[Stick a Fork in Me - I am Done]

I was a street kid. I left highschool and home at age 15 and thumbed around a while. I was raped three times and tortured once for three days. There are a lot of freaks out there. There were two monymaking choices for kids on the streets, sell your body or sell drugs. The stupid sell their bodies and the smart sell drugs. I was smart. I lived in doorways and slept on porches or crashed on stranger's floors or the local flophouse. I worked when I could find it. I made friends with other street kids, dealers, numbers men, low end mobsters, criminals and pimps. I was a fifteen year old girl, I looked about 12.

Subsequently, I finished some of my highschool work at one of the most prestigous universitiies in in the country, married, have received an advanced degree, and have a wonderful family. But it has been hard work because the issues that were in my life and that drove me to the streets took years master.

You know me here by another log in.

[annyokie]

What a success story! Good for you! I counseled "troubled yoots" for some time and, sadly, most don't make it. It's just too easy to fall in with people, places, and things.

Again, congratulations on your success.

Anny

[MonroeDNA]

Your testimony was wonderful, and coregeous. It gives me the courage to state my own. Thank you.

Start with an abusive family. 'nuff said.

At 14, my best friend "accidentally" shot himself in the forehead with a .22 rifle, while "cleaning it." He was an altar boy. Turns out the head priest was doing alter boys. We went to Catholic Jr. High together.

I was a boy Scout; made Star Scout. Turns out one of the Scoutmasters was doing some of my friends.

At 17, I was booted out of the house. Nasty divorce, beforehand.

My SAT's got me into Mensa.

At 22 I was homeless, living in my car in Huston. Arrived there with $22.83 in my pocket. I had a car, although the repo were after me. Damn mosquitoes. Too hot to slep with the windows up, but you would get eaten alive with them cracked. Spent my last on off, and bread and cheese. Goes a long way.

It never occured to me to go to a church for help, or other agencies. In my mind, and experience, they were all infected with predatory gays. No guardrails that I trusted.

Worked construction (thank God I got employed), and they thought I had a place to live. Didn't. Every day at 5:00, everyone would leave. I had enough gas left in my tank to go the half mile to a strip of hotels. Would change in my car, and hop the fence, and jump in the pool and scrub my hands all over me. Enough to pass. Slept in my car in the construction lot. They were all impressed with me being the first to work every day.

I remember very well my first paycheck, three weeks later. It barely covered a sleazebag motel. But I was in heaven--air conditioning!!! What a great day that was!!!!

Saved up. Slowly. 3 months, and had an apartment. No furniture. 2 months, and rented furniture.

Today I make heart pumps for a living.

Long vanity post on my part. What I went through is NOTHING compared to you. But thanks for giving me the courage to speak up.

peace out.

[Aracelis]

Thanks to you both for posting your stories. Yours are stories of very hard-times, but also ones of hope and survival. My youngest unexpectedly ran away from home nearly 2 years ago (still don't know why but think a New-Age charlatan and a married man were involved) and I have been terrified for her every moment. She writes on occasion, and I tell her I love her and invite her home with every letter I send to her.

The agony I feel is exquisite and constant, and I berate myself for not picking up on very subtle things that I should have before she left. I encourage parents reading this to keep your children close and don't ignore "little" things.

[Entropy Squared]

You told my exact story, Stick a Fork in Me - I am Done. Right down to the detail of age 15. It's tough to get off the street but it can be done. Now I too have a home and a wonderful family and I am extremely grateful for what I have.

I heard a saying once I really enjoy, "Judge a man not by the heights he has achieved but by the depths from which he has climbed."

Cheers.

[okie01]

We who merely had it tough salute those who had to fight their way upstream from the very bottom of the barrel.

Character counts. Some got it. Some don't.

You got it.