and overwhelmed and his new girlfriend wants help with his son, Jaden. Tina finds the responsibilities he has heaped on himself dizzying, but she is trying to help him in any way she can, including setting up a first birthday party for Salia with all the trimmings.

When the day arrives, the house where Salia lives with her mother is a flotilla of balloons and relatives. Tina and her husband and Braylon arrive early, all smiles and presents and helping hands. Then Tina begins a solid hour of waiting for Brandon to arrive. A stream of children surrounds Salia and games begin. Tina stands at the doorway checking and rechecking her watch and mumbling that this is his daughter’s first birthday and he should have been early. Brandon’s stepfather fumes on the front lawn. Even Braylon expresses his anger and calls his older brother’s cell phone numerous times. Salia is restless and her mother is saying out loud that Brandon always disappoints.

Brandon walks in just after Salia has blown out her candles. She cries when he picks her up. He mumbles something about having the wrong address. I ask him if he isn’t abandoning his daughter the way his father abandoned him. He vows to break four generations of fathers abandoning children. “I’m going to change it up,” he promises. “Traditions are always willing to be broken.”

Yet four months go by and Brandon doesn’t visit Salia. Just as I’m wrapping up shooting on Black in America I decide to visit Brandon. His story is so depressing. I don’t just want to put it out there with a downpour of sociologists’ excuses on top. I take him to see Salia and her mother, thinking maybe I can interview them together. We arrive to a surprise. Sherita is pregnant again, this time with twins and by another boyfriend. The animosity and anger between her and Brandon is obvious. I end up feeling like one of those television marriage counselors.

“Could you contribute more?” I ask Brandon. “Yes.”

“Would you let him do more?” I ask Sherita.

“Yes. I mean, I don’t stop him from doing it now. I mean, I look at it as a—I mean, I know there’s times when I have an attitude problem, but I have a reason to, because of what all I have done by myself with Salia,” she replies.

“Can he be a good father, if he tried? Can he be a good father?” I ask her. She stares at Brandon almost as if she’s about to re-ask my question. “I think he could. But the thing is, will he?”

“Will you?” I ask.

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