Karen

Karen was a babysitter that I had when I lived on Aldene. I'm not really sure how old she was. I know she had blond hair, and was, on the surface a very nice girl. I felt a sort of closeness to her that I had not felt with anyone before. I was completely unaware of why I felt this way towards her, as I had not known her very long. One day she said she would take me to the store with her. I was more than happy to go with her. I can remember walking through the parking lot of the plaza holding Karen's hand, and feeling an inner smile. I was happy, carefree for the moment. We went into the store, and Karen went off to find whatever she was looking to buy. I found myself reeling in amazement at all the wonderful and vibrantly colored candy bars and packs of gum on display. I picked up a small pack of gum, and without hesitation, decided that it was to be mine, and slipped it in my pocket. As we were walking out of the store, I took the gum out of my pocket, and showed Karen. To my shock, she was pissed. She was so angry at me, and this frightened me. I was worried on many levels at this point. I worried of losing that feeling of closeness with her because she was mad at me, and petrified of her telling my dad. However, I became completely enamored of Karen when she said to me, "take the gum back and I won't tell." I ran for my life. I opened the front doors of the grocery store, and I threw the pack of gum back into the store. I ran as fast as I could back to Karen so that I could tell her I listened to what she said and was good again. She said, "good girl." She played with me for the rest of the day until my dad came home, and I was sad to see her go, but knew she would be back tomorrow. I couldn't wait. Karen took my dad out on the porch and they talked for a bit, and then she left. Two things stick out in my mind here. Karen was a liar, and she was truly unaware of the trauma she had just caused. In all the years since this incident I have hated her for the betrayel and lie, yet I have come to realize that she never fully knew what her telling on me had done.