Twelve

Twelve years old~~ I lost count how many times I had run away by then~~ but now the consequences were getting greater when I was caught. Juvenile Hall was the destination when I was picked up now. Then court...then...partly because of who Daddy was.....and the ability to pay for good lawyers....I was sent back home.

I like to think of myself as a fair person ...so in all fairness...by this time I WAS a 'problem child'....I was learning that I could control my surroundings...that when the times got tough....I got going.

It is a vicious cycle with children in this situation....Why hasn't society figured that out yet?? If only one person would take time to reach out to one child or at least don't turn your back when you know in your heart things aren't right...the cycle could be broken.....But my purpose isn't to get on a band wagon.

Twelve....I don't have any trouble remembering how old I was when things got out of control for me... This is when I ran away one too many times and 'fate' caught up with me.....when a motorcycle gang member* found me in an apartment building laundrymat sleeping and offered to take me to get some food......and when it was over...........

life didn't seem worth living anymore.

* this was a notorious, vicious gang not like the ones we hear of today