Amanda's Story

         Total frustration reigned the night Amanda came home 15 minutes late. Joe--who was always late getting home, arrived early--to a house with no wife and no dinner on the table. Instead of finding out why Amanda was late, he just tore into her.

"Where have you been?
What did you do?
Didn't you care I was here
Waiting for you?
You are always running,
You're never home
You're a slut and a whore"
He raged on in his storm

         Amanda was tired. The day had been difficult--full of sadness and frustration. She woke in the morning to the phone's harsh tones. She picked up the receiver and heard a voice that said, "Honey, this is Mom. There's been an accident--Johnny's hurt". With tears in her eyes, she rushed to get dressed. She drove quickly to the hospital, where she joined her family.

         It seemed like hours before the doctor came out and told them that Johnny would be okay. As Amanda hadn't been able to get a hold of Joe, her parents told her she could go in first to see the baby brother she adored. It was hard not to cry as she looked at Johnny's broken body--the beep of monitors and tubes everywhere. When the nurse came in and told her it was time to go, she just took a deep breath and left. In the corridor she saw her parents. They told her that they would be okay and that she should go home as Joe would be getting off work soon. She left, but only after promising to come back later.

         Of course, as things turned out, Joe arrived early...and not in a good mood. Sadly for Joe, neither was Amanda by this time. Joe refused to listen as Amanda tried to explain what had happened. On and on he went--yelling and crowding her as she tried to move around him to go upstairs and change--refusing to allow her to get a word in inch wise. Finally Amanda could stand it no longer and she too yelled back:

"If you don't leave me alone
I solemnly swear
I'll start screaming and yelling
Pull out some hair
Right from the roots
The end you will see
As I lift up my boot
And then you will be
Flying as fast as a bird
Up in the sky
Your fanny in the air
Oh how it will fly"

         Joe was shocked! Never had he heard Amanda speak thus--and by the look on her face she was serious. He just stood and stared as she stormed up the stairs, into the bedroom, and slammed the door. Twenty minutes later she was back with a small suitcase. As Joe watched, she gathered her purse and headed out to her car. On the way she told him...

"I'm tired of your rudeness and all of your gruff
I'll be back later to get the rest of my stuff
My heart just can't take it, it constantly bleeds
Your behavior today is not what I need
So if you want something
Get it yourself
There's a casserole in the freezer
On the bottom shelf"

         With these words Amanda got in her car and drove off without a single glance backward.