Alone With Her Thoughts
This fictionalized story is inspired by real life events in the 1960's. CW: depicts brutal breast cancer treatment, Vietnam, date rape, and illegal abortion.
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Sandy
Today is a weird and scary day. Ellen is at school, and I had kindergarten this morning, but when I came home, Mama wasn’t here, just Grandma.
I asked where our car is, and she made a grouchy face, and said “Kathy has it, so she can study at her friend’s house.” And then she made that loud “Hmmmph” noise she makes when she is mad about something.
Ellen and Kathy are my big sisters.
Kathy is getting married this summer, to Fred. He’s so nice. Kathy and Fred took me to the museum, on the bus, but then he had to go away and be a soldier.
One time Grandma said Kathy is a fool to be planning a wedding, because we don’t even know if Fred will come home from Vietnam. That made me cry, and made Kathy cry. Mama says Fred will so come home from Vietnam, and I’m going to be a flower girl in the wedding.
I asked Grandma where Mama is, and where her car is. She said Daddy borrowed it to take Mama to the hospital, for an Operation.
Hospitals are where they fix people up and make them all better. Grandma said that’s what they’re doing with Mama, but…
