Nonsense

 After that night I never lived or stayed at my father’s house again. Another family took me in the next night. Luckily I had many friends my parents did not know, so finding me was difficult. I learned my lesson the first time- I never called my brothers or family and told them where I was again.

The new family was so nice to me, everyone but the mom. She put up with me being there, but the undertone was obvious- she disliked me being there.

Making my stay as beneficial as I could, or at least as little of an inconvenience as possible, was an important undertone I naturally felt. You cannot help but feel like a burden or an inconvenience when you live with people. However, these people took me into their home and I felt relatively safe- an inconvenience, but safe.

One day a few days into staying with them our class pictures came out. I wanted so badly to get one. The son asked the father and the father gave him the money. Then the daughter- my friend- aked her father for the money, and he gave it to her. I nervously paced and avoided eye contact. How could I ask for so much from someone who was kind enough to take me in and put up with me? Yes it was a simple $10-20 item, but I could not be any more of a burden than I already was. But there he was, attention turned to me.

Maggie? Did you want one, too?

Yes! I would love one.

OK. – Wait I don’t have enough change.

Oh don’t worry. It’s ok.

Nonsense.

Then he had my friend exchange cash with him to get the correct amount of change for us to use. His wife tried to ignore the situation because she could hardly keep her bitter expression off her face.

Here you go, Maggie.

Thank you so much, sir.

When no one was looking that night, I cried. Something so simple meant so much to me. Thank you is truly hard to convey when it touches you so deeply.