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there's No Place Like Home
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there's No Place Like Home |
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Marilyn Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621Ontario, Canada |
There's no Place Like Home By Marilyn Harrison The air was crisp and the wind cut right through you. A light covering of snow blanketed the ground. They huddled in a small group around a barrel that burned brightly. Nameless, faces in the bleak streets. Young and old alike; they struggled for warmth around the tiny flames. These were the lost and homeless of the city, they lived where ever they could find shelter and warmth. They were the only security each other had, an underground society of misery and lost dreams. This was Christmas in the city; the shelters were full to overflowing and the dinner lines had long since closed for the evening. There in the darkness of an alley, a woman-child huddled neath the thin covering of newspapers. This was her Christmas bed, her stomach full of turkey and stuffing they had served at the local shelter. They had no bed for her this cold and lonely night. Her greasy hair could have been brown or auburn in color but looked black plastered against her forehead. Her eyes were azure blue in color but they had lost all their sparkle for life. Her figure was lost beneath the layers of filthy clothes she used to keep her small frame warm. She shivered in the cold as her mind traveled back to her last Christmas. There was a beautifully trimmed tree in the corner of the cozy room. Presents were piled beneath it's bows and lights twinkled merrily throughout the room. A fire was roaring in the hearth, filling the room with a joyful warmth. Garland was draped from the rafters and hot chocolate and egg nog graced the mugs on the coffee table. Christmas carols filled the air with choruses of "Peace on Earth, Good Will to Man." Her parents were busy with preparations for the friends and family whom were soon to arrive. The scent of roasting turkey and Christmas baking filled the house and made stomach's grumble with anticipation. A bitter sweet ache filled her heart; how could she have been so miserable with what she had? She wondered again at what she thought was so horrible about the place she ran from? The life she had led for the past 8 months was hard and cold while her memories were full and warm. The horror of living on the streets had clouded the pain that drove her from her home. She was 16 but she felt 40; she had done anything to survive during these months, things she never imagined during her sheltered life. Now she wanted time to roll back so she would never had made the decision that she did. What she had sacrificed wasn't worth the pain and humiliation she had suffered. She tucked her frozen fingers deep into her pockets, deeper then they had ever been before. This was the first real cold snap of the season and she wasn't sure she could survive it. Her fingers burrowed deeper still, looking for warmth.. Lost there in the deepest recesses of her pockets was an object. Her fingers found the round cold thing, she was unsure of what it was and her fingers played with it for a moment. She wrapped her hand around the thing hoping it was something of value but deep inside herself she knew the impossibility of it. Pulling the object from her pocket, she held it for a moment wrapped tightly in her fist. She closed her eyes and wished as she unclenched her hand. Very slowly she opened her eyes and there laying on the palm of her hand was a toonie. She held her breath and just looked at it, she was lucky after all, it must be a Christmas miracle. She stared at the coin for a long time; wondering what to do with her price. From deep within her heart a warm glow began to spread, she knew what to do with this miracle. She abandoned her place in the alley and wondered up the street. there was a dinner around the corner that was open all the time. She moved with purpose through the deserted streets and into the warmth of the dinner. She changed the precious coin into quarters and went to the pay phone at the back of the room. She picked up the receiver and her fingers dialed the old familiar number. She waited as the phone rang........Once....Twice...her knees shook as she prayed. "Be home...please be home." After the third ring a gruff, sad voice answered. "Hello." She held her breath for a second as her heart fluttered in her chest. "D....Daddy?" squeaked from her dry lips as a river of tears coursed down her cheeks. She cleared her throat quickly and softly said "Merry Christmas Daddy." She could hear soft sobs coming from the other end of the phone. "Thank God you are alive." He finally was able to say. "Where are you? Are you all right? We love you, Puss." The tone in his voice pleaded with her. His voice was filled with so much emotion his words were barely a whisper. She swallowed the lump in her throat and replied. " I love you too Dad an Mom too. I want to come home. Can I come home?" Her voice now pled with him to give her another chance. "Can you come home?" His voice was shocked yet joyful all at once. "Of course you can come home. Where are you? I'll come right away, or....can you get here by yourself?" He caught him self then. He knew that she thought they smothered her and he didn't want to scare her away again. She told him her location and he told her to sit tight, he would be there in a couple of hours. When she hung up the phone there were tears streaming down her cheeks. The waitress behind the counter looked at her and she smiled broadly. "I'm going home" she said softly "I'm going home". She went to the ladies room and washed her dirty face. In the mirror she saw a light in her eyes that had not been there for what felt like a life time. She stared at the light for a moment and realized that it was hope. This Christmas, in an dark, cold alley, she received her Christmas miracle. As she moved to take a seat in a booth to wait for her father she thought to herself. "There's no place like home." copywrite M.H. 1999 |
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| © Copyright 1999 Marilyn - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
Heart-wrenchingly beautiful Marilyn! Incredible writing, you got tears streaming from these amazed eyes. Wonderful, absolutely wonderful.  In flames I shall not be consumed, but reborn. |
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Marilyn Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621Ontario, Canada |
Well there I go having a blonde moment again....lol. For all of those American readers. A toonie is equivalent to a two dollar bill. A few years ago they changed the bill to a coin and named it a Toonie. (The one dollar coin is called a Loonie) |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
Marilyn my friend, you do indeed have a gift here! THis is beautiful, and instructive, (we have a different meaning for "loonie" here!) (Oh, and I didn't cry this time!) |
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Marilyn Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621Ontario, Canada |
DuskTreader....I am glad this story touched you. Many of us loose sight of things when were are in the middle of something we see as horrible. SDome people live horror every day. For them I pray for a miracle. Christopher...Your comments mean much to me. Thankyou. (I am glad to see this did not make you weep...lol...Does this mean you are healing?) |
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Julie Jordan Scott Member
since 1999-09-19
Posts 146Bakersfield, CA USA |
Marilyn, I felt like I was a part of this story, I wanted to reach out to the girl, I wanted to urge her on, I wanted to ride with her Dad to fetch her, I wanted to watch and cry as they have their reunion. Wonderful work! I am a Life Purpose Coach who specializes in assisting men and women to clarify their Life Purpose and then in turn live true to their purpose. After 5 years working with the Severely Mentally Ill in County Mental Health, I gave up the bureaucracy (and safe, secure blanket) of this environment to pursue my own purpose and passion. |
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Isis Member Ascendant
since 1999-09-06
Posts 6296Sunny Queensland |
As I said before you posted this Marilyn, it is beautiful, if only it were this easy for those hard off. Bravo I applaud my sis At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet. (Plato) ~Isis~ (Daughter of Mystery) |
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PhaerieChild Senior Member
since 1999-08-30
Posts 1787Aloha, Oregon |
Not a lot touches me the way this did. Tears are forming even now. I really love this piece, so heartbreaking yet hopeful. Poetry~ Words falling on paper, painting a dream. Shawna R. Holder Boise, Idaho |
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Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
Oh great Marilyn, naive that everybody else crying too! Weren't happy with just me crying, pretty soon were going to have a flood here. |
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Marilyn Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621Ontario, Canada |
Lmao@Chris and the flood. I willnot be happy until I get everyone at Passions mopping at their eyes. You my friend had better get the mop and pail ready...lol. Oh...you had better make that a bucket and pratice your bailing. |
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patchoulipumpkin Member
since 2000-01-01
Posts 196Bermuda |
I just read this story, and i wept, which surprised me, in that i sometimes feel foolish to cry. Its an incredible story, very heartfelt, and the writing is so to the point, and direct, not wasting itself on words. Great writing, thanks. |
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Marilyn Member Elite
since 1999-09-26
Posts 2621Ontario, Canada |
Patch...Thanks for the compliments. They touch me deeply. No greater compliment could a writer receive but to move the reader to tears. There is no shame in tears; they are an honest emotion and show we are alive. Never feel foolish for the presence of tears. |
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Sharleen Junior Member
since 2000-01-05
Posts 16 |
Man that was to close to home it really makes me home sick. But it was good I could really think that I was that girl. Wow. |
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Pepper Member Elite
since 1999-08-19
Posts 3079Southern Florida |
Well, Marilyn....I'm another here who has tears streaming down ..... What a writer you are! You take the reader there and make them feel....execellent.... And I love your happy and filled with hope endings... I will be looking for all your pieces...I am now a die hard fan.... A soul that writes from the heart and shares it, truly gives a gift extraordinaire! Shannon |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
Marilyn, what a talented writer you are! I too was drawn into the story and became a part of it! Well done! Denise |
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blueyz75 Member
since 1999-12-28
Posts 138IL |
I have been lurking about in the prose reading away but this deserved a comment. I just can't help but wonder how universal this Jane Doe's story is? Kelly I love the male body, it's better designed than the male mind.---Andrea Newman |
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