1997 Disappearance

People getting back in touch with me from high school means, obviously that the question of where the hell I disappeared to comes up. I disappeared from school in Oct of 1997. Some of you know, some of the newer readers won’t. The reason was that I ran away from home. I made it all the way from Oklahoma to State College, PA. I was apprehended there and taken to a home for runaways until my dad could fly out and pick me up. I never returned to that school and never again talked to anyone from there except for my one close friend.

It’s just weird now, questions of “Where the hell did you go?” I’m not ashamed of it but I’m not proud of it either. At the time I was impressed with myself for getting as far as I did but looking back I realize it wasn’t bright. At the time though it felt like my only way out of a crappy situation. The reason I did it was as I’ve said before my step-mothers verbal abuse. I had no one on my side or to stand up for me. The only option I felt I had was to get out.

When my dad brought me home things were, as you can imagine, much worse with the step-mom. My dad was willing to trust me again pretty quickly. My step-mother didn’t trust me before even though she didn’t have a reason. Once I’d run away and given her a reason she got 100 times worse.

Regardless things turned out okay for me. I enjoyed the private school despite it being religious when I wasn’t. The experience itself was interesting plus I met some really nice people there who I have fond memories of. Friends and a teacher who I looked up to and who I learned some valuable lessons from. If I’d never run away I never would have met them. I survived the final two years of life with the step-mom and moved away to CT. Life turned out great and I have an interesting story to tell. I just wonder what old acquaintances really think when they find out.

Aa’ menle nauva calen ar’ ta hwesta e’ ale’quenle
May thy paths be green and the breeze on thy back