Trouble at home
Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 3:50 pm
A young girl sits in a cold room. The room is bare save for a table and a few chairs. Makeup runs down her face, apparently from crying recently. A man sits next to her. A policeman, to be more precise. He asks her questions, but she ignores him, preferring to stare at the ground. She glances up from time to time, peering through a window opposite to her that leads to another room. In it stand her mother and father, who seem to conversing with several other police officers. Her mother's eye is black and blue and her lip has several cuts. Her father has a cut on his face, and a missing tooth. She cannot hear what they are saying, but to her they seem amazingly calm considering the circumstances.
Once again during an argument, she lost control of her temper. Another verbal argument turned physical. Apparently her therapist's advice is not working for her. Her parents thought the same thing, so they got the police involved. She doesn't want to go to jail, but that is more up to her parents now. After what seems like hours, her parents come in with another policeman and give her the bad news.
"Tawney, you are going to be put into a juvenile detention center." said her father. "We think it is for the best at this point. It could be a few weeks. It could be a month. Maybe a year. That is up to you."
"How about not at all if it is up to me?" she replied.
"I'm afraid that's not an option. Your behavior will determine how long you are there. Your mother and I can't live like this anymore." her father retorted.
Once again she just looked at the ground. "What about my school? I will fall behind. Well, more behind."
Her mother chimed in, "It will still be there when you get back. If you want to go back that badly, then I suggest you change your attitude right now young lady."
If looks could kill, her mother would have died on the spot.
"You will the rest of today to pack some things, then you will be picked up tomorrow. We're sorry it had to come to this, Tawney." the policeman said, sensing the tension. With that, she left with her parents. Her mother packed her things for her, and the next day, many tears later, she was gone.
A letter was sent to Saint Joseph School, letting them know that Tawney would be gone until further notice, but that she would hopefully some day return, and they apologize for the inconvenience.
Once again during an argument, she lost control of her temper. Another verbal argument turned physical. Apparently her therapist's advice is not working for her. Her parents thought the same thing, so they got the police involved. She doesn't want to go to jail, but that is more up to her parents now. After what seems like hours, her parents come in with another policeman and give her the bad news.
"Tawney, you are going to be put into a juvenile detention center." said her father. "We think it is for the best at this point. It could be a few weeks. It could be a month. Maybe a year. That is up to you."
"How about not at all if it is up to me?" she replied.
"I'm afraid that's not an option. Your behavior will determine how long you are there. Your mother and I can't live like this anymore." her father retorted.
Once again she just looked at the ground. "What about my school? I will fall behind. Well, more behind."
Her mother chimed in, "It will still be there when you get back. If you want to go back that badly, then I suggest you change your attitude right now young lady."
If looks could kill, her mother would have died on the spot.
"You will the rest of today to pack some things, then you will be picked up tomorrow. We're sorry it had to come to this, Tawney." the policeman said, sensing the tension. With that, she left with her parents. Her mother packed her things for her, and the next day, many tears later, she was gone.
A letter was sent to Saint Joseph School, letting them know that Tawney would be gone until further notice, but that she would hopefully some day return, and they apologize for the inconvenience.
