Todd's Story

1894

Todd had been living on the streets of Boston without enough to eat for some time now. He was trying to get by, stealing food whenever he could and begging on the streets for just enough money to get him his next meal. It was a terrible life, but it was his. To Todd, it was far better than his previous existence. Todd Manning was an unwanted child...

It all started in January of 1893 just after Todd and his twin brother Victor had celebrated their eighth birthday. Their mother was penniless, so it wasn't much of a celebration. Todd was the illegitimate son of Victor Lord and Irene Manning. Irene had three children, Tina (age eleven) and the twins, Todd and Victor Junior who had just turned eight. Victor had stopped supporting Irene when she gave birth to the twins. Since that time, Irene had been struggling to make ends meet. She did odd jobs when she could, sewing and crafting, but sometimes there just wasn't enough food to go around.

Irene had a brother Peter who lived in Llanview, Pennsylvania. Peter and his wife Barbara had been trying to have a baby for many years. Sadly, Barbara had been unable to have a child. Irene decided she had a solution to her brother's troubles. She would send Todd, the firstborn of the twins to live with her brother. She would keep Tina and her favorite child, Victor with her. With one less mouth to feed, Irene thought that she and the rest of the children might be able to make it.

Todd remembered the day when his mother told him the news...

"There's something I have to tell you, Todd, and it doesn't come easy to say," Irene spoke. She took a seat at the wooden table next to her son.

The past three days there had been very little to eat. All of her children were thin and pale. She especially worried about Victor, the youngest of the twins. He'd always been the fragile one. He was her "special boy," the one she'd never be able to live without. She had always been especially tough on Todd. He was the more robust and rebellious of the two. He was the one that always seemed to get himself into trouble. She knew Todd would be fine, if she sent him away. Tina and Victor would crumble.

Todd looked up into his mother's eyes. They were as blue as the sea. He wished he'd ever seen love in those eyes, but at best all he had seen was indifference. His mother didn't love him. He was completely unloved.

"We don't have any food to eat," said Todd, stating the obvious.

For weeks, they had been living on scraps of bread and a meager stew. Todd was hungry. Victor seemed the hungriest of all. He lay on the cot in his mother's bedroom, crying out for nourishment. Whenever there was food, Irene always fed Victor first. Todd always ate last, because he was the strongest.

"You're right, Son. We don't have any food to eat... and because we are hungry, I must make terrible choices," Irene stated.

Todd's eyes grew wide. He knew this was serious. His mother was about to do something awful. He could just feel it. It expanded inside him deeper than any hunger he had ever known.

"Todd, I have told you about my brother Peter. He lives in Llanview, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Barbara have been trying for a child... for many years now. She's not able to have any children," Irene explained. "My brother Peter always wanted a son."

"Are you going to send them Victor?" Todd asked hopefully.

For once, he wanted to the favorite son. He wanted Irene to look at him with love, just like she did his twin. He wanted to be pampered and adored. He didn't want to be the child who was forgotten.

"No, Todd. You are going. I have just enough money to send you on the train..."

"What?!" Todd gasped. "Where- where did you get the money?!"

"It doesn't matter," she said softly. She didn't want to have to tell her son that she had to sell her body to make enough to pay for the ticket. There had been enough left over to purchase groceries for a week after she bought the ticket as well as few coins to send with Todd on his travels.

"I can't go, Mother," said Todd. "It's too far away! I don't even know Aunt Barbara or Uncle Peter... and I might- I might never see you again."

Hot tears stung at Todd's eyes but he didn't shed them - he REFUSED to shed them. He didn't want his mother to see his tears if she didn't want him. She only wanted Victor... and Tina. He was nothing! He was just Todd.

"I'm sorry, Todd... but I have no other choice," she insisted. "You have to go. You must get on that train... and you must leave us. It's the only way."

Todd sat there, not saying a word as his mother got up from the table. She put together a bag which contained his best clothes and a small leather satchel which held the leftover coins. "There's enough in here to get you some food for your journey," she said as he handed the luggage and change purse to Todd. "Do you want me to go with you to the train station?"

Todd shook his head as she handed him the ticket, stamped with the date and time of his departure. He was going to Llanview? Why was his mother abandoning him?!

He swallowed the lump in his throat when Tina and Victor came in the kitchen to say goodbye. Tina was tearful, but all Victor cared about was getting something to eat. "Mama will make you some nice, nourishing soup, Sweetie," Irene said to Victor, her "special" boy. She ruffled his hair and kissed his little cheek and once again, Todd was forgotten. His mother didn't even seem sad to see him go.

"I hate you," Todd said under his breath as he walked out that door. Uncle Peter's place must be MUCH better than this one. He would go there... and he would make a life... without his mother and without Victor. Only Tina would miss him.

Todd Manning was unwanted.