Chapter 2
"Shoom / Shume"
1983
I was born on a Saturday night around 11:30 pm December 3rd, 1983 at Upper St Clair Hospital in the south hills of Pittsburgh.
One older brother awaited me with my parents who had just bought their first and only home in Waynesburg, Pa, and were married for a little over 7 years.
At 8 days old I started throwing up and pooping blood. My parents took me to Children’s hospital where they gave me a spinal tap and ran various tests, but could not figure out what was wrong so I had to stay. I had an IV taped onto my forehead and my mom stayed with me. My mom said the room had around 30 other babies in there, but only one other mother staying with her baby. One night shortly before Christmas a group of college students came by and asked my mom if they could sing Christmas carols to me so my mom let them. A couple days later I became well enough to go home.
1984
My dad started coaching as the head boys varsity basketball coach at Jefferson Morgan High School. I attended one of my dad’s teams scrimmages.
My earliest memory is remembering my mom and dad tucking me into to go to sleep and sleep and I had a light bulb moment where I understood that my dad was my dad (the word). I had already known my mom was mom. I remembering standing in front of the refrigerator saying shoom to my mom and then when she would go to grab a box of cereal off the top of the refrigerator I would get excited and shake my arms. I have many memories, but I have been able to confirm the things I am writing with the birthday letters my mom wrote to me every year from 1 – 24. I also had been randomly documenting my life since I was a kid.
1985
My mom noticed that I was sensitive and I was persistent. My wrote in the letter how much different I was from my older brother and they would compare us to Ernie and Bert. I never asked, but I assuming I am Ernie since my brother was very much like Bert.
I started to talk in sentences, dance to music, and I liked to kick my legs fast when I crawled.
I liked things like Mr Rogers, Sesame Street, Cookies, and Vegetables.
I remember standing in front of the refrigerator and saying shoom. Then my mom would my mom would get some cereal down for me to eat. I also liked that the bottom of the refrigerator would blow some warm air out. I liked to lay on the floor at the bottom of the refrigerator sometimes to relax.
Between the ages of 2 and 3, I got potty trained with no problems, and right around when I turned three I stopped drinking from a bottle.
My parents moved me from my crib to a small bed. I remember the blue and white pattern on the blanket. According to my mom’s letter, I liked the move immediately.
“You wave your arms up and down like a bird, whenever you are excited. I still like the nickname Shume for you”
My parents took notice at my strange behavior and my mom would ask me if I am happy and I would always say I am. I assumed everyone shoomed…
1986
I took my first plane ride to see my great Granny in New Jersey.
I liked things like He-Man and Thundercats. I had very good collection of She-Ra stickers in a She-ra sticker book.
My parents took me to the Pittsburgh Zoo, Sea World, Seven Springs, the swimming pool at the Greene County Country Club.
My mom noticed that I didn’t like to have my hair shampooed.
I believe it was around this year I remember my mom doing stretches on a green mat in the living room and I would play with my brother. I remember really liking “billie jean” by Michael Jackson and “living on a prayer” by bon jovi. My mom would also play the piano and sometimes she would play funny children songs like “my dog is bigger than your dog” and “spaghetti with meatballs”
1987
I grew up a lot this year and started to talk a lot. I developed Asthma and after the medication, I talked even more.
My parents still called me shoom, for I continued shooming and flapping my arms.
I went to day care a few times, but ended up not liking it so my parents stop sending me.
There was a poster in my room with a bunch of forest animals and the bear was very scary. I would cover with my stuffed animals so I couldn’t see it.
I started to go to story hour at the Bowlby Library. I liked it a lot, espcially when the woman reading to us would sing and play her acoustic guitar. I remember the guitar sounding amazing.
September 7th my younger brother was born
My family always made my birthdays exciting. There was always a lot of hand flapping around the birthday cake. Perhaps since Shooming makes me think better, that’s why I have many, good memories of my birthdays. December 3rd, my 4th birthday I got the action figure of my favorite ghostbuster, Winston as a gift from my parents.
1988
My older brother had made friends with a kid name Ben, he had a younger brother my aged named, Caleb. Since we were the same age and our brothers were friends our parents arranged a day for us to meet. We immediately became best friends. The first time we played together, Caleb came over to my house. We went to my bedroom and we were trying to figure out what to play with and I asked him if he wanted to shoom. He didn’t understand so I tried to show him by flapping my arms, hands, and pacing. He still didn’t understand so we decided to play with action figures instead.
I was terrified of Caleb’s pet dog.
I slept on the floor in my younger brother’s room because my room was cold.
I became a picky eater and hot dogs, kielbasa, and vegetables with dip.
My dad’s school went on strike for 59 days.
I was use to having a nickname because my mom called me “shoom.” My older brother was really into star wars and in one of the books there was a baby Ewok named Nippet. I really wanted to be a little ewok so I asked if my nickname could be “Nippet” At this point my parents would call me shoom, nippet, or Jason. It was awesome having multiple nicknames!
I still had my stuffed animal named Bunny that was my best friend.
I won the fun run race and got a medal
I went to my dad’s basketball games and would crawl underneath the bleachers and collect things.
I started to collect rocks. I would pick them up wherever I would go and give them to my mom. My mom and I made a rock garden. I even gave my mom a rock I thought was special for Christmas.
I would dig in the back yard with my older brother for buried treasure
I loved my little brother
Me and my older brother would fight all the time.
I was very talkative and would make my mom confirm what I said by saying, “right”
I really liked to watch the muppets and the fraggles. I liked playing with my ghostbuster and Gi Joe toys.
My mom noticed that when I was alone I liked to set up imaginary battles between all my toys and I would flap and wave my arms like crazy. My mom was witnessing what I refer to now as the take-off stage.
My mom wrote that I had deep emotions and beautiful eyes.
I was a pirate for Halloween.
My parents had my birthday party at Long John Silvers. Even my uncle Chuckie came
My deep love for LJS started young
1989
Shooming was my number one hobby. I stopped asking friends if they wanted to shoom for now I understood that it was just something I did. I remember standing in my room thinking to myself I think I am alien. My mom always told me to just be me and not worry about what other people think. In the travels of not worrying about what other people think I have done some strange things.
Later summer I went with my granny and mom to the south hills village to see Babar the Movie in the theatre. I remember the monkey saying I have a banana and I know how to use it was my favorite part. It was hilarious.
After seeing that funny part, I would often think of it again and would sometimes even daydream about it. I was hoping I would see it while shooming so I could be there, but I didn’t. I tried to turn my daydream into a shoom and nothing happened. I wasn’t sure what I was really doing, but I was learning that I don’t get to decide what happens in shoomland.