Memoir | My First Apartment | Part I of VI

At the age of 26, I landed a receptionist position with the federal government in Washington, D.C. This job served as my ticket out of the housing projects and allowed me to secure a place to call home.

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I made my first month’s rent payment along with a security deposit for a one-bedroom unit at a well-maintained apartment complex, and it was home to Caucasian people!

In the projects, we believed that if Caucasian people lived in your apartment complex, you were safe.

In 1942, the U.S. Department of Defense for War Families created these expansive cooperative apartments, which I now call home. Before my retirement, I acquired a Co-Op unit within this community.

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I rented a compact U-Haul truck and enlisted the help of two male friends to assist me with the move. We loaded my twin brass headboard and mattress, a collection of my cozy murder mystery and Jackie Collins novels, record albums, and cassettes by Prince, Sheila E., Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Madonna, U2, and Queen, a record and cassette player, clothes, and shoes onto the truck.

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After loading up the truck, I informed my mother that I had finished moving all my belongings, and she smiled and welcomed me into her room. She handed me a new Bible and said,

“Always remember to call on the name of Jesus when you need help.”

She went on to say,

“I know you like to smoke marijuana and drink beer but be sure to get up and go to work each day, even if you’re not feeling your best.”

“Always go to work on Monday, Friday, and the day after paydays.”

“I love you, and please remember to call me once you’re settled in this evening.”

…..

I felt a wave of emotion as the U-Haul truck pulled away from the curb. While the name “projects” may seem deplorable, it was home to me, and the people there were like family.

It was truly a sentimental moment.

At that very moment, I reflected on the lyrics of a theme song from the popular TV sitcom The Jeffersons.

The song, “Movin’ On Up,” released in 1970, was performed by Ja’net Dubois and Oren Waters.

A part of the song goes:

“Well, we are moving on up.”

“To the east side.”

“To a deluxe apartment in the sky.”

“We finally got a piece of the pie.”

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The following morning, I phoned my mother to let her know that I had placed the Bible, she had given me on the bedside dresser.

In that chapter of my life, I hadn’t received the divine presence of the Holy Spirit, which would have sparked in me a desire to read the Bible.

Instead, I was consumed by a deep longing for affection from a man.

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(Copyright © 2025 by Mia Z. Edwards. All rights reserved.)