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By Becca Schooler
When I was younger, I used to have fun messing around and hanging out with
Scooter. I had a few friends, a couple of lowlifes, who I’m sure never really
amounted to anything. I was the alpha-male, the one nobody messed with, and
the one who would pick a fight with someone just because I wanted them to
be more miserable than me.
Back then, I had brown hair that swept over my brow, long, muscular limbs
and dark brown eyes that always made me look like I was hiding something.
My teachers always thought I was the bad kid in class because that was my
look. It was my act and before I met Scooter, it was the only thing I had.
At the time I was bouncing from foster home to foster home. I hated them all
until I happened to stumble upon one house that would eventually change my
life and send me here.
Sadie, the nasty social worker, was taking me to the Reeds, my new foster
parents. She had big frizzy brown hair that she kept in a hair clip and dark
mousy eyes and she wore glasses neatly positioned on her pointy little nose.
As she took my hand and led me up the pathway to the house, I remember thinking
how little she cared. I remember those people who always thought of me as
a failure before I even took my first step. In their minds I was just another
foster child who would grow up and inevitably get sent to jail for some heinous
crime. I guess I showed them.
Shortly after I settled into the Reed’s house I started playing with Scooter,
their Wheaton Terrier, everyday after school. He was my new and only friend.
He came up to my knees had little patches of white over his eyes that made
him look like he was wearing glasses. He loved to jump on me and lick me,
even when he wasn’t feeling well. Scooter and I loved each other right from
the start. The Reeds didn’t really take very good care of him or me, for that
matter. I don’t think they fed him enough because he always seemed hungry
so I started to steal lunch from the school cafeteria and bring Scooter a
little treat. One day I got caught. Usually I just left the line without paying,
but Principal Hopkins was standing in the lunch room that afternoon and I
wasn’t paying attention.
He brusquely grabbed my arm and made me drop my tray and everything on it.
“Young man, do you plan on paying for that food?” I could tell by his voice
that he already knew the answer to this question.
“Yes I do, sir. I was going to pay the lunch lady back tomorrow, because
I left my wallet at home today.”
His eyes narrowed to slits and he folded his arms across his chest. “You
think you’re more special than everyone else? That you can have special privileges?
Come to my office and we’re going to straighten this out with your parents.”
“No. C’mon, let me just pay tomorrow. I swear I will. I just don’t have
the money right now.” Just then his facial expression changed. What was once
anger was now sympathy. In retrospect, I wish it hadn’t changed.
“Son, why don’t you come with me to my office? You don’t have to be afraid.
You’re not in trouble.” He wrapped his arm around me and looked down on me
with a knowing smile. All I could muster was a confused look. I didn’t understand
what was going on. If I wasn’t in trouble, why does he want me to come with
him to his office? Why is he smiling at me when just moments ago he was ready
to call the Reeds and get me in trouble? I walked alongside him until we
came to his crowded, stuffy office. There was a small, plain wooden desk in
the center with piles of papers on it. The walls were covered in puke green
paint and the floor had withered red carpet on it with dents from where the
desk was before.
“What’s your name, young man?” He sat back in his big chair and awaited
my response.
“My name’s Will.”
“Will what?” Who does he think he is butting into my business? I don’t have
to tell him my name, I thought.
“Why? Why do you want to know?” I said, with an attitude in my voice.
“Well, son, I’m just trying to get to know you, that’s all. You know I can
find out the easy way, or the hard way. It’s up to you.”
I hate that. I hate it when adults try to discreetly tell you how much power
they have over you.
“I don’t have a last name. Never knew my dad, mom dropped me off in Greenville
a few years back. I’ve been living with foster parents ever since,” I said,
staring at the floor.
“Oh? And who are you staying with now, Will?” His voice and demeanor seemed
to switch from sympathy to pity.
“Edna and Dirk Reed. Their house is off Lexington Drive.”
“Oh, yes. I know the very place. Well, William, here’s five dollars you
can borrow from me today for lunch. Don’t worry about paying me back.” In
my mind I was ready to shove that five bucks down his throat and tell him
I didn’t need his money, but I was so hungry and I was sure Scooter was too.
All I could do was say thanks and walk out.
That afternoon I came home to find Sadie, the social worker, sitting in the
living room sipping coffee with Edna. She was talking to Edna and Dirk about
something important that she didn’t want me to hear. I stood quietly in the
doorway listening and realized that she was trying to relocate me. I could
tell by the expression on the Reed’s faces.
“What’s going on?” I asked, trying to act as sincerely surprised as I possibly
could. I knew what would happen if she relocated me. I would lose Scooter.
Sadie looked up and said, “William, I’m taking you to a better home.”
“What? Why? I’m happy here. I don’t want to go to another home.”
“William, you’re not mature enough to handle these adult decisions for yourself,
so I’m afraid you have no choice,” she said. Her tone of voice told me that
it was a done deal.
“Adult decisions? I’m seventeen! I can handle myself!” I couldn’t help
but scream. Scooter was all I had in the world. He was my reason for staying
in school, my reason for everything.
“I’ll be waiting here,” she said. “Go upstairs and collect your things.
William. I advise you to go upstairs and get your things now.”
I ran up the stairs, but not to collect my things. I had to come up with
a plan quickly. I had to leave and take Scooter with me, but where would
we go? I didn’t have any money or food and certainly no friends to help.
The Reed’s house was near a metro stop so I figured I could live down there
for the time being, going from stop to stop. I could find a job and earn
a decent amount of money and then come back for Scooter. No, that would never
work. Oh lord, what should I do? I grabbed my backpack and stuffed it with
all the essentials- a toothbrush, a bar of soap, blankets and a box of biscuits
for Scooter. I didn’t want to attract too much attention to myself, so I
crept down the stairs very carefully and got Scooter’s leash. I put it on
him, picked up my backpack, and ran out the front door. I knew this wasn’t
going to be easy. Dirk loved Scooter, when he was sober enough to pet him.
I pushed open the screen door and launched down the dirt path. As I was running
I heard Dirk, Edna and Sadie running behind me. I wasn’t worried about Edna
and Sadie but Dirk was catching up fast. I pushed my entire might into every
step, but it made no difference. Seconds later my chin crashed down on the
broken concrete sidewalk. Blood from my chin was dripping down my neck to
my chest. I was sure I shattered a few teeth, but that wasn’t my concern.
Edna had grabbed the leash from my hand. Dirk was crushing me so I couldn’t
run away again.
“Get off! I can’t breathe! You’re on my chest,” I stammered, heavily hard.
Dirk pressed even harder and I felt one of my ribs crack.
“You dumb kid, you think you could steal our dog? You ain’t
faster than me.” Even now I don’t know where the power came from, but as Dirk
was ready to sock me in the face I grabbed his wrist and twisted it as hard
as I could. Dirk yelped in pain and begged me to stop.
“Please kid, you can have the dumb dog, just let go!” I kicked Dirk in the
face, and grabbed the leash from Edna’s hand. Luckily
my backpack was still on and I ran off so fast I couldn’t
even see my surroundings. I rushed down the subway
stairs and jumped on the first train. I had never felt
so triumphant in my life. I was crying tears of joy.
I thought long ago I had no more tears to cry and I
was so happy that I was wrong. Scooter and I were free.
Some old guy yelled at me for bringing Scooter on the
train and a few other people were asking me if I was
alright since my chin was still bleeding. I didn’t
care and I didn’t even feel the pain. All the colors
on the train seemed lighter than usual and the sun poured
into the windows and splashed my face. Everything was
going to turn out alright.
Becca Schooler
just completed her sophomore year at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
in Rockville.
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