08 July 2010

The Orphanage - Part 3

The days all flow together after awhile.  We go to school, we go home, we do homework, we eat, we sleep and it starts all over again.



We do get tiny snippets of time, stolen moments of fun. And there are the weekends, when we can have some fun.  Working our bake stand, going to the local pool, playing with toys or games.  I was looking forward to summer holidays, all the kids at school talked about what their plans were. Weeks of just play, no homework and no school.  It sounds so wonderful.






Then the massive letdown.  Turns out Miss Polly has some special deal with the school.  No summer holidays for us, just more school.  I was so disappointed when I found out we'd spend the summer in school too.



Miss Polly's not actively cruel, but she's far from kind.  She does provide a meal a day, and pretty much ignores us most of the time.  We have rules, bed times etc. The main rule seems to be, don't bring home any trouble and it's all fine.

I heard that Theodore came from a different place where the kids were locked in dorms unless it was school time or meal time.  That was it.  It could explain a lot about him.  I can't imagine being locked in all the time like that.

I worked up my courage and asked AJ and Sam why they think they weren't adopted.



AJ told us how she ended up at the adoption centre a bit older.

"Neighbors dropped me off at the centre after my parents completely and utterly vanished.  It was like they had never been.  By that time, I was not the cute baby or just barely a toddler. I was one of the bigger toddlers and..." AJ sighed. "Far too pale.  The babies that were green, brown, or blue were snapped up quickly.  Pale skinned toddlers with different hair colours were taken to new homes fairly quickly.  But not a blonde girl with pale skin. Only a few of the prospective parents even glanced at me."

Then I asked Sam.  He knows exactly why he wasn't adopted.

"The system wasn't set up in for someone like me.  I was always grumpy by the time the prospective parents arrived.  Either they got you up from a lovely nap or they took your favourite toy from you.  Then they put you in the 'good' clothes.  The fancy things that don't fit and are really uncomfortable.  Most toddlers recovered pretty quickly and looked cheerful when the parents arrived.  I was still screaming my head off. No one ever looked in my direction."

I told them my tale of being regarded as hot-tempered because I'm a red head.  Sam laughed, he thinks his little finger has more of a temper than I do.

Ending up here has made AJ wistful, Sam tough and me as soft as a sponge.

Days turn into weeks turn into years. Filled with drudgery but also companionship.  Sam, AJ and I stuck together through it all.  Sam has decided that my nickname is Red, AJ is White and we are to call him Blue.  He's noticed in geography that many flags feature those colours and we three stand as a nation against the rest of the world.



Then one day



Sam became a teen.  Will he behave like the other teens now?

27 comments:

  1. I always hate that long pause between the time you post and the first comment.

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  2. I know what you mean Pib. My computer was doing it's monthly dx test and it slowed to a crawl. I finally gave up and now only have a few minutes left.
    I love the update. Especially the background story on the kids. It fits them so well.
    I suppose Miss Polly isn't being cruel but to take away their summer vacation. Darn. And only A meal a day.

    I see Theo even got involved with the birthday. No parties at the orphanage.


    After being locked up I can understand why Theo is the way he is.

    LOL, do you see what I see in that last picture of Sammy? Look where the leg of that furniture is.

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  3. It's the first time I've written almost all the text first, then added a few pics. Glad you liked their backstories, I've been planning them since the last post. Even Theo got a backstory, it does explain why he's not terribly nice.

    Generally, they only need one meal a day. They eat at school and don't really need much food at home. But no summer vacation is pretty rough.

    No cake at the orphanage, they just grow up.

    Obviously, I hadn't noticed that bit of Sam's last before or I would have photoshopped it. Ah well.

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  4. I like the picture of them all running together in a line. It just appeals to me.

    Thomas thinks he's soft. Thomas, there's nothing wrong with feeling. Unfortunately, there's no one to tell him that it's okay to be emotional about his situation. Certainly not Ms. Polly.

    Let's hope Sam doesn't let teen hormones get the best of him and is still their Blue.

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  5. Yes, they do look cute running together.

    Thomas currently has three potential role models, Theodore, Trevor and Sam. He's not a bully like Theodore. Trevor he doesn't know. And Sam is a tough cookie which Thomas isn't. We know it's ok but Thomas doesn't have any way to judge that. :)

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  6. Actually, it was the shot of them running together that inspired three nicknames. Sam was going to call Thomas Red. Then suddenly the White and Blue just clicked in.

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  7. Sam does look rather tough in that last picture.

    I'm enjoying this look at their childhood very much.

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  8. You should have seen the age up look. Long hair, leather jacket - not something I'd expect *any* version of Sam to go for.

    Do you know where the story is going?

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  9. I have no idea where the story is going. Which, is part of the fun.

    I do wonder if they'll realize (when they're all teens) that A.J. isn't their sister and is a beautiful, sweet girl. What will that do to their friendship?

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  10. Ooh, do you have a picture of when Sammy aged up with the long hair and leather jacket? If you do, please show.

    I have tried to come up with an ending for this. I've been going different directions.
    1- They all grow up and have a happy life.
    2- They all grow up and the good part is they fall in love with AJ. Bad part is she can only be with one.
    3- They all grow up and Sammy and Thomas fall in love with each other.
    4- Something terrible happens and they all die.

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  11. No picture of Sam with long hair. Sorry about that.

    I can say that #4 can safely be removed from the list. The rest is still up for speculation.

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  12. *laughing* At least I know they aren't all gonna die.
    It could end up being a "Three's Company" situtation.

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  13. I still don't know. And that makes me happy. Surprise me!

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  14. You know Chrysame, this could go several ways. They could end up not being in love with anyone. They could all be adopted by a family we all know and love. I believe their names are Jack and Ollie. :)

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  15. That would just be perfect. It won't happen. Heehee.

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  16. Probably not but it was fun to speculate. Pib's not commenting but we know she is getting a peek every so often. I'm with you though. I want to be surprised too.

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  17. It is fun to speculate. *nod*

    I'm losing my mind. I'm trying to set up two games and I keep forgetting to save while I'm doing it which means I crash and lose everything. I think I've caught Ollie's absent-mindedness.

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  18. Repeat after me. I must save after every room. I must save after every family is placed. I must save. I must save. I must save. Sometimes I must even guit the game and restart.

    You know we have a new patch? I haven't installed it yet. But we have a new one.

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  19. We do? I was just on and I didn't get a notice about a patch. Odd.

    I will save. I will save. I will save.

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  20. I saw it when I went to the home page of the forum earlier.
    You know something else? We are spam. you and I keep going into my spam folder. I think Pib was spam once. You and I are spam every time.

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  21. That's okay. I like spam. Especially with pineapple.

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  22. That's a good thing then. Especially since you and I are both spam. I never did like the stuff.

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  23. Not like spam!! Not that I eat it. We sure did when I was a kid.

    Poor PiB. We're junking up her comments with talk about canned meat product.

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  24. LOL - it's fun watching you both. I'm glad I'm not always spam.

    I can say that Ollie adopting Sam is just too weird to my brain. It was odd enough watching Phillip fall for his grandmother/not grandmother in one game. Adopting your grandfather as a child...one step too far. :)

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  25. Awww, I went to bed just a little too soon. Darn it.
    LOL PiB, I wasn't thnking about Sam being Ollies grandfather.
    Reminds me of my genealogy days and a poem. Can't remember all the poem but it had to do with being ones own grandpa. I discovered I am my own cousin. For real. :D

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  26. I heard that as a song - I'm my own grandpa

    But Ollie's daddy is Indy so Ollie's granddad is Sam -> even if he wouldn't have a clue on meeting Sam. :)

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  27. That's right, it was a song. I remember printing it and putting it somewhere with my genealogy stuff.
    TGIF it's Friday. Only a four day work week but it seemed longer. Happy almost Saturday PiB.

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