Red - Chapter 1

Dear Diary,

This book was a gift from my mother before she left to Amsterdam. She never exactly told us when she would come back. She just simply said, "Listen to Miriam while I'm Gone. She Is in charge here now." And left us in our small cottage. All I could remember clearly, was how my mother looked on that day. Her freckled face filled with misery, and contempt. I was always the one in the family that looked exactly like my mother. Curly red hair, small hands, and a tall thin body image. Strangers would often stop my mother on the street, and say, "You look like a model" or " Have you tried modeling?" It made me feel proud to be her daughter when they would say that to her.

My brothers and sisters on the other hand looked like Papa. They all had short fuzzy brown curls for hair, and small noses which made there brown eyes pop out. Yes, they definitely resembled Papa. I had my mother's olive green eyes. The other children in school would call me a monster and the hatred gazes from the other girls made me feel uncomfortable. So for months, I kept to myself. Until one day, a boy by name of Jerzy had introduced his self to me. That point on I wasn't alone anymore.

Oh, excuse me, how rude of me to not introduce myself. My name is Red, silly isn't it. Only boys are named after colors in the town of Pookerville. Pookerville is a large town filled with British, Polish, and a few Americans. The Polish had smelled of rotten eggs and spoiled milk from a hard day's of work on the field. At least that's what Miriam had told me. When I was a young girl, my family had moved here because my mother felt safe, and she was pregnant with Joseph, my older brother. After he had been born, then came me, then the twins, and Baby Catharina 3 years later. Miriam had been a mother to us all when my mother had left. Miriam is very young. My mother had taken her in when she heard about Miriam's situation.

Miriam had been kicked out her father's house, when he married a new woman from Greece. Who was described as a harsh big woman. My mother just couldn't turn the other cheek, so she took Miriam in as our babysitter. Which is pretty funny, Miriam is more like a mother to me than a babysitter. Miriam is very good with children, she can control the twins and Baby Catherina. Joseph and I love her too, even though she threatens to whip our behinds if we do not go to school.

Joseph is in the higher grades with the other bigger kids in school. Sometimes I see him eying Stephanie from behind. It makes my heart flutter when I see his face turn as red as a tomato when she talks to him. Stephanie is friendly with everyone, even me. Sometimes she places her mothers better sweets on my chair. I could understand how Joseph can love her. She is kind, sweet, and smart. Her dark brown hair is always tied in a tight ponytail. Miriam makes fun of his face when she mentions Stephanie. Joseph and I go to the same school. Instead of ignoring me, he protects me and greets me everyday. The other boys in my classroom do not pick on me, because they are afraid of Joseph.

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Dear Diary,

Today I had bought a ribbon and when I went to visit Old Man Gerry. Old Man Gerry had been in wars, and battles, so he was a very aggressive man. He was very energetic for his age.

"A ribbon? Do you need a ribbon for your pretty hair, little lady?" He asked, cracking a smile.

I had to explain to him that he was not a young man anymore, and he told me how he was a "ladies man" when he was younger.
"I need a Ribbon for my book," I had asked him. "How much?"
He had cut down the price for me since I listened to his old past stories, all the time. Even though Old Man Gerry's wife had died in a car accident, he always wore a smile on face. I walked out of the store with a purple ribbon in my hand.

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Dear Diary,

Backed Bread. Twelve loaves of bread laid cooling down on the table. Miriam says that it is for Mr. Swazakolic who is my teacher in school. I think that Miriam has feelings for Mr. Swazakolic. I saw them sneaking peeks of each other last time it was a counsel meeting. Bianca says they look like a shy married couple. She has asked them that question once.

"Mr. Swazakolic, why don't you ask Miriam to the local barn party?" Bianca questioned, without any kind of thought. That's what I loved about her. Bianca was fierceless when it came to doing embarrassing things.

"Ugh, Bianca you should be finishing the class work." A blushing red young man stuttered.
So did Miriam as well, that was when she grabbed me and pulled me home. Her sweaty palms felt clammy. Mr. Swazakolic never did ask Miriam to the barn party. The following day Miriam spoke of him in jolly joy.