THE VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL BRIBE

At the end of summer I would be starting school for the first time. This was back in the 1950's! My exposure to other children was limited. Mostly, my time was spent with my closest neighbor Sharla, 4 years my senior who was spoiled rotten and my parents considered a bad influence, but was tolerated.

My mother feared I'd be socially retarded. She had this idealized image of what her daughter was supposed to be and never failed to let me know that I was a big disappointment.

My brother, 11 years older had been attending church alone ever since my family moved to Florida 5 years earlier. Thanks to our Pentecostal grandmother up north he was quite religious then.  A few years later when drafted into the army he discovered alcohol and exchanged one crutch for another.

That particular summer the church was holding a vacation bible school for children my age. My family thought it might do me good to meet more kids my age. Thankfully it was only for a week, but it turned out to be one of the longest weeks of my life.

Class started early. The teacher was a woman on the elderly side. Another in her 20's appeared to be her assistant. The students were a mixed group of girls & boys about evenly divided. I noticed that one girl kept shooting me a less than friendly look.

At 10:00 AM each day, class paused for a 15 minute break. Everyone went outside where punch & cookies were served by the assistant. The boys & girls separated. We ate on benches. I sat alone.

The other girls seemed to go out of their way to avoid me. That one continued shooting evil looks. She appeared to be their leader. I'll call her "Alpha"! Perhaps she felt threatened by me because we both had the same Buster Brown haircut. However I was probably the least threatening person there.

The first day was it for me! I never wanted to return, but was urged to give it a second chance.

The following one played out the same. I declared to my parents that I would NOT be returning. The other kids excluded me plus I was getting an outright hostile vibe from one girl.

At that time, I did have a friend my age, Lindy who had moved nearby. My mother invited her to join me and pay the small fee for the remainder of the week so I wouldn't feel alone.

The following morning as we sat waiting for class to commence, I couldn't believe my eyes as Alpha gave Lindy the warmest most welcoming smile I'd ever seen in my life! -- Why didn't she do that for ME??? Lindy smiled sweetly back.

When break time rolled around as we stood getting our refreshments Alpha waved Lindy over and invited her to sit with her and the other girls, which she did. I sat alone and watched them all play together afterward.

I told my mother that was the proverbial straw that finally broke the camel. However, Mom had an idea. The following AM when my brother picked Lindy up he was instructed to bring her back to our house, first.

I owned an elaborate doll collection despite the fact I never played with them. (I was more of a bug, rock, & reptile gal.) But my mother adored dolls! Lindy did, too. She loved playing with mine whenever she visited. -- I was probably just the side attraction. Anyway, Lindy was partial to one doll in particular.

My mother offered to give her this doll at the end of the week provided she remain at my side. Lindy was thrilled!

The following day as we sat at the bench having our cookies & punch Alpha came over and asked Lindy to come sit with her and the other girls.

"No, I can't," she replied. "I have to stay with Dianne!"

It's that "HAVE TO" part that always sticks in my mind.

I waited for Alpha to say, "Bring her, too." Instead, she just shrugged and walked away.

But Lindy was a good little whore! She earned that damn doll! However, I never wanted anything more to do with her afterward. She was never invited to my home ever again.

I don't believe getting a so-called friend to prostitute herself was the answer. Better to have complained to the minister and demanded a refund since the 2 women in charge were either clueless or indifferent.

I wondered if I would be encountering Alpha again later when I started school. This was not the case. Unfortunately, there were others of her ilk. I found myself in their crosshairs.

And despite my mother's best efforts I grew up socially retarded, but I'm OK with that.