Our Lady Of Perpetual Silly Choices

I've been thinking all day about how to tell you this. Our Sainted Runaway has had me in the hole all week. I have struggled every day on the tightrope where "this really isn't your business" is on one side and "who else is going to help this child" is on the other. Either way, I fall, hit a net, and get all bruised and strained. I have colleagues who have given me the responsibility of calling this guy we really don't like--I refused to take this responsibility. It really doesn't seem safe and even if I don't like it, there might be nothing I can do for the situation. So then I worry, what if she just needed someone to pull her out of this? What if I get yelled and cussed at by this boyfriend but it saves this girl's life.

And then, do I really dump all this onto my silly blog? I use this as a place to vent and one of my hopes is that in seeing all aspects of my life, someone may understand what people in the public schools really face (and then we sing all 6 verses of "Just As I Am", and as the Spirit leads, you come.). I will admit, this is the stuff of stories and film, the story is just outrageous that this girl could be so precious and that these kids could love her so much and that this ending would be so dramatic and frightening, but it's someone's life. Someone's very real life. I didn't know how much to share here.

But when things started ever so slightly to turn, I felt better about trusting my doubt and I feel much better about sharing with you.

She called me last night. I was with friends who have genuflected at her altar. The phone number was "withheld" and it took me until the third time she called to actually take it (which makes me a poor heroine to the story and proves that I am not the heroine. The Sainted One is.).

"Ms. E? Don't freak out, it's The Saint."

"Wow. It's so good to hear from you! Are you safe right now?"

"I am. I chose to be here. I didn't run to my boyfriend as much as away
from my parents. But I wanted to ask you something...Do you think that maybe I
could come back to school?"

"Yes. Yes, I do. I think school is the best place for you to be. Are you
planning to stay with your boyfriend or go back to your parents?"

"If they'll let me, I'm going home."

This call went on for a while, and I honestly don't remember much of what I said. I may have to rely on Karina, but the quick explanation is that she's coming to the school tomorrow to talk with her teachers and see how she might make up some of the time missed. I am humbled that I even got to be near this call, much less the recipient of the call.

This story isn't over, it could go so many different ways. Pray for the Sainted, Flawed, Blinded, Sweet girl tomorrow as she starts to find her way home.