Patina Chapter 1
Summary
TLDRIn this excerpt from 'Patina Book Two' by Jason Reynolds, we follow Patina's experiences in track and her personal life. Patina reflects on the concept of a 'false start' in racing, witnessing Ghost's first race blunder and his triumphant recovery. She also shares her own challenging race, where she places second, and her frustration with the outcome. The narrative weaves in her family's struggles, particularly her mother's health issues due to diabetes, and her role as a caretaker for her younger sister, Maddie, including the significance of braiding her hair for church on Sundays.
Takeaways
- đ The story is from 'Patina Book Two' in the 'Track' series by Jason Reynolds, focusing on the theme of running and life's starts and stops.
- đŻ Patina discusses the concept of a 'false start' in track, explaining it as starting at the wrong time, which is different from a fake start.
- đ€ The character Ghost experiences a false start in his first race, not realizing the second gunshot meant to stop and restart the race, leading to embarrassment and a lesson learned.
- đ„ Despite his initial mistake, Ghost comes back stronger in his next attempt, winning the race and showing resilience.
- đȘ Patina has a systematic approach to running the 800 meters, emphasizing pacing and strategy over immediate speed.
- đ Patina faces a challenge in her race due to underestimating the speed of the new league's runners, leading to a tough competition.
- đ„ Patina finishes second in her race, feeling disappointed and frustrated, which reflects her strong desire to win.
- đ§ Patina's relationship with her younger sister Maddie is highlighted, showing her role as a caretaker and the bond they share.
- đ©âđŠČ The family dynamics are explored, including Patina's mother's struggle with diabetes, which has led to the amputation of her legs.
- đšâđ§ Patina's godparents, Uncle Tony and Emily, have stepped in to provide support and care for the family after her father's death and her mother's health issues.
- đ Sundays are significant for Patina as they involve preparing for church and ensuring Maddie's hair is done properly, which is a ritual to maintain appearances for their mother.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the book 'Patina' by Jason Reynolds?
-The main theme of 'Patina' revolves around the challenges and personal growth of a young girl named Patina in the context of track and field, family, and overcoming adversity.
What is the significance of the term 'false start' in the context of the story?
-In the story, a 'false start' refers to starting a race at the wrong time, which is a metaphor for the protagonist's life where she feels she's starting at the wrong time in various aspects of her life.
How does Patina describe the difference between a 'false start' and a 'wrong start' in track?
-Patina explains that a 'false start' means starting the race when you're not supposed to, while a 'wrong start' implies starting at the wrong time, suggesting that even a false start is real, just at an inopportune moment.
What incident occurs during Ghost's first race in the story?
-Ghost false starts during his first race, not realizing that he jumped the gun and should have stopped running, leading to confusion and embarrassment when he reaches the finish line prematurely.
How does Patina feel about her performance in the 800-meter race?
-Patina is disappointed and frustrated with her second-place finish in the 800-meter race, as she had been overtaken in the final stretch and had to face the reality of her limitations and the strength of her competitors.
What is Patina's relationship with her sister Maddie?
-Patina has a caring and protective relationship with her younger sister Maddie. She takes on the responsibility of braiding Maddie's hair and ensuring she is well taken care of.
Why does Patina braid Maddie's hair every Sunday?
-Patina braids Maddie's hair every Sunday for two reasons: because their mother is unable to properly style black hair, and because they visit their biological mother, and Patina wants Maddie to look presentable for her.
What is the significance of the red beads in the braids?
-The red beads in the braids are a recurring element that symbolize a connection to their heritage and a personal touch that Patina adds to Maddie's hair, which also serves as a bonding ritual between the sisters.
How does Patina feel about her mother's health condition?
-Patina feels a deep sense of loss and sadness about her mother's health condition, which includes the amputation of her legs due to diabetes, referred to as 'the sugar' in the story.
What role do Patina's godparents, Uncle Tony and Emily, play in her life?
-Uncle Tony and Emily, Patina's godparents, have stepped in as her and Maddie's guardians after their mother's health deteriorated, providing support and a stable home environment for the sisters.
Outlines
đââïž The First Race and the False Start
The first paragraph introduces the theme of the story, focusing on the sport of track and field, specifically the experiences of the characters Patina and Ghost. It discusses the concept of a 'false start' in racing, emphasizing that there's no such thing as a fake start, only a wrong one, which means starting too early. The narrative centers on Ghost's first race where he mistakenly believes he has started correctly but ends up with a false start. Despite the initial setback and embarrassment, Ghost manages to win the race on his second attempt, showcasing resilience and determination.
đ The 800-Meter Race and the Struggle for Victory
The second paragraph delves into the narrator's personal experience of running the 800-meter race. It describes the narrator's strategy, which involves starting strong but allowing others to lead the first lap, anticipating that they will tire. However, the narrator is surprised by the pace set by the new league's runners and finds herself struggling to keep up. In the final stretch, she manages to overtake some competitors but finishes second, which leaves her frustrated and upset. The disappointment is palpable as she reflects on her performance and the desire to win, which is a driving force in her life.
đ§ Braiding Hair and Family Traditions
The third paragraph shifts the focus to the narrator's relationship with her younger sister, Maddie, and their Sunday routine of braiding Maddie's hair. It highlights the importance of this tradition, which is a way to connect with their mother and maintain a sense of normalcy amidst the family's struggles. The narrator describes the process of braiding, adding beads, and the significance of the color red, which is a recurring theme in their family's history. The paragraph also touches on the challenges faced by their mother, who has lost her legs due to complications from diabetes, and the narrator's role in taking care of her sister and helping with household responsibilities.
đ Family History and Overcoming Adversity
The fourth paragraph provides a deeper look into the family's history and the narrator's emotional journey. It recounts the tragic loss of the narrator's father and the subsequent health challenges faced by her mother due to diabetes, which led to the amputation of her legs. The narrator expresses her feelings of anger and frustration, which she has kept inside, and her determination to take care of her family. The paragraph also discusses the support provided by the narrator's godparents, who have stepped in to help raise the children. The story concludes with the narrator's commitment to maintaining family traditions and her protective instincts towards her sister, Maddie.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄFalse Start
đĄAmputation
đĄDiabetes
đĄTrack Series
đĄCompetition
đĄResilience
đĄAdoption
đĄCultural Identity
đĄSupport System
đĄResponsibility
đĄEmotional Turmoil
Highlights
The concept of a 'false start' in track is introduced as a metaphor for life, where there are no fake beginnings, only wrong ones.
Ghost's first race experience, where he jumps the gun, symbolizes the theme of learning from mistakes and the pressure of competition.
The importance of timing and being prepared for the right moment is emphasized through Ghost's false start.
The narrative explores the dynamics of friendship and rivalry between Ghost and Lou, highlighting the complexity of their relationship.
The chapter delves into the psychological aspect of sports, where the mind plays a significant role in performance.
Patina's strategic approach to the 800-meter race showcases her discipline and understanding of pacing.
The competitive spirit and the drive to win are central to Patina's character, as she pushes through the race.
The narrative captures the emotional turmoil of Patina after a race, reflecting the high stakes and personal investment in sports.
The support system in sports is highlighted through the coach's role in calming Ghost down after his mistake.
The metaphor of 'running on empty' is used to describe the physical exhaustion and mental determination of the athletes.
The chapter touches on the theme of family dynamics and the impact of parental figures on the main characters.
Patina's responsibility towards her sister, Maddie, and their shared ritual of braiding hair on Sundays is a poignant moment.
The cultural significance of hair and its styling in the African American community is explored through Patina's braiding of Maddie's hair.
The chapter provides insight into the challenges faced by a family dealing with a parent's chronic illness, diabetes.
The emotional journey of the protagonist is depicted as she copes with her mother's amputations and the family's new reality.
The theme of resilience and the strength of family bonds is evident in the way the characters support each other through adversity.
The chapter concludes with a reflection on the importance of Sundays, family, and the role of tradition in the characters' lives.
Transcripts
hi guys i am here to read
chapter one from patina book two
in the track series by jason reynolds
all right let's see what patina is like
chapter one to do everything
including forgetting about the race and
braiding my sister's hair
ain't no such thing as a false start
because false means fake
and ain't no fake starts in track either
you start
or you don't either you run or you don't
no in between
now there can be a wrong start that
makes more sense to me
means you just start at the wrong time
just jump early and break out running
with no one there running with you
no competition except for your own brain
that swears there's other people on your
heels
but ain't nobody there not for real
ain't no chaser
that's what they really mean when they
say false start
a real start is a real start at the
wrong time
and at the first meet of the season
nobody knew this more than ghost
before the race me and everybody else
stood on the sidelines clapping and
hyping ghost and lieu up as they put
their marks
this was of course after they had
already gassed each other
up talking to each other like there was
no one else on the track with them
funny how they went from mean mugging
each other when they first met
becoming all buddy buddy like they
they're their own
two man gang or something louis ghost
sticking together like glue
glue ghost and blue
glue get it that could be their corny
crew name
lost would also work matter of fact
there was a moment when i thought that
name might even be more fitting
especially after what ghost did
see at first i thought he timed it
perfectly i thought it was pushed off
from
the from the line at the exact moment
the gun went off
as if he had just knew when it was
coming like he would feel it on the
inside of him or something but he didn't
hear the second shot
well i take that back of course he heard
it it was a loud boom
it was impossible not to hear it but he
didn't know it meant
that he had jumped too early that he had
false started
i mean this was his fate his first race
so he had no clue that the second shot
meant to stop
running and start over no he didn't
even the entire hundred meters didn't
know that people
weren't cheering him on but were yelling
for him to pull up to go back to the
starting line
so when he got to the finish line he
threw his hands up in victory and turned
around with one of them million two
smiles until he noticed
all the other runners his competition
were still
up at the top of the track he looked out
into the crowd
everybody laughing pointing shaking
their heads while ghost dropped his
stared at the black tar his chest like
something blowing up a balloon inside
him
then letting the air out then blowing it
back up then letting the air out
i was afraid that balloon was gonna bust
that ghost would burst
open like he'd used to do when he first
joined the team
and i could tell by the way he was
chewing on the side of his jaw
that he wanted to or maybe just keep
running off the track
out the park all the way home coach
walked over to him
whispered something in his ear
i don't know what it was but it was
probably something like
it's okay it's okay settle down you're
still in it
but if you do it again you're
disqualified nah
knowing coach should probably be
something a little more deep like
i don't know i can't even think of
nothing right now
but coach was full of deep whatever it
was
close close lifted his head and tried it
back to the line
where lou was waiting with his arms out
for a
4-5 ghost was still out of breath but
there was no time for him to catch it
he had to get back down on his mark get
ready to run it all
over the starter held the gun in the air
again my stomach flipped over again the
man pulled the trigger again
boom again and ghost took off again
it was almost like his legs were sticks
of dynamite and the first run was just
the fuse being lit
and now a tiny fire had gotten to the
blow-up part
and let me tell you ghost blew up
busted wide open in the best way i mean
the dude exploded down the line in a
blur
even faster this time his silver shoes
like sparks flicking
up off the track first race
first place even
after a false start and if a false start
means a real start at the wrong time
the wrong time being too early then i
must have had a false
finish which also ain't a fake finish
but a real
finish just too late makes sense
just in case it don't let me explain my
race was up next
and here's the thing i've been running
the 800
for three years straight it's my race
i have a system a way of running it i
came off the block
strong and low and by the time i'm
straight up my stride is steady
but i always allow myself to drop back a
little you know
keeping it cool for the first lap pace
that's where 800 runners below it they
start out too
fast and be rigged by the second lap i
see a lot of girls get
roasted out there showboating on the
first 400
but i knew better i knew the second 400
was the kicker
what i didn't know though was just how
fast the girls in the new league were
what kind of shape they were in so when
the gun blew and we took off
i realized that the pace i had to keep
just to stay with the pack
was faster than i was used to but of
course
i'm thinking these girls are stupid and
are going to be tired in 20 seconds
in 30 seconds in 40 seconds
never happened and just and
instead it ended up being me myself
saying
oh god i'm tired how am i tired
and as we rounded into the final 200
meters i had to dig deep and step it up
so i turned on the jets here's how it
went
cornrows low cut ponytail and puny tail
in front of me chomping down patty push
push push
breathe cornrows is on my side now
the crowd is screaming the traditional
chant when someone is getting past
push push cornrows is toast
100 meters to go mouth wide open eyes
wide open
stride wide open chopping down patty
arms pumping whipping the air out of my
way like water
low cut is slowing up her little pee
head's bobbling like it could snap
right off she's tired finally
got her two more to go ponytail can feel
me coming
she can probably hear my footsteps over
the screaming crowd she knows i'm close
and then she makes the biggest mistake
ever the one thing
every coach tells you to never do she
looked back
see when you look back it automatically
knocks your stride off
and it gets you messed up mentally and
once ponytail looked over her shoulder
the whoops started back up like a siren
50 meters that's right i'm coming
chopping down patty i'm coming i could
see puny tail just ahead of her
and the little twist of her hair in the
back of her head like a snake tongue
she was running out of breath i could
see that by the way her form had broken
down
ponytail was too we all were and even
worse for me
we were also running out of track i got
a ponytail by the nose
second place then collapsed
people trailing all around me jumping up
and down in the stands quickly becoming
a wavy blur of colors
as the tears rose second
stupid second place ugh
no way i was gonna cry trust me i wanted
to
water pricking at my eyelids but no way
i wanted to kick something
i was so mad coach came over and helped
me up
and once i was standing i yanked away
from her and limped over to the bench
my legs were burning and cramping but i
wanted to kick something anyway
maybe kick the bench over kick those
stupid orange slices lose mother brought
anything but instead i just sat down and
didn't say a word for the rest of the
meet
yes i was a sore loser if that's what
you want to call it
to me i just like to win i only want to
win
anything else false fate
but real so real i didn't even want to
talk about it on the way to church the
next day
not with no one not even with god i
spent all morning braiding maddie's hair
the same way ma
used to braid mine when i was little
only difference is
my got fat fingers and used to be like
braiding like she was
tying to to strip that she was trying to
strip the edges
or make me bald talking about gotta make
it tight so it don't come loose
right but i don't even do maddie's that
tight and i could knock out a whole head
of hair in a half an hour if she sits
still
which she never does how many more
maddie whined squirming to the floor in
front of me i'm almost done just chill
out so i can
i pick a can of beads and them in
her ear like one of them spanish shaker
things
just like that she calmed down and let
me tilt her head forward so i could
braid the last section
the bits of curls tightly wound at the
base of her neck i dip my fingers in the
gunk
on the back of my hand and massaged it
into maddie's scalp
then i stroked grease into the leftover
bush ball
tugging it straight then letting it go
watching it shrink back into
dark brown cotton candy what color is
you want
i asked separating her hair into three
parts um
maddie put a finger on her chin acting
like she's thinking
i say acting because she knew what color
she wanted she picked the same one
every week matter of fact there was only
one color in the can
red we both said at the same time me of
course with a little more pepper and a
little less pep
maddie tired maddie tried to whip around
and give me a funny face
but i was mid-braid ah stay still
then came the beating today 30 beats so
three red beads on each braid 90 beads
i used tiny bits of aluminum foil on the
ends to keep the beads from slipping off
even though i knew they would anyway but
who got time to do
to use those little rubber bands not me
and definitely not maddie
when we finished maddie did what she
always did ran to the bathroom
i followed her like i always did and
lifted her up so she could see herself
in the mirror
she smiled her mouth like a piano with
only one black key
one front tooth missing then maddie ran
back to the living room and blew a kiss
at the picture propped up on the table
next to the tv
the same picture every time of me at her
age
six with a big cheese and a missing
front tooth and braids
red beads aluminum foil on the ends
i do maddie's here every sunday for two
reasons
the first is because momly can't do it
if it were up to her
maddie's here would be in two afro puffs
every day
either that our mom lee would have
shaved it all off by now
it's not that she don't care she does
it's just that she doesn't know what to
do with hair like maddie's
like ours madu but momly nope
she never had to deal with nothing like
it and there ain't no rule book for
white people
to know how to work with black hair and
her husband
my uncle tony he ain't no help ever
since they adopted us
every time i talk about maddie's hair
uncle tony says the same thing just let
it rock
like he's going to sit in the back of
maddie's class and stink face
all the six-year-old bullies and
barrettes
right but luckily everybody especially
maddie
i know what i'm doing been a black girl
all my life
the only reason i always do maddie's
hair on sundays is because that's when
we see ma
and she don't want to see maddie looking
like she ain't never been nowhere
so maddie's hair is done we get dressed
as in
dressed up all the way up maddie puts on
one of her church dresses
white patent leather shoes that most
people only wear on easter sunday
but for us for ma every sunday's like
easter
i put on a dress too run a comb through
my hair until it cooperates
ugly black ballerina flats because motto
want me
looking fast in the house of the lord
then momly drives us across town to
barbary
barnaby terraced my old neighborhood
barnaby terraces fine i don't really
know what else to say about it except
for the fact that there's nothing really
to say about it ain't nobody rich
that's for sure but ain't nobody really
poor either
everybody's just regular regular people
going to regular jobs having regular
kids who go to regular schools and grow
up to be regular people with regular
jobs
and on and on and i guess everything was
pretty regular about me too
until six years ago follow me
just turned six and me and my dad were
having one of our famous invisible
cupcake parties
of like little girls on old tv shows be
having tea parties
but you know how it don't ever really be
tea in the cups
like that except i didn't have a tea set
and my mom would let us use her real
teacups which were really just random
coffee mugs
but my dad always said tea don't even
taste good enough to pretend to drink it
he also said tea and eat are made up of
the same letters
anyway so pretending to eat was pretty
much the same as pretending to drink
and what better thing to pretend to eat
than cupcakes and that's what we always
had
imaginary cakes but on this night my
mother cut the party short because it
was a school night
plus she was pregnant with maddie at the
time and needed my father to massage her
feet
so he whispered in my ear sleep tight
sweet pancake
your mama and the waffle need me then he
kissed me good night
first on the forehead then one on the
cheek then on the other cheek
i don't know what happened next my guess
is that after rubbing ma's feet
he kissed her good night too and maddie
the waffle
who was probably being all fidgety in
mom's stomach
i bet dad smooched right on the belly
button
then rolled over and went to sleep
but he never woke up like ever
it was crazy and if we had been allowed
to drink pretend tea for my mother's
real cups
they all would have been shattered the
next morning after she woke me up
her face wet with tears she blurted
something's happened
i would have smashed each and every one
of those cups on the floor
and i would have smashed more of them
two years later when my mother had two
toes cut off her right foot and six
months after that
when she had that whole foot cut off
six months after that three years ago
when my mother had her
both her legs chopped off which i'm
telling you would have left a whole
stupid cabinet empty broken mugs
everywhere
nothing left to drink from
but i didn't instead i just swallowed it
all
and wish this was all some kind of
invisible pretend
something it wasn't just so you don't
get the wrong idea
it's not like my mom just wanted her
legs cut off
she got the sugar well it's really a
disease called diabetes
but she calls it sugar so i call it the
sugar
plus i like i like that better than
diabetes because diabetes got the word
dye
in it and i hate that word the sugar
broke mama's lower extremities
which is how doctors say legs it's just
went crazy all in her
body stop the blood flow in her feet i
used to have to rub and grease them at
night
just like my dog used to and it was like
putting lotion on two tree trunks
eye and crack swollen and dark like
she'd been standing in coal
but at some point she just couldn't feel
them no more and i went from
moisturizing them
to trying to rub them back to life and
after that
they were basically i guess the best way
to explain it is just
just to say dead her feet had died
like i said i hate that word but ain't
no way else to say it
and i guess death can travel can spread
like a fire in the body
so the doctors had to go ahead and cut
her legs off they call it an
amputate which for some reason makes me
think of something growing
not something being chopped just above
the knee
to keep more of her from dying maddie's
only six
now and ever since she was born i've
been helping out the best i could with
her
but with ma losing her toes and feet
helping out became straight up taken
care of
i'm talking about keeping lists in my
head of things i had to take care of
to do make sure maddie's bathed to do
make sure maddie's stressed to do make
sure maddie's fed
to do everything
but after ma lost her legs my godparents
my dad's brother tony
and his wife emily stepped in and took
over as our
soul guardians which the first time i
heard it i thought was
soul guardians which i guess is
just as good i like guardian angels i
bet uncle tony in on emily who maddy
used to call
mama emily which became momly had no
idea
that when they said that they would be
godparents that they were inher
excuse me inheriting all this drama
i bet they just thought they'd have to
give us gifts on random days
days that doesn't days that wasn't our
birthday or christmas
slip is ten dollar bills just because
stuff like that
not take care of us all the way that's a
lot
but they always acted like they were
cool with it like this is what they
signed up for
and we grateful even though i still
gotta look out for maddie because you
know
i just do i still keep a list in my
brain
plus momly can't do black hair for
nothing
why am i telling you this long story oh
i remember because sundays
on sundays like i said maddie's hair got
to be right
for ma all right i'll see you guys for
chapter two good luck with the quiz
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