STORY INCLUDES: implied bad parents, implied sexual harassment
Yeah, I know this is supposed to be a story about a kid from the Shell, but I don't like telling my story so I'm going to tell you about Mr. Miller instead.
Back when I lived with my family on the mainland, I was neighbors with a man named Gene Miller. He was a kind older gentleman who would help neighbors with simple tasks like moving about trash cans. I spent most of my time outside so I ended up talking to him often.
Mr. Miller always listened, I told him stories of what I was doing in school, and he returned tales of his grandchildren. He was always happy to see me, and as a result, I was always happy to see him.
I remember one day I was sitting outside, I was in a really bad mood and avoiding my parents, I might have been crying. But Mr. Miller came by and within a moment of talking to him I was smiling once more.
His wife was wonderful too, she spent less time outside but whenever she had time to talk, it was clear she had a big heart as well. The care those two showed me will forever be in my heart.
He always thanked me for "caring for an old fart like him" and I couldn't even convey how much I cared and was thankful for him.
I find it hard to believe he was honest, that a man as good as him truly lived in the same world as my parents, but he never gave me reason to distrust him. If it weren't for him, there are two outcomes, I could have been brought to The Shell sooner, or I could live without seeing the good of humanity.
I remember him watching me grow, and how even when older men became something to avoid (once I hit puberty I started attracting creeps). He was a reminder that there's good to be found everywhere.
The Hermit Crab's Shell is cut off from the rest of the world, so I've lost contact with Mr. Miller. He's the one thing I miss about the mainland. I hope he and his wife are still doing alright, I wish I could tell them that I am.
Authors Note: The inspiration here was a real person. My friend Mr. Thompson (who is every bit as amazing as Mr. Miller) came and talked to me for a bit while I was writing. I thought about the kids at the shell and how they would benefit with people like him in their lives. So that's what I wrote. (Tammy is not based on me)
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Stories From The Hermit Crab's Shell
Short StoryA series of short stories about children from the fictional "Hermit Crab's Shell" orphanage. The shell kidnaps children from unsafe environments and brings them to an island to live together in peace (kind of like a more realistic neverland). This...
