Hello again. I decided to do one more chapter for Tyler- one written normally to give more back story and such. I also know that I got one thing wrong in the poem- Tyler would not decide that number by himself but ask Sally for it. And I'll change that to the right one as soon as I get my laptop back. I'm writing on another computer right now. And have to use a keyboard I'm not very used to. So if I spell some things wrong that might be because of that okay? Okay, let's go then
Some conversation from the poem have been changed.
Tyler Lewis
On one very cold January morning, seven year old Tyler Lewis woke up. And already before he had gotten the blanket off he felt it was so cold in the living room couch where he laid. Instead of making an attempt to get up he just wrapped his blanket tighter around him and refused to move- not that anyone would make him though.
Well, that was a nobody that wasn't his tummy. And not two minutes after he woke up he felt it rumble and he could feel he was really, really hungry.
But not even the thought about food or how cold it was when he sat up could keep his mind off wishing and wishing and wishing that his mum- Sally Lewis would remember what day it was today. While the state of Sally the last couple of weeks taught Tyler that there was probably no way that she'd know. And neither did Tyler know why the apartment he and Sally lived in had suddenly gone so cold- dark too. But as not many lamps had been tried to be turned on- he didn't notice.
Tyler wrapped the blanket tightly around him and crouched there on the sofa. He could remember this happening before. He just couldn't understand. Tyler didn't know about electricity bills. He was too little to barely understand what electricity was. And he was too little to know that there was things that needed to be given money for if the heat and the lights were going to stay turned on. He didn't even know that they hadn't been paid.
But what Tyler did know was that his mum had been so sad lately. He knew that he could barely even make her say anything. And maybe, if he had been a bit older. He would have understood what was wrong with her. Maybe then he would have bigger wonders than how much he wished that Sally would remember what day it was today.
Not just today but every day Tyler would ask his mum for a number in between one and ten. And the answer would always be depending on how good Sally felt those days. Tyler didn't like the low numbers- then she would only reply to his question. Not doing anything else, except for like going to the bathroom for God knows how long. She would just lay there on her bed in her room without the lights turned on. And only eat a few days of the yoghurt that Tyler went in to feed her as often as he could.
And honestly, that had been so every day these past couple of weeks- which felt like the last couple of years to young Tyler. And when he had asked the number had mostly been one, then two for two days- then one again and his mum had gone back to almost seeming apathetic.
Tyler sniveled where he sat and fought away the tears. He didn't want to cry, it wouldn't help anyway. He knew that. Because lately he had tried exactly everything. He had screamed and cried, played his toy drum and prank stuff. Soaked Sally with buckets of cold water, and a bucket with as warm water as he dared without burning her. But nothing had helped and Sally had still only been lying there.
The little boy with the big heart that still sat on the sofa just couldn't understand what it was he had done wrong. Or maybe he did know- because everything Tyler thought was that maybe someone- or something, was punishing him for not being good enough. Not doing chores fast or good enough, not succeed enough at school. Maybe they knew that sometimes when his mum wouldn't get out of bed or anything. Tyler kind of wished he had another mum- like the ones he could see out on town with their children.
Because sometimes when his mum wouldn't get up. Tyler knew he did need food and he'd go out downtown just by their flat to get to the supermarket. He didn't in any way enjoy stealing food, but sometimes it just seemed like the only option and he would be so hungry. Then, to get his mind off what he was supposed to do. And maybe to punish himself maybe just a little, he would sit on a bench by the street and watch other kids with their mums.
They would all seem so happy to Tyler. Or at least they would all seem like they should be happy. Because certainly not all of them really were happy. And Tyler thought he had seen it all. Some kids were being carried by their mummies kicking and screaming for candy, junk food or a new toy. Some kids were screaming because of nothing. Some mummies just seemed stressed, some shouted. And if there was a panhandler anywhere there would be loads and loads of people who seemed angry.
Tyler just didn't get why they couldn't all be happy. They did have their mummies, or daddies, or children and friends. Tyler didn't have anything or anyone. He didn't even have money to pay with so he had to steal the things he needed. And those days he barely even had his mum.
At just seven years old. Tyler was old enough to recognize his own self- pitying. And he did know that it wouldn't help. Then with another shiver as he threw the blanket off himself, and his stomach grumbling he got up from the sofa. Before going into the kitchen and crawling up onto the kitchen counter so that he'd be able to see what he could find to eat in the cupboards.
Tyler didn't get very far, only a few seconds later while he was trying to get out some crackers. He could hear the sound of his mum getting out of bed and heard her moving around for a long while. Before her bedroom door opened and after hearing her footsteps for what felt like forever Sally soon came into his sight from the hallway. While Tyler just stood there on the counter with a smile growing bigger by the second at the thought that Sally had finally gotten up and actually had put her hair up and was dressed in a dress and not just pyjamas.
"Hello darling." Tyler crawled onto a chair he had used to get up on the counter and Sally reached up and kissed his cheek and then hugged him tightly. "Don't you think we should go out today?" She was speaking clearly and happily, almost too fast. But she was happy- and then so was Tyler, even more so when she had let him go from that rib- crushing hug. "I know I've been sad a lot lately. But I'm happy now so let's forget about it and celebrate." Tyler was just nodding with a smile bigger than ever, and crawled down from the chair he had been standing on and took his mum's hand. Then, while they were walking towards the door to get out. Without him asking, Sally looked down on Tyler and told him a number that made him so happy.
"Ten."
And Tyler was so happy, oh he was happier than he could remember ever being before. Just like he got even happier when he knew Sally knew his favorite food was at McDonald's. And so even happier when they were there and Sally let him eat as much as he liked. Of food that other people had ordered of course. And maybe the source to his happiness was that something within him knew that it was about to change- that this would be the last day he got like this. And so just made sure Tyler made the most of it as he could and enjoyed himself. He really didn't think he could be any happier.
Well, maybe one thing- and when they were in the toy store Tyler grabbed some prank stuff from a shelf and looked closer at them. He thought that Sally had been at the other side of the store, but she had followed him and seeing Tyler with those things she just wished so dearly she could have paid and given it to him.
"Tyler, dear." Sally kneeled by her son and whispered to him. "I know you want these things. And I know you don't like what I want you to do. But I know you know how to do it so here… give the things to me." Tyler hesitated. He really didn't like doing this, but for granting his mum's wishes. He handed her the box and first slowly moved closer to the door while Sally hid the box inside her shirt.
"No Tyler wait."
Sally was only pretending, so it would seem more real as if Tyler had ran outside against her wishes. And then he ran, and Sally would act like she just had to follow and they would get the stuff. But as the door opened for Sally right behind Tyler. He could hear a shout from a clerk inside.
"Hubert!"
"Who on earth would name a kid Hubert?"
The thought about the name had only crossed Tyler's mind before he could see a police man that had he had just seen in the store as well but forgotten- grab his mum, and then showed Tyler to come closer. Tyler didn't dare to disobey, and so Hubert led them back into the store. And there- in the staff room they sat. And it turned out Sally had been trying to steal more things. Expensive things…
Tyler sniveled as a new police man that had arrived opened his car door to first Sally and then for Tyler. He had read about the police in school and wanted to ride in a police car for as long as he could remember. But now when he would get to do it it didn't seem so cool anymore. Actually not cool at all. And already before the car started moving he just wanted to be over and done, and be back in the apartment with his mum. She could even have been sad right now, if it meant to him that they would get away from this.
Tyler was relieved when he was finally able to come out of the police car. Not so much though when the police men led himself and his mum into a building and the waiting room they came into only seemed more big and scary than anything he had ever experienced- even more so when the police walked away with his mum and left a woman he'd never known sit next to Tyler in the otherwise empty room.
"Hello." A new person suddenly came into the room and the woman walked away. Tyler would have been relieved she had- but when the new one came over to him it only made him feel worse as sje kneeled by him. "Hello honey. My name is Charlotte, can you tell me yours?"
"I don't want you here." Tyler fizzled without answering her question. "I want my mum."
"I…"
Charlotte tried her best to come up with something to say- but her tries were unsuccessful. She had been a social worker for ten years- but this part certainly didn't get any easier. And she felt terrible for what she would be doing for Tyler when he glared at her with tears shining in his eyes. Even more so for how she noticed him trying to force them away. And even more so because she knew she couldn't do anything to stop this.
"Honey." Charlotte tried carefully. "You don't have to take care of your mum. You've done so, very well earlier. But she needs a doctor. And while she is there… You will have to come with us and go somewhere else. But don't worry. We're going to make sure that you end up in a really nice place. Although, while you go there the doctor will help your mum to get better. And then maybe you can live together again some time later." Tyler didn't answer, he kept his arms crossed over his chest and pouted just as much. Even though his anger was starting to lose that angry glare.
"I don't know… Have you heard about God Tyler?" Charlotte still didn't get a reply. But continued. "Well, I have- and I believe in God. And I do believe that even though everything feels terrible right now and hurts so bad- he has still got a plan for how this is going to go. And he will make sure it goes its very best way. But right now we're only here and now… so do you want to start with telling me more about your mum- and I'll try and help her…"
Now barely glaring at the police woman in front of him Tyler was trying to understand what he was supposed to do now. And while looking into her eyes, his own brown meeting hers. He thought that maybe- just maybe. If he told them that his mum was okay to live with- he could go back.
"I love mum loads and loads." He started. "I take care of her. She needs me…"
As Tyler had started talking, he couldn't really stop. But despite him trying to make it sound only like he loved his mum. Charlotte could hear the unspoken words behind it. The ones she knew better than Tyler maybe- she was an adult and knew about Sally, maybe even things Tyler knew. But in fact, should have been too young to know.
Listening to Tyler, Charlotte's heart kept on breaking. Even though her own bad conscience started talking when realizing that against all odds- Tyler loved his mum, and didn't want to be moved away from her.
And after all, maybe it was for the best that Tyler never really knew that against all odds Sally had remembered this special day. Maybe if he had known, he would have known Sally wanted to give him something for that. And maybe that would have made him blame himself even more than what he already was. Because even though that thought made him feel sadder and more alone than ever…
Maybe it was for Tyler's best that he still thought Sally had forgotten his birthday
Random fact
That thing with how Sally tried to steal stuff for Tyler. That Tyler would run outside so Sally would run after him. Well- I've never tried it haha. I saw a scene like that in a movie called Fia og Klovnene (Norwegian- Fia and the clowns) like a million years ago.
