In the Waters of My Mind

In the Waters of My Mind is a memoir of Timothy J. Myrick’s family life spanning 23 years, from the turbulent ‘60s in Detroit, starting in the year of 1967. That year, Joseph Henry Myrick (Tim’s father) purchased a grocery store from his brother just before the huge riot that engulfed a portion the city. The store survived and thrived during those time, as the family of five all worked and grew up around the store. As the family prospered and grew in business, the eldest son rebelled, wanting to strike out on his own, and not be tied down to the long hours at the store. In 1971 the eldest son (Henry), and two other friends robbed a bank in Detroit, one of the largest robberies of that time in the city. A few days after the robbery, he and his friend turned themselves in, separated from the money that was taken, and the event cast a long shadow of shame for the parents as well as the rest of the family.

A trial and conviction followed, as well as numerous fights in school that Timothy had to deal with in order to defend his family name. Two years after the robbery, a devastating and almost unrecoverable event occurred; Joseph Myrick was shot and killed while tending his business. A new life began for the family which now had to integrate a wayward son back into it, deal with the second oldest away at school, and the youngest entering his teens. Timothy writes about his adjustments, from having to play sports as a replacement activity from being at the store, as well as the continued arguing between his mother and brother as to how to run the business. Finally, Henry falls into alcoholism, and the family makes one desperate attempt after another to save him.