I learned the art of giving, and giving a damn from Barbara White.
To say that my childhood was unhappy is an understatement. As a kid I felt all adults were in collusion. No one stood up to my mom or addressed her bahaviour so I figured they must all be on her side. I would come to learn that the adults in my world at that time were as helpless as I was…
Enter Barbara White, Mrs White to me, a bus driver who picked me up and dropped me off nearly every day of 5th and 6th grade. I entered grade school early because I made the cut off.. so I was 8 and 9 around the time I knew Barbara White. She had gray hair, a gravely voice (smoker), a huge presence, and a smile that forced everyone to smile with her…that I never fully understood until now. To me she was ancient. Looking back I’m guessing she was in her late forties, early fifties, which clearly isn’t ancient since I’m about to be 50. 😉 I was put into special ed because of my diminished vision and I rode the special bus to a school in an affluent area that was not in my zip-code. I grew up lower to middle class and on top of being abused with special needs I now had to learn about class distinction in elementary school. All the kids were well dressed in the latest fashion trends and perfectly coiffed, while I showed up most days in my polyester paisley print pants from Kmart. I had a different color for each day of the week, and they were so sporty with their elastic waste-bands and roomy fit. It’s not hard to understand now why Mrs White took pity on me then.
But at the time I didn’t understand her interest in me. She questioned me incessantly about the stupidest stuff in my opinion. I now know that she was just trying to make conversation, and get to know me. When you have something to hide you don’t want to talk, and every conversation with an adult is stressful because if you say the wrong thing and it gets back to your abuser it won’t be long before the hurricane hits you smack in the face. As bad as things were I was constantly reminded that they could be worse, and I believed that so I didn’t rock the boat. Not only would I be unwanted, emotionally and verbally abused, like at home, but in foster care I was likely to be raped and beaten as well, and my mom made sure I knew she could dump me off if she got tired of dealing with me.
Mrs. White was relentless, she may have been bound by the law but she was determined to make a difference in my little life, and make a difference she would, unbeknownst to me. My bus ride was 45 minutes and I always wanted to sleep. It was my safe place. At home I had nightmares, and at school I was always less than adequate. On that 45 minute bus ride I could slumber in the warmth under the watchful hawk-eyes of Mrs White, safe, and wanted.
Sometimes she let me sleep, but most of the time she made me sit up and talk. I don’t remember what we talked about…just that we talked a lot. It was exhausting, but over time what I realized was this lady really cared about me. She asked me all the things a parent should ask a child.. how was your day, what homework do you have, do you like your teachers, what did you learn today and so forth and so on. If something happened at school she would instantly know and somehow drag it out of me. I am sure looking back that she gleaned quite a lot about me through her seemingly innocent questions, and I will always be grateful. I know things about her too… she was married, she had a daughter that was grown, she loved fresh baked bread in the morning and we often stopped en-route to pick up hot baked goods from a local bakery.
My time with Mrs. White was coming to an end… I was going to graduate. As my ceremony approached among all the usual banter between Mrs. White and myself were questions about graduation. Did I have a dress, would my mom be attending, was I excited? I said I wasn’t excited, my mom wasn’t attending, and I didn’t have a dress. Mrs. White was infuriated. To me, that was all pretty normal. My mom had zero involvement as much a humanly possible. Mrs. White didn’t say much… she just fumed, which I thought was odd, and she made a plan. Time passed… the day of graduation came…Mrs White had more than her usual excitement when she picked me up. When we arrived at school and I went to exit the bus she stopped me… she said I have something for you. She pulled out this full length baby blue formal dress and held it up to me checking the fit. She said “I made this for you, for your special day”. Hurry..go and put it on and come back and show me. So I did. It was beautiful. Mrs. White was my first fairy godmother. The pride and happiness in her face at my appearance in the dress was something I hadn’t experienced before. It was wonderful and perplexing at the same time and it took me some time to process. I had a happy graduation, I felt pretty and somewhat normal. My last day of school was bittersweet and was the last time I would ever see Mrs. White. I think of her often now, that I have raised my own children. I think of what the gift of her time and a handmade dress has meant to me and taught me. I wore that dress till I absolutely couldn’t fit into it anymore. I met my best friend a few years later in that dress at a dance. I think about how special Barbara White was and how we need more people in the world like her. But most importantly, I pay it forward, and whenever I can.. I choose to make a difference.
a Heart on the matter 
That’s a beautiful story. Worthy of a book.
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Thank you sweet Sara. 🙂
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Love love love this story! There really are angels on earth. 🙂
You never saw her again after graduation?
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No sweet TJ I was bused to a different school in a different city after that. I have thought of trying to find her…but I don’t even know if she is still living. Thanks for reading.. this was a hard one to write. xo
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Ah 😦 I can only imagine how difficult this one was. You honored her with your writing though. I’m just so glad she came into your life. You have those memories. Big hugs, Sweet Dani xox
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I am blown away by this. I am sorry you had such a horrific childhood-no one should have to grow up in that environment. So glad Mrs. White had such an impact.
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Me too. I will always be grateful. I have always considered myself one of the lucky ones because despite how bad it was I know how much worse it could have been. 🙂 Thank you so much for reading and commenting. 🙂
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I was 65 when I officially declared myself “over” having been an abused child. But really, it’s never entirely over. We should all talk about it more, especially with kids. So all the abused kids in the world will stop feeling as if they are the only ones.
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That’s so true. Thank you for stopping by and reading. I’m sorry that the healing was so long in coming for you. I like to believe that my experience makes me a unique candidate to help others. 🙂
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As TJ said, there are certainly angels walking among us. Bless Mrs. White, wherever she is now. She was trying to make a difference in your life, and she obviously did.
There needs to be more of her in this world.
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There definitely does sweet Jen. I have tried to be that person when the opportunity has presented itself. 🙂
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Oh dear…. this made me tear up a little. What a wonderful wonderful woman. We all need to follow those impulses we get to reach out and do good in other people’s lives because you never know how much of an impact it could make. I feel like I sometimes second guess my impulses of good will or worry that it will be too awkward or boundary-crossing to do something for someone but this story is a testament to the opposite. Thank you so much for writing it!
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Thank you so much Aussa… it was a hard post to write, but I do think we need to do good where and when we can, and we need to give credit where credit is due. I will always be grateful for Mrs. White. I am so happy that this inspires you. Thank you so much for visiting and commenting it means a lot. 🙂
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And make a difference you do. What a bitter sweet story. It makes me sad. Your life as I know you as hopefully made up for the past. Great write. Thank you for sharing.
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I do think that my life now is making up for the past sweet Cindy. I am glad I am here and able to appreciate it. 🙂
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Beautiful, Dani. I’m so glad to have this story on my mental bookshelf.
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Thank you Jennie what a lovely thing to say. 🙂
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Thank you so much for sharing this deeply touching story. Mrs. White is a hero in my books.
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Thank you for stopping by to read. Mrs. White is a hero, and I think we need to elevate the every day heroes instead of all the crap we hear about in the media. 🙂
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Such a beautiful, deeply moving story! Loved reading this… so glad you had that in your life. So many children don’t.
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Yes I was very lucky in many respects and I am ever grateful. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by.
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Then in Jr High.. I got to get YOU as my best friend!!
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Tiffannie I don’t think anything happens by accident. Us girls have to stick together! You were a great best friend. I have missed you. 🙂
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I’m so glad that your life now is making up for the past. I’m so glad that your fairy godmother found you and knew what to do and how to love you in a way that really taught you what support looks like. This is a very touching story that you have both written amd experienced. Life can be so hard sometimes that to even speak at all is by grace…
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Thank you Ka. I cetainly had no idea at the time how important her time and effort would be to me later. I was fortunate to have a few adults in my young life that impacted me in such a positive way. My life now is making up for the hardships and abuse of the past and every day I try to pay it forward. 🙂 Thank you so much for reading and following…it means a lot.
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Lovely. Such a viscerally haunting and beautiful piece here, friend.
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Thank you so much AR for visiting my blog and commenting. I apologize for the tardy response I was camping for a week with no wifi. LOL It was a different time. I’m glad to be through it and to be able to see it through an adult lens. 🙂
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You are inspiring. Keep on shining my friend.
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Thank you so much. You are too with all your beautiful photography. So refreshing in these troubling times. 🙂
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