Moon Child

Moon child Melissa Dukes, according to birth records, was the seventh daughter from the seventh generation of a seven-month pregnancy, born in the seventh month, seventh day, seventh minute after the hour of seven, weighing seven pounds, seven ounces, and born in house number 7. It was said that she was a “curse” and a “bad omen.” It was also believed that she was destined to be an intellectual and possess skills beyond that of the average person. Melissa was born in unusual circumstances in the small rural isolated community of Pleasant Grove, Mississippi. Her natural mother, Molly Rosenberg, was unmarried, and her natural father, Rubin Weisner, was married to someone else. Molly gave birth to Melissa at her home at the same time with her best friend, Iva Dukes, who was giving birth to her seventh child. They were both attended by the midwife, Aunt Cardui. Aunt Cardui was unable to save Iva’s baby as it was born dead. This was Molly’s first child, a seven-month pregnancy with other complications. Molly died while giving birth to Melissa, but before her death, she pleaded with Iva to take Melissa and raise her as her own and to keep it a guarded secret. Molly and Iva’s seven-month premature baby was quietly buried together on the farm beside her grandparents. Iva and Josef Dukes owned a large farm in the depressed and hard-times era. The farm was almost void of civilization, isolated and nestled in the thick pine tree forest, with no means of transportation to the home but a horse-drawn wagon. This was carefully planned by Josef as he needed the seven daughters to help him work the farm. He claimed that the lack of civilization and isolation was to protect his daughters from the “wicked ways” of the world. His religious-crazed notions and the imprisonment of the family were akin to slavery and was for his own selfish protection. Molly’s parents sent her from Europe to live with her grandparents to protect her from the cruel war. Much to her chagrin, when she arrived, she was faced with unusual circumstances of their deaths plus taking over the large farm. She and Iva became inseparable friends and shared happy times before her death. Melissa was treated cruelly and differently from her sisters, but she never knew why her family said she would bring evil to them that she was plagued by the number 7. When Melissa finished high school, Aunt Cardui explained the circumstances of her birth to her and helped her to escape the prison-type life and cruel treatment. She was also planning to leave and find a better life for her family. Aunt Cardui, her husband, Uncle Joe, and daughter, Mary, were the only colored tenants on Josef’s farm. They were sharecroppers and did the farming on shares with Josef. The three of them took Melissa and made their getaway to Mobile, Alabama. With World War II in a violet rage, an influx of people were moving into the city to work in shipyards and defense plants plus the military air base. These were not good times for a young innocent girl so immature and so inexperienced as Melissa was. She managed to find work and struggled to cope. She continued her education taking night courses plus volunteering her services for the war cause. She also took pride in volunteering in the office of Alabama’s congressman who coined the phrase “Everything is made for love.” Before making the escape to the city, Mary was molested by the Baptist minister, and Melissa was raped by an older man who had dated all of the sisters over the years. The seven daughters were warned and forbidden to stay away from the trashy Byrds, who lived a few miles away at Birdville. This was considered the other side of the tracks, where the no-good Byrds or birds flocked together. No Byrd was permitted to join the Baptist Church or associate with its members. Melissa was made over into an instant “Cinderella” when she arrived at the city. She met her prince charming, Jim. They eloped and married. His family opposed the marriage and treated Melissa like an outcast. Jim joined the navy and was killed in a tragic accident. The family buried him without Melissa’s knowledge. She married a first lieutenant in the air force, who was also killed In the Korean War. Melissa took a civil service secretarial position and joined him in Tokyo, Japan, because independent travel was frozen. He flew missions over Korea and was killed on one of the missions. She sat in her office in the Miji building in Tokyo and watched the ticker tape of the casualties run across the screen one morning, and his name stood out in bold print. After this shocking news, she transferred to Guam to shorten her government tour of duty. She met an interesting, charming, and intelligent air force colonel while working there. After Melissa returned to Mobile, they corresponded and he made frequent trips to Mobile to see her. Melissa became a successful entrepreneur. While in the prime of her new career, Colonel Freeze came to town and proposed to her. She sold her enterprises and married him. She experienced another war, Vietnam, and another interesting military experience. This was supposed to be her swan song and her marriage made in heaven. Unfortunately, it was one of lies, deceit, guilt complexes, and womanizing. One of the astrological characteristics of moon children is their love for home and an abundance of pride. Melissa had too much of both. She felt compelled to win the battle, if not the war, to make her marriage work. She struggled and suffered pain and embarrassment, intimidation, and humiliation beyond belief. She kept these secrets pinned up inside her and held her head up with pride, concealing all the pain. Colonel Freeze retired from the military and pursued a second career in Washington with the government. The womanizing did not stop unfortunately. He retired again after seven years and became ill immediately. Melissa struggled to cope with his illness for nine years before he passed away. Melissa returned to her birthplace to try to spark some memories. Her last glimpse was the old family shanty called home. It was struck by a bolt of lightning and went up in a tunnel of smoke as she was driving away from it. She sped away at a high rate of speed as she did not want anyone to recognize her. They would probably dub her as that “bad omen.” They would probably hold her responsible for the old shack burning down. Melissa returned to Mobile, which she considered home. That was where her new life and her new image began. She hoped to spark some of the good memories, find friends, and start her life all over again. Would that be too much to ask of a moon child?