FlowersfromOurGarden
傑裡·比德爾曼?洛林·比德爾曼/JerryandLorinBiederman
Iaminmylatefortiesandhavetwoteenagedaughters.Mylifehasbeendiff?icultbut,bythegraceofGod,Iamasurvivor.
MygirlsandIspentmuchoftheirchildhoodinsheltersandlivingonthestreet.Thoughweweretogethersixyears,Inevermarriedthegirls』father.Hecouldn』tholdajobandalthoughIamahardworker,withoutacollegeeducation,themoneyjustwasn』tenoughtosupportus.Hespentmostofmymoneyonhardliquor,andhedidn』tcomehomefordays.
Oneday,afterhethreatenedtokillme(hewasaviolentdrunk),Ipackedupmybabiesandourbelongingsandheadedforabetterpartoftown.If?iguredIwouldgivenaygirlsagoodeducation,evenifwehadtoliveonthestreet.
Imanagedtof?indajobasawaitressatalocalcoffeeshop,andIenrolledmygirlsinagoodpublicschool.Myjobdidn』tpayenoughforrent,sowemovedfromsheltertoshelter.Iwasnervousabouttheaddress,soIgotapostoff?iceboxandusedtheaddressfortheschoolpaperwork.
Noonesuspectedwewerehomeless.Mygirlswenttoschooleveryday.Iftheshelterwasnearby,wewalked.Ifwehadto,wetookabus.
Mygirlswerealwaysverypresentable.Iletthemgotofriends』housesasmuchaspossible,andIoftentriedtobuythemspecialgifts.But,mostly,thelittlemoneywehadwasputawayfortheirfuture.
WehadmadeapactthatwewouldnottellanyonewewerehomelessbecauseIwassurethisf?ineschoolwouldn』tallowmydaughtersremainiftheyknewaboutoursituation.
Oneday,severalyearslater,oneofthegirlscamebacktotheshelterandtoldmeherfriend』smotherhadinvitedallthreeofusoverforsupperthenextevening.Imanagedtotalktothedirectoroftheshelterintoallowingmetousethekitchentobakecookies.
Weknockedonthedoorofabeautifultwo-storyhome.Itwasspotlessandcomfortable.Mary,themother,wassoappreciativeofthecookies.Wehadawonderfulevening,andIknewIhadfoundafriend.
Afewdayslater,Leticia,myyoungest,camehome.AndsaidthatMaryhadaskedforourphonenumber.Shewantedtocallmetogettogether.Leticiatoldherwewerehavingtroublewiththephones,andshewouldhavemecallher.Ihatedthatmygirlshadtolie.
IcalledMaryandagainwegottogetheratherhouse.SheandIbecamegoodfriends.IconstantlytoldherthatIwantedtohaveherovertoourplace,butthenIwouldlieandsaywewerehavingtroublewiththelandlordofourapartmentbuildingorthatsomethingwasn』tworking,likethestove,theairconditioning,etc.
MarycameintothecoffeeshoponedayandaskedifIcouldspendmybreakwithher.Wetookawalk,andthenshestoppedatavacanthouseafewblocksdowntheroad.IthadaForRentsignoutfrontandwasthemostadorablelittlehome.
Marysaid,「Doyoulikethisplace?」
「Oh,verymuch!」Iexclaimed.「Butit』swayoutofmyleague.」
「Whydon』twecallandf?indout?」Marysaid.Thisupsetme.ItoldherthatthemostIcouldaffordwas$350amonth.
Noonewouldrentahouseforthatlittle—especiallythishouse.
Thenextday,MarycameintothecoffeeshopwithabiggrinonherfaceandaForRentsigninherhands.Shewassoexcitedthatshecouldn』tholdbackthenews.「Ispokewiththeownerofthathouseandguesswhat?They』rerentingthehousefor$350amonth!Itcouldn』tbemoreperfectforyouandthegirls.」
Itoldher,「That』simpossible.Housesrentforthreetimesthatmuchinthisneighborhood.」
Sheexplainedthattheownersdidn』treallyneedthemoney.Theyjustneededsomeonewhowouldappreciatelivingthereandwouldtakespecialcareofit.
Afewweekslater,wemovedin.WemanagedtogetsomefurniturefromtheSalvationArmy,Shari,myoldest,tookwoodshopinschoolandmadeusaf?inecoffeetable.Wef?ixedtheplaceup,andIevenplantedsomef?lowers,whichmademefeellikeIwasplantingmyroots.Ihopedtostayherealongtime,raisemygifts,andalwayshaveaplaceforthemtocomehometo.
Butsecrets,I』vefound,don』tusuallystaysecrets.Onemonth,Ihadmailedmyrentcheck,butitwasduringtheholidays,andIdidn』twantittobelate,soIdecidedtodropitoffattheappropriatepostoff?icebox.
Iwasstandinginlineatthepostoff?icewhenIheardafamiliarvoiceaskforapackagefromtheboxwhereIsentmyrent.IpeekedaroundthelineandwasshockedtoseeMary!