Summer Reading Essay

Daisy and Dave

A Child Called “It” meets How I Live Now

Dave Daisy

I wake up in the morning disoriented once again. Ever since we moved to this new house, I’ve been unable to get a good nights sleep. I always wake up forgetting where I am. Not that I ever sleep well. I usually sleep “with one eye open”, to make sure my step-mom does come at me with an ax in the night. She could always hide my body then tell my dad I ran away.

In all honesty, it wouldn’t be that unbelievable.

Ever since my separation with Edmond, I’ve felt more and more that there isn’t a big reason to continue liveing my life. But I have met a new boy at school who I think would be good for me. None of the other kids seem to like him. Which is easy to understand, he smells, has old, dirty clothes with holes in them, and steals from peoples lunches. There’s something about him though, something desperate and scared. Like me.

I get on the bus for school after winter vacation. I look around and see no one to sit with so I choose a seat in the front by myself. I get to school and go to my classes. I’m till getting used to this new school, it’s so much smaller than my school in New York.

Finally it’s lunch time. A time for me to be by myself, and stop having people ask me questions. I buy a lunch so no one will ask questions. And so I can tell my dad that I did infact use my lunch money.

I take my tray and look around for a seat. I see Dave in the back corner of the cafeteria. I decide to go over and introduce myself.

“Can I sit here,” I ask.

“Sure.”

“I’m Daisy,” I tell him.

“Dave,” he answers.

“So, are you new here to?” I ask, to make small-talk.

“Um, no, just not very social I guess.” He notices that I haven’t touched my food. “Do you think I could have some of that?” he asks timidly.

“Go ahead.” God knows I’m not gonna eat it. He pulls the tray over to his side of the table and digs in. He eats like he hasn’t eaten in years. The tray is clean in 3 minutes flat.

I’m impressed.

We continue to talk through lunch. When the bell rings we say good-bye and go to our classes.

On the bus ride home that afternoon, I see Dave sprinting down the sidewalk as if someone is chasing him. I look up and down the sidewalk around him, but there’s nobody in sight.

Everday for the rest of that week, Dave and I eat lunch together. That week stretches into the next week, then the next. Soon enough Dave and I are actually friends. Naturally it doesn’t take me long to notice the excessive bruising and cuts on Dave’s body. Especially when his clothes might as well be transparent with the number of holes in them. So one day I decide to take the plunge and ask.

“It’s nothing,” he says, “I’m just clumsy and have a lot of accidents.” Not only is his answer ridiculous, it sounds far to rehearsed to be real. For the next week I continue to question him about his various cuts and bruises. Finally he cracks. During lunch he takes me to the farthest corner of the cafeteria, as far away from he other kids as possible and he spills the beans.

He explains to me how his mother brutally abuses him. Forces him to be separate from the family and practically a servant to them. How he lives in the basement and has to search the trash for food just so he can survive. He also tells me about the “games” his mother “plays” with him. And how he has learned to withstand everything just so his mother will not feel like she has won. So he can feel some small victory for himself.

I am horrified.

“Well you have to tell someone,” I say as soon has he pauses. There has to be something someone can do to help him.

“The nurse is already in on it,” he says solemnly. “There’s not much she can really do. If my mother ever found out I told anyone, she might actually kill me.”

“There’s really nothing anyone can do,” I say, shocked that this could actually be happening to someone.

“I guess not.”

There’s silence after that. The bell rings and we go to class. I can’t even manage to pay attention in history. I start to think about Dave’s life in camparison to mine. I suddenly feel ashamed. Dave stays strong through impossible circumstances and manages to continue seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I have it far easier than him and live in darkness.

The following week I am sitting in english, my only class with Dave. The principal walks in the room and asks Dave to come with him. Dave looks at the principal for a moment, then turns toward me. He get up from his seat slowly and follows the principal out of the room. I’m suddenly very anxious. Every minute seems like an hour. Finally the bell rings for lunch. I grab my backpack and rush out of the classroom. I run to the office and see Dave walking out with a police officer. A group of teachers watching him go. Dave sees me and stops. he looks up to the officer and asks him for a minute. He walks over to me.

“He’s bringing me to the station,” he says. “I think he’s going to help me.” There is a slight smile on his face. Tears well up in my eyes a little. I can already tell this will be the last time I see Dave.

“That’s great,” I choke out. Dave gives me a hug and then turns back to the officer and walks out of the building. I run outside just in time to see him driving away. I wave my last goodbye. Small tears streaming down my face.

Later, I think about my time with Dave. I realize that I am a better person for knowing him. He taught me a life lesson. No matter how hard you think your life is, there’s probably someone out there who has it worse off than you. You just have to keep having hope and looking forward. Things will always change.

That night I get a good nights sleep. Thinking abut the wonderful people I’ve known and will meet. Because although I miss Dave, I am now looking forward. Just like Dave, wherever he is.