My Escape
The day a simple act of kindness changed my life forever. It was the day I discovered I could escape my life and get lost in the imagination and dreams of others. That day took place in the summer, sometime in the seventies, in my childhood home in northern Virginia. Times were much different then.
Starting with my parents, who were also a little different then, atleast to me. My parents met through working at a drug store in Washington DC. My mom worked behind the soda counter serving a variety of food like grill cheese sandwiches, the daily special, french fries, root beer floats and sundaes. She moved to DC from the hollars of coal country in West Virginia. She brought her heavy southern accent with her. My Dad was from a small farm in southern Virginia. He helped in the massive garden, with the chickens, the cows and the various other chores required on the farm. He lived in DC only during the week. He was an Accountant in the main office for the …show more content…
I devoured it. This book forever changed me because I was not lonely if I had a book to read. I connected with the characters. James was lonely and looking for friends, even if for different reasons, but I could still relate. I lived and dreamed life with James and the awesome cast of characters in the book. I was part of their family or their adventure and anything going on in my "real" life was gone, even if for a short time. The book taught me to dream and escape and go somewhere in my mind that was different than the loneliness of my days in suburbia. Remember, back then, there were no electronics for entertainment, our television had maybe 6 channels and you had to use rabbit ears to get those channels. James and the Giant Peach was the best medicine for a young girl who felt as if she didn't belong and was looking for a friend. Escaping with books became my passion and saved me from myself. I always belonged with the
The day a simple act of kindness changed my life forever. It was the day I discovered I could escape my life and get lost in the imagination and dreams of others. That day took place in the summer, sometime in the seventies, in my childhood home in northern Virginia. Times were much different then.
Starting with my parents, who were also a little different then, atleast to me. My parents met through working at a drug store in Washington DC. My mom worked behind the soda counter serving a variety of food like grill cheese sandwiches, the daily special, french fries, root beer floats and sundaes. She moved to DC from the hollars of coal country in West Virginia. She brought her heavy southern accent with her. My Dad was from a small farm in southern Virginia. He helped in the massive garden, with the chickens, the cows and the various other chores required on the farm. He lived in DC only during the week. He was an Accountant in the main office for the …show more content…
I devoured it. This book forever changed me because I was not lonely if I had a book to read. I connected with the characters. James was lonely and looking for friends, even if for different reasons, but I could still relate. I lived and dreamed life with James and the awesome cast of characters in the book. I was part of their family or their adventure and anything going on in my "real" life was gone, even if for a short time. The book taught me to dream and escape and go somewhere in my mind that was different than the loneliness of my days in suburbia. Remember, back then, there were no electronics for entertainment, our television had maybe 6 channels and you had to use rabbit ears to get those channels. James and the Giant Peach was the best medicine for a young girl who felt as if she didn't belong and was looking for a friend. Escaping with books became my passion and saved me from myself. I always belonged with the