Ben Taylor's Story [Chapter 1]

My name is Ben Taylor. To put it to simple terms: I hate my life and everyone in it. But, it can be confusing, so all I can do is start from the beginning…1

“What’s the matter with you?” 2

“Mom, it’s not my fault, but I’m just saying…”3

“I know what you’re saying,” my mother interrupted. Another fight between us.4

“No you don’t!” My nerves got the best of me again. “You have no idea! You think you know, you think you’re there. I don’t need you or any of the *bunny* you give me. So maybe you should just leave here and get a life you no-good *bunny*.”5

And…that’s when Mommy kicked me out.6

She thought I’d be back. Just because I can’t drive, she thought I’d be back that night, begging for dinner. She thought she’d get the chance to really teach me a lesson, really get back at me. But she still had no idea. She had no idea that I wouldn’t be returning home that night – or the next, or…forever.7

I kind of started out just walking. I didn’t really know where I was walking; I was just walking. Then I decided to drop in and say hi to my friend Corey James. His father owned the music store in town and I was welcome all the time.8

The second the bell on the door rang and the cashier saw my black skater-type hair he smiled and called, “Hey, what’s up, Ben?”9

I didn’t return the smile. “Nothing much, Connor,” I said, “Actually, nothing at all.”10

He looked surprised. Usually I had something to say. “Corey’s upstairs.”11

Corey and his parents lived on the upper floor of the music store. Ever since I met Corey when we were eleven years old I thought that was just the absolute coolest thing. You could go downstairs and play the instruments whenever you wanted; you could talk to the customers and tell them about things they are looking to buy; you could even work the cash register once in a while. But of course, I didn’t get to live there; I had to live with my family, the worst one for me to be born into. We’re different in every way. The only one I’ll miss is my little sister, Janie, because she really looked up to me, wanted to be just like me one day. And, in a way, I wanted to be just like her. We learned things from each other; not just things like her learning how volcanoes work and times tables from me and me learning about the shapes and colors and adding “big numbers” from her, but life lessons. She reminded me about what it was like to be seven, and be in first grade, and I introduced her to the big world of being a fifteen year old freshman in high school.12

Janie and I were like two peas in a pod, birds of a feather. Corey loves her, too, and all of my other friends, because she’s that great. And it’s just the cutest when she’s all proud and walks up to us and asks, “What’s twelve times seven?” and most of us just don’t remember, and she proudly says the answer, eyes gleaming, fists clenched, showing us how big she really is and how much she can be like the big, scary freshman. 13

I started feeling sad thinking about Janie, but I knew I would sneak back home when no one was around and leave a note in her room, telling her I’d always be thinking of her. But I would have to find a way to keep in touch with her. I wasn’t leaving her forever. Only my parents.14

“What’s up, Ben?” Corey said, coming down the stairs. I smiled weakly. He noticed. “Trouble with the family?” he asked. I nodded.15

“I got kicked out,” I said. Corey looked shocked.16

“What’d you do?” he asked, obviously interested in hearing how much of a terror I was at home. I didn’t know how to explain.17

“Well,” I said, “The normal fighting between me and my mom…y’know…”18

“Yeah.”19

“Okay, well then my nerves got the best of me…y’know…”20

“Oh yeah.”21

“And then I called her a few names and said a few swears. And she kicked me out.”22

“What’d you call her?”23

“I said I don’t need any of the *bunny* she gives me…and she’s a *bunny*…”24

“Oh my God.”25

“I know. But she thinks I’ll be back tonight. She thinks I’m gonna be at her doorstep begging to be let back inside, to be fed, to have a warm place to sleep. I’m not going back. Not ever. And there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”26

“Do you wanna stay here?” Corey asked. I looked out the window, gazed at the city below. I thought about what I’d do, how my life would change, if I stayed with Corey. That wasn’t especially what I was looking for in running away. I was hoping to come back (or return to certain ones) as a changed person, a man. And that wouldn’t happen by being catered on by Corey’s parents.27

“Nah,” I answered, finally. “I’m gonna stick to the streets.”28

“You’re gonna get yourself killed.”29

“Corey, stay with me on this. Trust me, man. I can do it.” He sighed, but he nodded, and he said, “So where are you headed?”30

“I dunno,” I told him. “I guess I’ll just wander tonight, find a place to sleep; maybe a tree in the park. I always wondered if those fairytales where people slept in holes in trees could really happen. Now, tonight, I guess I’ll find out for sure.”31

Corey smiled, and then laughed a little. I could tell he was worried about me, Ben, his best friend for life, always together, graduate kindergarten together, and graduate high school together. Until the end, it was us, together. 32

Until the end. 33

Corey awoke me from my daydreams. “Ben,” he said, “At least let me give you a little money. Do you have any?”34

I shoved my hands into my pockets and dug around for any spare dollars or change. I came out with nothing, shook my head, and stared at my Vans. Corey patted my shoulder. “Come on into the house,” he said, “I’ll get you some money. Y’know what you can do when you’re – on the road – is maybe look for a job. Get some more.”35

“I can pay you back,” I said, “When I get the money to do it.” 36

Corey shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.” He gave me seventy dollars; I put it right back in his hand. “That’s way too much,” I said. 37

“Ben,” he told me, looking right into my eyes. “You need it. Life on the road; it isn’t all fun and games. You pay for yourself. You’re mother doesn’t make your meals anymore. And are you just gonna wear those clothes all the time, smelling like crap?” I had to laugh at that sentence. Corey could make the most serious of matters humorous.38

“No,” I said, between laughs. “I guess I should wash them.”39

Corey smiled at me, and closed my hand around the cash. “Good,” he said. “You need anything, you better be coming back here.”40

I didn’t say okay to that. This was my time to shine; to show everyone I didn’t need everyone all around all the time. I didn’t want to deal with the every day bull *bunny* that I usually had to deal with. I wanted to start a new life, a new time, a new Ben.41

And I walked out of Corey’s house, and out the front door of the shop. I stepped onto the paved streets and watched the cars zooming by. It was dark. I was in Corey’s for longer than I had thought. My mother might be getting worried. I pushed her and my father out of my mind, and started walking.42

I had reached the other side of town when I found a clock. It was eleven p.m. 43

In the distance, I thought I heard sirens.44

I shrugged off the thought and kept on walking.45