Passions in Prose |
![]() ![]() |
Christopher's Challenge-The lie |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
WolfsMate Member
since 2000-01-14
Posts 121New York |
I had spent the entire day in New York City. What would normal be a pleasure trip was a long and tiring day. Another college and another long boring interview. It’s difficult trying to sell yourself. To try and convince someone that you’re no longer a child and ready to learn. I didn’t have much hope on being except to this school, but it wasn’t the only one I had applied to. I wasn’t worried I the least. I had the luck to be coming home on the rush hour train, which only served to improve my already cranky mood. I was looking forward to reaching the cool green of the mountain’s. Home. Mostly I want to get in my jeans and relax. Maybe a walk in the woods and get things in perspective. I was living at home again. I had just moved from the Island back to the mountains, to “get away from it all”. It was nice to be home. Mom and Dad made me feel loved and cared for. No more Ironing my uniform before I went to work, no laundry and no cooking. I was in seventh heaven. I had just gotten home when my sister stopped in. She had her family where going to stop over for dinner once their oldest daughter got home. She was a bit late, but no one seemed too concerned. I never got along with her to begin with so if she didn’t come home I would have been thrilled. Kathy had a bit of a problem. She couldn’t tell the truth. Even when it was to her advantage to tell the truth she would rather lie. She made up the most fabulous stories. Some of them so believable you started to question yourself. She was my Mom’s favorite grandchild. Anything Kathy said Mom believed. She defended her constantly. Needless to say this caused many family problems. This night was to be the worst of the stories. One that would change the family forever. When Kathy was an hour late my sister and her husband went looking for her. Even in the mountains kids get abducted, anything could happen. Maybe she just missed the late bus and was waiting fir the next bus. Maybe she tried to call and the line was busy. My sister wasn’t gone for more then ten minutes when the State Troopers arrived. We all thought the worst. They wanted my sister and her husband. We explained what was happening. They told us the Kathy was at the police station and we all needed to go down there for statements. All except me. I was very thankful that I could stay home. After all it had been a long day. But by midnight, when no one was home yet I started to get worried. About two in the morning my Mom and Da got home. I was up and waiting for them. Kathy had gone to school that day, went to her teacher and told them of how she had been sexually abused by her father for the past 15 years. My first reaction was horror and shame. How could we all have missed this?? Then I started to think. She is a known liar. She loved to read romance novels. OK I know this sound callous, but if you knew her you would know why I was so wary of anything she would say. It didn’t take long for the arguments to start. My brother-in-law was immediately arrested and put in jail. My sister was in a state of panic, Kathy was removed to a ‘safe house’ and I was told that I would have to support her(Kathy) or move as she would be moving in. I left. I had stop by one day to visit my parents when Kathy was home, but my parents weren’t. She told me to “get the ***k out of her house. I lost it and struck her. I waited for my parents to get home. Kathy ran out the door to tell my father what I had done. Without ever asking what had happened he informed my that he would “ wipe the street up” with me if I ever touched her again. I didn’t talk to my parents for 2 years. After several psychiatrists and a grand jury investigation all charges where dropped. It was unconditionally decided that she had lied. Several of the dates she had given she was away visiting relatives. Most of her stories could be traced word for word out of some of her favorite books. And there was no physical evidence. I didn’t go to college that year, and it took me a long time before I was able to talk to my parents. I’ve never looked at abuse victims in the same light. It’s been many years past now and Kathy has finally told the family why she lied. A friend at school had been abused and had gotten all the attention. Kathy liked attention and this seemed like a good way to get it. All she got was a broke family. "You never have to worry...Never fear for I am near" |
||
© Copyright 2000 Lee Lewis - All Rights Reserved | |||
netswan Senior Member
since 2000-03-28
Posts 1369Washington |
Oh, Wolfsmate this is so sad. And, I am very sorry that has happened to your family, and you. It is hard. I have seen girls that do lie for getting attention. It makes it so hard to start distinquishing the liars from the truth tellers. My stepfather walked out of a courtroom after four girls testified against him. (including myself) It was a long time ago and the courts are different now. But, it is generally known that if you are victimized and if you tell, by the time the courts are through with you YOUR whole family is victimized. I wish there were better solutions to this particular problem. I hope that you can "mend" with your family, as not having that special closeness in a family can be so lonely. I had my sisters, so no matter whatever else went on, we had each other. I went five years without talking to my mother I was so angry at her. Finally, I realized she is human and to "error is human" But, it sits like a rock in my stomach, sometimes. Hugs to you ---chin up. Life gets better. Great Story and must have been hard to write about. netswan |
||
Christopher
Moderator
Member Rara Avis
since 1999-08-02
Posts 8296Purgatorial Incarceration |
![]() HUGS Wolfsmate. Sad that this would happen. I've heard of it before and think it's almost as tragic as if the incident had occured. We only get one "family" in our lives. Remember, there are friends here to act in that capacity, I being one. Hugs again. Chris |
||
Sudhir Iyer Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943Mumbai, India : now in Belgium |
A real heart-wrencher, this one Wolfsmate. This must have been very very sad and difficult for you to write about. Take care, friend, and remember, better times are due for you and your family. To better times, Cheers... Regards, Sudhir. Life is like a painting, That in an art gallery is left hanging, Though many come just to look at it, A very few actually come to enjoy it. |
||
Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
It seems it is almost always our most painful lessons of life that we learn the most from. this is very well written. you covered a lot of information and emotions but the piece is not wordy or even real long. Held me the whole time. great work,as you know from my piece, I understand "broken families" take care, jm |
||
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
This is such a tragic story...so many lives affected by one person's actions. Good storytelling.... ![]() |
||
Dawn Eclipse Senior Member
since 2000-01-31
Posts 637The Horsehead Nebula |
ohhh wolfsmate, that was so sad. It's so hard to understand how one difference can break a family. I know that all too well. I hope things are going better for you now though. "Even a fool knows you can't touch the stars, but it doesn't stop a wise man from trying." Harry Anderson, "Night Court" *Cassandra Roseen* |
||
![]() ![]() |
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. |