Mindy

The weeks began to go by more quickly. There was so much to do with school, chores, church and my new friends. Sadly, the birds decided to fly to warmer climes, and so they left me with silence ringing throughout the tree branches. It is funny, I didn't realize right away that they were leaving little by little. It was on a Saturday morning in early October, that I went to greet them, and realized that not only were the crumbs still there, but it had been quiet for a while. I guess that goes to show that I was settling in. The fall air was crisp, as the summer air had been hot and muggy. There seems to be some kind of seasonal change in Georgia, but not as pronounced as say, the Eastern seaboard. The brisk air made it a pleasure to walk to school. Several of the girls and I walked together, chatting and just being teenagers. I realized that I was enjoying being in the home! Then one day, something happened that would add to my happiness.
I came home from school one fall day, and found that a new girl had moved into the cottage. Another girl had moved out, but no one knew exactly "why", except to say that she had moved to another campus. Rumors were rampant that she had gotten pregnant and was going to the unwed mother's campus in far north Georgia. It was never verified, but gossip is gossip, and that was the final concensus.
The new girl was very quiet. She didn't look anyone in the face, and didn't talk to anyone. For some reason, Patty had moved out of our room and the new girl had moved in. She had no clothes or possessions, and had a nervous look about her. I wondered why they had moved her in with me, I worried that maybe Patty didn't want to be my roommate any more. I didn't know what I had done to bring this about, but there was no one to ask. I would have to wait and ask Patty why later.
The new girl was a large girl. Not fat, but large. She had straight, shoulder length, plain brown hair. Her eyes were brown, and her face was round. She was large through the shoulders, chest and midrift, but her legs were slender. I found her hunched over in Patty's bed when I arrived home from school. I greeted her, and she ignored me. I thought maybe she was snotty, and immediatly began to resent that fact that I had lost Patty and now had this girl for a roommate. I studied her and realized that her shoes were raggedy, her clothes too small, and she didn't smell very nice. Her fingernails were dirty, as well as her legs and she wore no socks. She just sat there, a blank figure, miserable. Then, suddenly, I clearly understood why they had moved her in with me! She was who I had been when I came to the home! And then, I too realized that the love and compassion that Clarice had shown me would serve me well. I got up and went and sat on the bed next to her. I took her hand, and told her that I was glad that she was my new roommate. Her head did not come up, but I saw a fat tear drip from her cheek. I went and got a tissue, and handed it to her. "Hey, c'mon" I said. "This place is not so bad. There is food and clothes, and a nice bed. The girls will get to know you and they will like you. We can talk and be friends, you'll see, it's not so bad". More tears. What could I do for her? I waited for a moment, and then said a quick prayer to myself. I was prompted to ask her why she was at the home. For a quiet moment, she said nothing, and then, she raised her head. Looking directly at me, she told me that her father had killed her mother and was going to kill the rest of the family of seven children. She said that she had taken her brothers and sisters and run away to escape him. She was the oldest at 13 years old, and the baby was only a year old. They lived in the backwoods of Georgia, and they ran until they found an old barn. She hid herself and her family in the barn, and tried to find food for all of them. After about 4 days, without heat or blankets, they were all cold and very hungry and she knew she had to get help. She found a family nearby and told them that she needed help for her brothers and sisters. After telling them about her plight, the person she had told called the police. The children were taken to a nearby town, and she found out that there had been a search for them. She was told that her father had killed himself, and they had found her mother dead, but the children were missing. Since there was no one else to care for them, they had been taken in by the Home.
I was so shocked. How could she have survived all of that? How could she tell that story without screaming and going crazy? What she must have gone through! I thought I had had a rough time, but no, my life was heaven compared to this! And now, she was my roommate. I vowed to myself that I would help her, be her friend, show her the ropes. I took both of her hands, and then leaned in for a hug. She sat stiffly. Quietly, I told her that she could use anything I had, and I would help her settle in. I would be her friend, and she would not be alone. Looking at her dejected demeanor, I knew that words were cheap to her and I would have to prove it. I would.
I did. I helped her, brought her out of her shell, walked with her and talked late into the night with her. We became the closest of friends for the rest of the years I lived in the home. Her name was Mindy. She was a gift to me.