Paul's Kingdom
You'll just have to face the facts, you tell yourself. Leaving home would not be a good idea, and the truth is you don't have a clue where Mom is. Better to stay put and take whatever Dad's going to give you.
You sit in silence waiting for your Dad to address you. A quarter of an hour later he does. "Everything's okay, Paul," he says in a calm manner. It's all alright. Go to bed."
You sit unmoving in shock. This was not at all what you expected. You expected Dad to yell at you for the magazine, but he just told you to go to bed! This is great! You slowly walk out and jump into bed. Sleep comes easier than you expected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day you wake up, ready for another day at school. As you eat your breakfast you notice that Tom isn't looking that good. His face is kind of blue.
You get off the bus and enter class. Not an hour goes by before the phone begins ringing off the hook in Mrs. Crosby's class. She reaches over for it and answers.
"Hello? Yes, he's here. Sure, I'll send him down." Mrs. Crosby hangs the phone back up and looks directly at you. "Paul, guidance office, right now."
You trudge your way down to the guidance office in horror. It was all figured out in your head now. Tom hadn't told Dad, he'd waited to tell the principal! And now you were going to get it. Tom had probably even given the magazine to the principal...and then he'd wave the magazine in your face, demanding to know if you'd really stolen it.
The guilt gnaws at you, even as you push open the door. You see Tom sitting in a chair, still as a stone. No surprise there. And then you look to your right and get the real jolt.
A police officer!
You are again rooted in the ground. "Uhh..." is all you can say.
"Please sit down," the officer points at a vacant chair. You quickly occupy it. "My name is Trooper Hertip," he explains slowly. "I am here to help you."
You are now utterly confused. The police officer isn't acting mean. Tom glances at you. "Whatever happens, Paul, I love you." And then Tom begins to cry. He doesn't do that often. Maybe twice a year.
Well, if you were confused before, you are now befuddled/perplexed/vexed/disoriented/baffled/bewildered/flummoxed. Yep. Just that much.
And then the question pops out of nowhere. "Paul Zimmer. Has your father ever hit you?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul was transferred to a foster home. He was separated from Tom for a few years, but they kept in touch. It took a while for Paul to clearly grasp the situation.
Paul's father had never abused him. But the sheer stress of Mom leaving and Tom being with Shannon had become too much, and Dad lost his temper.
And for that he was eternally punished. As was the rest of his family.
You sit in silence waiting for your Dad to address you. A quarter of an hour later he does. "Everything's okay, Paul," he says in a calm manner. It's all alright. Go to bed."
You sit unmoving in shock. This was not at all what you expected. You expected Dad to yell at you for the magazine, but he just told you to go to bed! This is great! You slowly walk out and jump into bed. Sleep comes easier than you expected.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next day you wake up, ready for another day at school. As you eat your breakfast you notice that Tom isn't looking that good. His face is kind of blue.
You get off the bus and enter class. Not an hour goes by before the phone begins ringing off the hook in Mrs. Crosby's class. She reaches over for it and answers.
"Hello? Yes, he's here. Sure, I'll send him down." Mrs. Crosby hangs the phone back up and looks directly at you. "Paul, guidance office, right now."
You trudge your way down to the guidance office in horror. It was all figured out in your head now. Tom hadn't told Dad, he'd waited to tell the principal! And now you were going to get it. Tom had probably even given the magazine to the principal...and then he'd wave the magazine in your face, demanding to know if you'd really stolen it.
The guilt gnaws at you, even as you push open the door. You see Tom sitting in a chair, still as a stone. No surprise there. And then you look to your right and get the real jolt.
A police officer!
You are again rooted in the ground. "Uhh..." is all you can say.
"Please sit down," the officer points at a vacant chair. You quickly occupy it. "My name is Trooper Hertip," he explains slowly. "I am here to help you."
You are now utterly confused. The police officer isn't acting mean. Tom glances at you. "Whatever happens, Paul, I love you." And then Tom begins to cry. He doesn't do that often. Maybe twice a year.
Well, if you were confused before, you are now befuddled/perplexed/vexed/disoriented/baffled/bewildered/flummoxed. Yep. Just that much.
And then the question pops out of nowhere. "Paul Zimmer. Has your father ever hit you?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Paul was transferred to a foster home. He was separated from Tom for a few years, but they kept in touch. It took a while for Paul to clearly grasp the situation.
Paul's father had never abused him. But the sheer stress of Mom leaving and Tom being with Shannon had become too much, and Dad lost his temper.
And for that he was eternally punished. As was the rest of his family.
