The Runaway

by Jennifer Preston

Part 1

 

Jenn had accomplished a lot for her age. She was only in her mid-20's, but had already completed her bachelor and master degrees and was well on her way to getting her Ph.D. In addition to school, she also worked full time in a museum. A job she really loved. She also had a secret passion. One that only a very few people knew about. It started back when she was in high school. She used to dress some of the young boys she would babysit up in her old clothes. She had also managed to get two of her ex-boyfriends to dress up for her, but only one of them ever dressed up completely. Over the last year or two Jenn decided that she would love to have a little boy of her own. One that she could raise herself and raise as a girl. Now normal adoption wouldn't work. Too many people coming around and checking up. Near the museum at which she worked, there were a lot of runaways hanging around, panhandling for money. Some of them were as young as eight or nine. She saw a few that she thought would make really pretty girls. That was when the idea formed in her mind that if she could talk one of them into letting her take them home and raise him as her daughter everything would be solved. Only problem was, Jenn lacked the nerve to ask any of them.

Early one morning as she parked her car and headed to work, she stopped off to get her usual latte. She saw the cutest little boy standing there looking so lost and alone. He'd obviously been living on the streets for a while. His hair was unruly and stringy looking. His clothes were filthy and his face and hands had dirt all over them. She noticed him watching her as she got her latte. She decided she would get some cookies and give them to this poor boy so he wouldn't go hungry. After paying for everything she walked over to him handed him the cookies and said, "These are for you." He just looked up at her smiled and said, "Thank you." And with that Jenn headed off to work.

Several weeks went by and she was thinking of this poor little boy out there and wondering why someone so young was on the streets and who would take care of him. Then on a Thursday morning while getting out of her car and heading over for her latte she spotted him again. Instead of going and getting her latte, she headed over towards him.

"Hi, remember me?"

"Yes you are the nice lady who bought me cookies."

It was at this point Jenn noticed that he had the remnants of what looked like a black eye and that his clothes looked like they were rags ready to fall apart.

"Want some more cookies and maybe a hot chocolate to wash them down with?"

"I don't have any money."

"Well how about I but them for you. My treat for you."

So instead of taking her latte to work as usual she sat down at one of the outdoor tables with him. While sipping her latte she looked carefully at his features out of the corner of her eye noticing how much he could easily pass for a girl.

"So what happened to your eye?"

"Some of the older kids found out I had a couple of dollars and took them from me."

Finally it was time to head for work. Getting up and opening her purse, Jenn said, "If you come back here at about 11:30 I'll buy you something for lunch." "I also want you to use these wash up packets and clean your face and hands," she said as she reached into her purse and pulled two out handing them to him.

All throughout the morning Jenn was thinking about this boy and how if she could take care of him things would be so much easier and safer for him. The hands on the clock seemed to just move so slowly. Finally for what seemed like an eternity it was lunchtime.

Heading out the door she was hoping he would be there. Sure enough there he was. Looked like he tried to clean his face and hands too. Good he would obviously do things she told him.

"Ready for some lunch?"

"Sure."

So going into a nearby McDonalds she ordered lunch for the both of them. She found him very reluctant to talk about how he ended up on the streets and why he was by himself, so she decided not to push it. She did find out however that he was nine years old.

"Do you have any other clothes besides what you are wearing?"

"No, this is all I have."

"I'll tell you what then. Meet me out by the latte stand abut 7:00 tomorrow morning and I'll have some clean clothes for you. And I am sure they'll be warmed than those are."

He looked at her suspiciously for a few seconds and finally said he would. When they left the McDonalds she showed him where he could see the time on the clock tower and told him to not forget to be here at 7:00. She then handed him $5.00 and said, "This is in case you get hungry later. Hide it in your sock and don't tell anyone you don't have it." After watching him hide it she headed off to work.

She could hardly wait for it to be time to leave. As soon as she got out of there she headed for her car and back home. On the way she stopped off at K-Mart to do some shopping.

Being a good judge of size she had a good idea of what sizes to get. She headed straight to the girl's department. There she spent about twenty minutes looking for just the right pair of jeans. Finally finding a pair that was girls but could pass as boys, unless you read the tag on the inside of course. Next she bought a dark blue pullover sweater. Still girls, but could easily pass for being a boys, but much softer. Finally she got some all white cotton panties, a white camisole that could pass as a boy's tank top and some white socks. Then heading over to the shoe department found just the right pair of white girl's tennis shoes.

Going up to the cashier and paying for everything she headed home and promptly removed the price tags looking forward to what tomorrow would bring.

  

  

  

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