June 5, 2004
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Monster
I was interested to see this Academy Award performance, since I’ve seen footage of the real Aileen Wuornos. Theron beefed up, had some dental work done, and mussed up her hair, but the most uncanny part was her imitation of Wuornos’ body movements, a kind of blustering jerkiness. A very distressing film about the consequences of violence and the tragic life from start to finish of one victim. The kind of story that makes me want to never speak to people again who go on about how everything is God’s will. It reminded me of Jamie. Jamie was 16 when she came to live in my home for a year as part of a proctor family program with a local treatment center which takes kids who have reached the jail system and tries to turn them around. Jamie had been introduced to heroin by her own father. She had been a victim of other abuses and she already had Hepatitis C. She was anxious to please and she also broke rules during her stay – smoking, stealing, flirting with boys, etc. When she graduated from the program she didn’t have much to return to but poverty and a broken family. Jamie had that same stance – a kind of pathetic swagger. It just broke my heart. I didn’t keep in touch, partly because the year almost burned me out. I learned that I don’t personally at my age anyway have the courage it takes to work with damaged teenagers. Thank god for anybody out there who does. Aileen Wuornos didn’t get to meet any of you.
Deep Thought: In all the time I was growing up, I only saw Dad cry two times. After the first time, I didn’t say anything. But after the second time I left a note on his dresser that said “See a psychiatrist.” I don’t know if he ever did, but at least I didn’t see him cry again.
Today I am grateful for: The helping professions
Comments (3)
I had a 15-16 year old foster daughter when I was 26 and single. Hope made me volunteer, but it was almost too late to make any significant difference at that point. Alcoholic home life had taken its awful toll. Every child deserves to be loved and raised with kindness and attention to their needs. So many go without. It does make a person grieve and try to reach out.
I can’t imagine the heartbreak of having a child so troubled. Even if it weren’t your own.
Inverness is about 100 miles from Aberdeen…I never really ventured much up that way…tending to go South as the roads are better. It is a good base for visiting Loch Ness, Culloden, castles and distilleries…