The Story of Nobody and Somebody

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Once upon a time, there was a little girl called Nobody. When Nobody was just seven years old, her father died. Her father had always made her feel loved. Her mother never did. Nobody cried herself to sleep each night. Her world was turned upside down. Things only got worse from that point.

Nobody's mother packed up all her kids and started moving from place to place. Every time she wanted to change boyfriends, she would pack up and move again. It was very hard on Nobody and her siblings. Her mother was too busy following men to take proper care of her kids. Therefore, they were never bought decent clothes or the things they needed for school. Still they did their best to look nice. Starting a new school is hard. It is even harder when you are an easy target for those who like to make fun. Her mother usually moved away from, then back to, the very same places. Nobody might start and leave the same school several times in one school year. The teachers felt bad for her. The other kids made fun of her.

When nobody was in the 4th grade, her mother re-married and made a return trip to a very small community. The elementary school there was extremely small. Nobody dreaded returning back to this school. When she had first went there in 2nd grade, she had been in a class that contained only seven children. Seven! Three of those students were girls. Girls that had been the best of friends since Kindergarten. Frick, Frack, and Follower. Frick and Frack lived a privileged life and took great fun in tormenting Nobody. They especially loved to stand close behind her in line and have giggling conversations about how ugly Nobody's clothes and shoes were, saying how she must have found them in the trash. Follower never participated in the taunting. But, whenever she took that extra step and tried to befriend Nobody, Frick and Frack would shun her. Nobody appreciated the effort and understood that Follower wasn't strong enough to take a stand against the other two girls. Nobody just buried herself in her studies and made straight A's. This made them hate her even more. Every time she had to return to that school, she wanted to die.

Nobody's stepfather was an abusive alcoholic. He viewed Nobody and her siblings as free labor that he could control with a belt. A bonus that came along with his new wife. Home life for Nobody and the other two kids see-sawed from strict military discipline, when the stepfather was sober, to running out to hide in the cold night, dodging bullets the whole way, when he was in a drunken rage. He was good to their mother, so she did nothing to protect them. Home was hell. School was hell. Life was hell.

But, God decided to smile down on Nobody. When she returned to that little school this time, there was a surprise in store. Within days of her return to school, a new kid arrived. New to everyone else that is. His name was Somebody. He was a handsome young boy, with beautiful eyes and fashionable clothes. He would fit in perfectly with "the others". The teacher called the class to attention and introduced Somebody. The students said "hello" in unison. Frick and Frack were already giggling and poking at each other. Obviously, they thought this boy was cute. Nobody recognized him from one of the other schools that she had attended, but remained silent. When one is a target for mockery, they know the smart thing is to call no attention to themselves. That's when it happened... Somebody raised his hand and, once the teacher called upon him, he announced with a smile, "I already know Nobody."

Nobody couldn't believe it! He remembered her. Not only that, he was willing to admit that he knew her, right in front of the cool kids. Having always been certain that, once she walked out of a room, she was completely forgotten, Nobody was in a state of total bliss! A nervous, confused, kind of bliss, but bliss just the same. She flashed a shy smile at Somebody. When she saw the jealous glare sweep across Frick's face, she stood a little bit taller.

  Soon, Somebody and Nobody were a "couple". Well, "couple" in a 4th grade kind of way. Nobody was given hope and something to look forward to each school day. Somebody waited for her to arrive in the mornings, sat with her at lunch, hung out with her at recess. She wasn't so worried about the bullies anymore. It's amazing how less tempting it is to bully someone, when they are no longer alone and vulnerable. Eventually, Nobody moved away again. But Somebody had changed her path forever. Later, when Nobody came back to this school in 6th grade, Somebody was no longer there. Frick and Frack no longer tormented her. Not that they were any nicer. They just realized that, even though Nobody didn't have a lot of wealth, her looks and personality meant she was real competition for them.

  Years later, thirty of them, Nobody decided to look for Somebody on Twitter. On a whim, she typed his name into search. She found him and clicked to follow his Tweets. He never followed her back or messaged her. This went on for a few months. Yesterday, Nobody realized that her Twitter ID gave no clue who she was and of course her face was different after thirty years. She tweeted her info to Somebody. Then she decided that was weird, tried to delete the tweet, but couldn't figure out how. So, she just unfollowed Somebody. A few minutes later, she changed her mind again and went back to Somebody's Twitter page and chose to follow him again. LOL There! At least, if he ever realized who she was, he could find her. A while later, Nobody received an email alert that Somebody was now following her on Twitter! Better yet, she checked her tweets and actually had one from him! Finally, after thirty years, Nobody got to say "thanks" to Somebody, for making her feel like Someone, all those years ago.



 

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