A chat with one of the kids at CChouse

I won't say her name, but this is the story of one of the kids at the Coffee House. She is a cute, dresses well, clean cut and very well mannered. At first looks you would think she was part of the uppity crowd in Fulton. Last night she started telling me about herself and I was amazed to hear her story. All these kids have stories to tell, this is just one.

"Her Dad didn't beat her Mum, but she was pushed out of a trailer door that had no steps, you know one of those you have to jump out of, while pregnant with her and her twin brother." She didn't say that is what caused her to be born two months premature but she was. She was also born with a heart murmur. Her Mother lied to her about who her Dad was. She knew this because she remembers at first calling this guy by his name and then remembers he asked her to call him Dad. When she was older she asked someone about it and found out the truth. Right now her step Dad is in Prison and won't be getting out anytime soon. Her Mum is on probation. I don't know if that has anything to do with her Mum trying to smuggle things in boxes to the prison for the step Dad. Her Mum works two jobs, that is why she doesn't get to come to the Coffee House much. Last night her mum wanted to go out with friends for someone's birthday and this girl suggested if she dropped them off at the Coffee House they wouldn't have to go with her. They arrived early and were the second to the last to leave. I asked who keeps them during the day while her Mum is at work and she said her sister lived across the road, implying they stay by themselves. It depends, her sister who is 19 and has a 10 month old baby has fights with her boyfriend (not the baby's father, he was no good) and sometimes comes home but mostly stays across the street. She is board at home she says, there is nothing to do. She doesn't go to Church much, she keeps calling the wrong person and the Church Bus doesn't come to get them. (I need to follow up on this for her) She loved gymnastics but her Mum can't afford for her to go to classes but she knows a lot of moves her friends have taught her. When she grows up she would like to be a First Grade Teacher or Gymnastics Teacher. She would also like to learn about being a Mechanic, as she would just like to be able to fix her own car. She can also draw people good. She obviously has a dream of meeting her real Dad who has never seen her. She may have a dream of living with him. She asked what age she has to be to be able to choose who she lives with. A guy she has had no contact with and has a family of his own now. She loves the Coffee House and we sat at the bar with a dry erase board and fluorescent pens drawing designs and Coffee House lingo. Looking at this girl you would have no idea she was going through so much. This is why we do what we do.