It was Saturday and Ruthie had again left the house and went out on her
own. Of course she left a note for her parents, not good to have them
worrying themselves to death about her. Entering the library she began
looking for the Harry Potter series books. Her friends said that they were
exciting and good and she wanted to read them herself. There were other
things she wanted to read, ones that her family seemed to dislike or
frowned upon such as Shakespeare, her mother went nuts when she heard that
Macbeth was on the school cirriculum. Also she got out books on Astronaomy
and space travel.
About a year ago Miss Riddle had decided to get her class to visit the library and get their own library cards. At first it seemed useless and Ruthie just took it as is. She rarely visited the library in the first place. But lately she was. She was doing a lot of things that she would not do a year ago. Why?
Because she had no friends. Because everytime she tried to do the right thing it simply wasn't enough for her family anymore. Because she had no life, no future beyond that of her family, and individuality or personal freedom. Everything was for the family, not that she did not love them, but all that mattered was them, not her. And it drove her nuts. Instead of feeling joyous and fulfilled she felt empty and barren. And what was worse she started alienating herself from the other family members. She lashed out at Simon the most because he had closest to her and then completely abandoned her to concentrate on his love life. So she spied on him and blackmailed him from time to time. At first it felt good, but with the alienating and her own sense of conscience it ate away at her, made her feel evil and soon she started to hate herself.
Her friends started no longer being her friends because being a Camden meant being morally self righteous. And that simply drove them away. Now she was lonely at school. Even Sarah no longer talked to her. It hurt her greatly not to have any friends.
After checking the books that she wanted out she decided on her next move. She wondered where Ben was. Then she shook off the thought. Why was she always wanting to hang out with him? And what was this need to get him hooked with somebody.
Ruthie left the library and headed straight for home. As she walked down the streets of Glen Oak she never realized how nice it was just to go from one place to another, by oneself, without having to be driven back and forth. It seemed petty and unimportant but it was something she did, for herself, without any adults around to protect her and smother her. As she got home she was feeling great. That is until she saw Lucy in the kitchen when she entered through the back door.
"Where were you?", Lucy said.
"Out. And I left a note okay?"
Lucy gave Ruthie one of those annoying hag faced looks, "What is wrong with you?"
Ruthie turned on Lucy and said, "Listen I have a right to grow up. And from now on I decide what is good for me to read."
"You are a child.."
"I AM A PERSON! Not a slave! Not a robot! A human being!"
Lucy looked at her sister for a moment and tried one of those serious threatening looks. It didn't work. Ruthie simply got angrier.
"I give up. Do whatever you want. You know I have tried and tried to teach you morals and values but apparently you won't listen. So as if today I hereby renounce all my responsibilities to you. You are free to do whatever you wish."
And with that she left and instead of feeling sad Ruthie was very happy.
++++++++++
Simon walked over to Ruthie before dinner and said, "We need to talk."
"About what?"
"You, and thank you for not rattling on me last night. I really appreciated it."
Dinner was the usual and as usual it was all Lucy. Lucy and Kevin. Eric and Annie were at a dinner party and left Lucy and Kevin in charge. Ruthie noticed Simon was eating silently rather than talking about Cecillia. But he barely got the chance. Fed up with all the Lucy talk Ruthie decided to butt in for once.
"So Simon how are you and Cecillia doing?", Ruthie asked and Lucy glared at Ruthie.
"We're doing fine. And how are you and Peter doing?", Simon said realizing that Ruthie might be trying to start a conversation to get Lucy to shut up for once. All those years of snooping and he knew when Ruthie was being conversational rather than snoopy. And for the past few days Ruthie was more conversational. He made a mental note to talk to her about her behaviour of late. Something had changed, something that was turning a hated sister into a loving friend, a real friend.
"I'm breaking up with Peter.", Ruthie said shaking her head.
"Excuse me but me and Kevin were talking.."
Ruthie gave Lucy an annoyed look, "Is there some reason why me and Simon can't have a conversation ourselves?"
"We were talking."
"And so are we?", Simon said.
"We are older than you.."
"So what?", Ruthie snapped, "We cannot speak unless you want us too?!"
"Come on Ruthie I'll get you some pizza. Obviously were not welcome in this table anymore."
"Hey where are you guys going?", Kevin asked.
"Out. Someplace we can enjoy dinner for ourselves."
"Simon, Ruthie sit down and eat here. This is your last warning."
"Or what? Are you going to arrest us? I think not. Come on Simon. Let's try something different. What about Wong's? It's a good buffet place. We can split it half half."
"Why not?", Simon grinned, "Might be a tad hot for you."
"I live for danger!", Ruthie said with an evil grin.
"Ruthie...", Kevin said in his serious voice.
But Simon and Ruthie simply him.
"We are simply going out so that we won't be a pest to you too. You got some problem with that? I don't recall mom and dad saying that you had to babysit us. We will be back by...ten.", Ruthie said in one of her wise voices. But Simon noticed that it wasn't the same. There was a sort of gentle more subtle quality to it.
"Kevin nevermind! Let them go! If they want to waste their money by all means. But allowance isn't till next week."
But the two had left already.
About a year ago Miss Riddle had decided to get her class to visit the library and get their own library cards. At first it seemed useless and Ruthie just took it as is. She rarely visited the library in the first place. But lately she was. She was doing a lot of things that she would not do a year ago. Why?
Because she had no friends. Because everytime she tried to do the right thing it simply wasn't enough for her family anymore. Because she had no life, no future beyond that of her family, and individuality or personal freedom. Everything was for the family, not that she did not love them, but all that mattered was them, not her. And it drove her nuts. Instead of feeling joyous and fulfilled she felt empty and barren. And what was worse she started alienating herself from the other family members. She lashed out at Simon the most because he had closest to her and then completely abandoned her to concentrate on his love life. So she spied on him and blackmailed him from time to time. At first it felt good, but with the alienating and her own sense of conscience it ate away at her, made her feel evil and soon she started to hate herself.
Her friends started no longer being her friends because being a Camden meant being morally self righteous. And that simply drove them away. Now she was lonely at school. Even Sarah no longer talked to her. It hurt her greatly not to have any friends.
After checking the books that she wanted out she decided on her next move. She wondered where Ben was. Then she shook off the thought. Why was she always wanting to hang out with him? And what was this need to get him hooked with somebody.
Ruthie left the library and headed straight for home. As she walked down the streets of Glen Oak she never realized how nice it was just to go from one place to another, by oneself, without having to be driven back and forth. It seemed petty and unimportant but it was something she did, for herself, without any adults around to protect her and smother her. As she got home she was feeling great. That is until she saw Lucy in the kitchen when she entered through the back door.
"Where were you?", Lucy said.
"Out. And I left a note okay?"
Lucy gave Ruthie one of those annoying hag faced looks, "What is wrong with you?"
Ruthie turned on Lucy and said, "Listen I have a right to grow up. And from now on I decide what is good for me to read."
"You are a child.."
"I AM A PERSON! Not a slave! Not a robot! A human being!"
Lucy looked at her sister for a moment and tried one of those serious threatening looks. It didn't work. Ruthie simply got angrier.
"I give up. Do whatever you want. You know I have tried and tried to teach you morals and values but apparently you won't listen. So as if today I hereby renounce all my responsibilities to you. You are free to do whatever you wish."
And with that she left and instead of feeling sad Ruthie was very happy.
++++++++++
Simon walked over to Ruthie before dinner and said, "We need to talk."
"About what?"
"You, and thank you for not rattling on me last night. I really appreciated it."
Dinner was the usual and as usual it was all Lucy. Lucy and Kevin. Eric and Annie were at a dinner party and left Lucy and Kevin in charge. Ruthie noticed Simon was eating silently rather than talking about Cecillia. But he barely got the chance. Fed up with all the Lucy talk Ruthie decided to butt in for once.
"So Simon how are you and Cecillia doing?", Ruthie asked and Lucy glared at Ruthie.
"We're doing fine. And how are you and Peter doing?", Simon said realizing that Ruthie might be trying to start a conversation to get Lucy to shut up for once. All those years of snooping and he knew when Ruthie was being conversational rather than snoopy. And for the past few days Ruthie was more conversational. He made a mental note to talk to her about her behaviour of late. Something had changed, something that was turning a hated sister into a loving friend, a real friend.
"I'm breaking up with Peter.", Ruthie said shaking her head.
"Excuse me but me and Kevin were talking.."
Ruthie gave Lucy an annoyed look, "Is there some reason why me and Simon can't have a conversation ourselves?"
"We were talking."
"And so are we?", Simon said.
"We are older than you.."
"So what?", Ruthie snapped, "We cannot speak unless you want us too?!"
"Come on Ruthie I'll get you some pizza. Obviously were not welcome in this table anymore."
"Hey where are you guys going?", Kevin asked.
"Out. Someplace we can enjoy dinner for ourselves."
"Simon, Ruthie sit down and eat here. This is your last warning."
"Or what? Are you going to arrest us? I think not. Come on Simon. Let's try something different. What about Wong's? It's a good buffet place. We can split it half half."
"Why not?", Simon grinned, "Might be a tad hot for you."
"I live for danger!", Ruthie said with an evil grin.
"Ruthie...", Kevin said in his serious voice.
But Simon and Ruthie simply him.
"We are simply going out so that we won't be a pest to you too. You got some problem with that? I don't recall mom and dad saying that you had to babysit us. We will be back by...ten.", Ruthie said in one of her wise voices. But Simon noticed that it wasn't the same. There was a sort of gentle more subtle quality to it.
"Kevin nevermind! Let them go! If they want to waste their money by all means. But allowance isn't till next week."
But the two had left already.
