The Year That He Came Home

In the Summer

That summer I "found myself" so to speak. I didn't go soul searching if that's what you think. I'm not that kind of girl. I like to find the most logical answer to things.  Anyway that summer Calvin and Jaren went to Wyoming to help my Papa Sam build a garage. My cousins were there and they were gone for the majority of the summer. I can't remember why I didn't go now. I think because Mum needed me home. Either way it was just me, her, and John that summer. My oldest two brothers had moved out by this point and I was left to my own devices.

It was rather boring to be honest. I had nothing to do and wasn't old enough to have even my permit at that point. I spent most of my time reading and tagging along with my mom to whatever she did. I spent some time at my friend Jasmine's house as well.

Jasmine and I clicked right away when we met. She quickly became my best friend at church and we were pretty well attached when there. During this particular summer she was dealing with a lot of stress due to a divorce. She had turned to wearing band t-shirts and skinny jeans. She was like a lesser version of those scene kids I used to hang out with. She also spent a lot of time inside watching anime.

I was more or less an empty shell in middle school and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had no passion. I was scrolling through facebook and found a picture Jasmine had tagged me in. She'd tagged me as Patty from the anime Lucky Star. Having nothing to do I watched the first episode. Little did I know that would be the first step of many.

I ruined my social life and made my future by watching that episode. It was an avalanche of events from there. I fell in love with Vocaloid and something possessed me to try and draw manga. I pronounced it wrong at first but was set straight by Jasmine soon enough. From there I followed video tutorials and read books on how to draw manga. I felt I was quite good at it.

I finally gave anime another chance and was sucked in by the beauty if it all. I watched magical girls and demon butlers flash across the screen and quickly became infatuated with the art and music.

Jasmine had decided my future by showing me a whole new world. To this day I am so grateful to her. I bless and curse my ruin.