The Emergence of Frank: The Second Coming

If you have not read some of the tales from Addressing The Issue of Frank - 

The Origins, History and Life Stories of Frank, from 'Just Call Me Frank: One Womans Endeavour at Being Frank' - this might not make as much sense to you. There are hyper-links provided, as usual, for context. 

The Other Girls' mother moved away on Christmas Day when she was about the age of 12. She remembered her mother, kissing her goodbye on the forehead, while she lay in bed early that morning. Other kids would have probably been more upset, but given the circumstances of her childhood, and the depth of her knowledge, relief was her primary feeling.

The Mother had left because she had reunited with a High School Sweetheart while at a “State Exhibition Conference” one year, where The Other Girl had gone with a “Rural Youth Organization” to show her animals in competition. The Other Girl was privy to the actions of The Mother, who had primarily volunteered to chaperon the group to meet with this man;  The Mother spent the entire week with this man, ignoring TOG, ignoring her responsibilities as a mother and a chaperon. In addition, TOG was told that she would have to keep this a secret from The Father, which she did. She remembers, however, taking a drive with The Father a month or so later, and being questioned about The Rumours he had heard of The Mothers behaviour at this “Confrence”. Till her last day, TOG did not remember if she had told The Father the truth, or, if she held onto that lie to protect The Mother.

With an opportunity to escape the life on the farm, and perhaps escape whatever was in her mind; The Mother moved away to the Big City. Angry Brother was very upset; this is about the time he became Angry – he was about 10 years old. Baby Brother, being very young, about three years of age, was too young to realize anything other than “mommy is gone”.

Left on the farm, The Other Girl raised her brothers. Waking them up for breakfast every two weeks, and putting them to bed the two weeks following; in accordance with the Fathers swing shifts. She cooked for them, she helped with chores, eventually they had to get rid of all the farm animals; they got a nanny for a short period in the summer, but things didn’t work out.

One day The Father came to them and explained that The Children had to be careful going into his room at night. You see, he had been having an affair with the wife of a neighbour for many years. The woman had decided, now that The Father was single, to come clean to her husband, and make amends with him. The Father, fearing for his safety, began sleeping with a bat, and a shotgun, next to his bed. He was honest with them, but the complete damage of the situation had been done.

Later, The Other Girl would realize that The Fathers response, and solution, to The Mothers evident mental illness – which he was no doubt been privy too - was having an affair. He may not have realized it, it may not have entirely been the reason, but what is a girl to guess with this information?

Shortly after, when The Other Girl was entering the Ninth Grade, The Father would move them from the farm, hundreds of miles away from the only place The Children had known; this was a good thing.

There are many high school stories to share, good and bad; The Other Girl still endured painful behaviour from classmates, who were unkind to this tall, emotionally confused young girl with poor social skills. While she managed to make some friends early on in the New City, which was a relief to her, they ultimately would turn on her over and over through the fours of school. We must interject here, as this is not the place for such stories. This is the place where we share yet another despicable act endured by The Other Girl at the hands of Adults.

The Mother eventually left The High School Boyfriend, after about a year and a half or two, in exchange for a relationship with Unpleasant Woman. Finding out about her mother’s sexuality, in itself, was traumatic for the young TOG, who had been confused about her own sexuality; she spent hours in the hall at school crying; she scratched at her skin with steel nails from her father’s wood shop, trying to overcome her emotional pain, and spent much time in the school counsellors office.

It wasn’t a year into The Mothers relationship with Unpleasant Woman before The Other Girl, now 14, realized that this woman was more than unpleasant. She was an alcoholic, she did drugs, and she treated The Mother poorly.

One day, while they were drinking, Unpleasant Woman offered the naive TOG some alcohol. Being that The Mother did not make rules, she didn’t mind that TOG was drinking with them. After awhile, The Mother, upset, went to lay down; leaving TOG with Unpleasant Woman.

What proceeded is a blur of inappropriate touching to many parts of The Other Girls body, and cries of "no", as TOG struggled to get away from this woman. She immediately ran into the bedroom, were her mother lay, crying. The Other Girl told her what had happened, and The Mothers response was this: “Tell her, she can have you. She doesn’t want me.”

The Other Girl did not know how to properly respond to this. Later, she tried to share with her friends, the story of what had happened; and all but one thought it funny. She never understood why they didn’t take it more seriously, and carried with her the guilt that it somehow had been her own fault. The information was reported by a counsellor, hired by The Father. There was an opportunity to press charges, but The Other Girl, ever dedicated to her abusive mother, decided proceeding with an action such as this would destroy what little relationship she had managed to build with her in recent years. The Other Girl had always, even until her last days with us, been inclined to give too many people a second, and third, chance.

The Other Girl vowed never to set foot in the home of The Mother until Unpleasant Woman was gone; and The Mother would stay with her for many years after the abuse of TOG.

The Mother moved herself, Unpleasant Woman, and Unpleasant Woman’s Young Daughter, back to her home town where she had raised her children to their young ages, before leaving; and after hearing Unpleasant Woman’s own daughter cry “No mommy, don’t touch me. No.” in her sleep, one too many times, The Mother finally found strength to make Unpleasant Woman leave.

Eventually, after high school, The Other Girl would move back to the place where she was raised until the age of 13, and live with The Mother; and attempt to rebuild, yet again, the relationship with her she never really had.

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This is a poem, written about Unpleasant Woman, by 15 year old TOG, and our self; because this was just another time in her life, where she needed us:

SATANS FURY

Evil woman, Devil spawn,

what will you do when I am gone?

Who will you curse and damn to Hell.

whose body are you going to sell?

Whose children now are you going to take,

whose innocent sisters will you rape?

The cross of god within my hand,

forgiving sins of immortal man.

Satan’s fury in your eyes,

stealing my soul with immortal lies.

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For more poetry from this time in our life, please visit our Poerty Archives from 1992-1997