Every foster lasted only two years, maybe less. The boy chose a memory from each to keep. The earliest were smells. In one, wet paper - books floating in a flooded living room, tangerines. When he was older, he remembered animals. There was one that let him have a pet mouse. Lifespan: less than a year. In another, an awful dog clamped down on the ankle of his bad foot and dragged him in circles on the living room rug while the other foster kids laughed. He's going to cry! Look, there go his eyebrows, he's going to cry! they shrieked with delight. The boy was snail-soft, turtle-meat soft; he couldn't keep his eyebrows from arching just before tears came.
Lesley Bannatyne, from Unaccustomed to Grace
2 comments:
:)
Great pic!
Post a Comment