The Girl With OCD

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

     I tuck my suitcase under my bed. Going over to my drawers, I pick out a pair of soft, worn, light blue skinny jeans, and a  blue pullover hoodie. After my shower, I make my way down to the recreation area, where we will meet the other teens. Darrel looks up and smiles, and I walk over to him and sit down. The girl with the white hands smiles from across the room. Eventually, we're all here, and a lady walks into the room.

     "Hello, my name is Mrs. Minetim, and I will be your psychologist. First, I would like you all to sit in a circle. Then, you will, in order, say your name and what kind of OCD you have. No secrets here," She adds, looking at our startled faces. "I'll start," She clears her throat, "My name is Evelyn Minetim, and I used to have OCD pertaining to hand washing." She smiles and then gestures at the boy sitting next to her.

     He stands up, while saying, "Can I be on an odd number? I hate even numbers..." The girl beside him nods and then moves into his old spot, making room for the guy. She then looks around.

     "My name is Iris Petinam. I have OCD about me going to hell," she says. I smile, and nod.

     We find out that the boy's name is Garret, and that he has an irrational fear of odd numbers. The girl with the white hands is named Catherine Smog. She has a germ-phobia type of OCD. Eventually, they come to me.

     "Um, I'm Rose Larsen, and, uh... I have scrupulosity OCD," I look to Iris, and then continue, "just like you. Good to know there are others with it!" I smile, "But it changes a lot." I start to tear up, but quickly brush Cody from my mind. Mrs. Minetim passes me a tissue box, and then the next girl starts talking.

     It turns out that there are ten teens here. We range in age from fourteen to eighteen. Darrel is seventeen, Iris is sixteen, and Catherine is fifteen. After our meeting, they tell us to go get ready for supper. I go back to my dorm and pull out my letter supplies. No phones allowed, so they let us write letters. I first start one to my mother:

     Dear Mommy;

There are other people like me! It's so good to know that another girl has OCD like mine! Scrupulosity! I'm not happy that she has OCD, of course, but that I'm not a freak. Supper is soon, but I thought I would start a couple of letters. Well, I'll write a bit before bed every day (starting tomorrow), and then mail the letters all together each Friday, when they send out the mail. Love you, and I will write soon! 

  ~Rosie

     Next, I start a letter to Jesse:

     Hey, there Jess!

Well, it sure is interesting here! Everything is white, brown, or blue. I'm having a guessing game with myself to see what the next room's color will be as I'm walking. Supper is soon! And, by the way, I met a guy named Darrel from South Detroit. On the train. I kid you not. I almost laughed out loud. But I refrained myself, thankfully. Anyway, got to run, don't want to miss out on the food!

~Rosie

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     At the meal, there is clanking of people setting their spoons down several times (I am guilty of that), people tapping the table with a certain beat and number of taps, and people constantly wiping their fingers with napkins. After dinner, Mrs. Minetim stands up for announcements.

     "After supper, please make your way to the recreation room. We will have an exercise in analyzing your own OCD, and being conscious of others' OCD. See you in half an hour!" She then goes back to her seat and resumes eating, as does the rest of us.