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Archiver > GOOD-SHEPHERD-HOMES > 2006-07 > 1153278349


From: "Chandra" <>
Subject: Re: [GOOD-SHEPHERD-HOMES] Second part of Pats story
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 22:05:49 -0500
References: <002201c6aac7$26fa27a0$640fa8c0@evc>


Hi List,

The rest of Pat's story you will find in the list archives, they are too big
to repost on the list. Follow the link below and scroll down to where it
says May 2000.

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/GOOD-SHEPHERD-HOMES

So far, I've only made it through that month's postings...

Chandra

----- Original Message -----
From: "Elizabeth V Cardinal" <>
To: <>
Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 07:06 PM
Subject: [GOOD-SHEPHERD-HOMES] Second part of Pats story


>
> Date: Sun, 21 May 2000 21:39:57 -0400
>
>
> On the road to Good Shepherd.......part 2
>
> In between those times out of the homes, fist St. Clares in Hastings,
> then St John's in Staten Island, all the beatings from one parent or
> another. Mostly when they were drunk, but not always.
> One time when living with both of them I had been given a pair of ice
> skates, I think for Christmas, and I went skating at Wollman rink in
> Central Park, NYC. I left as it was getting dark, thinking I would be
> home by dark. Waited at the bus stop while bus after bus passed me by.
> Here was this little kid, with dripping icekates slung over her shoulder
> waiting to get on a commuter bus. Seemed like hours, but finally on
> stopped, and I wedged myself in to the crowd. Made it home later than I
> should and from the front door to my bed I was beaten with the
> beltstrap, with welts rising with each contact, face, body and most of
> all the legs. The skates were then thrown in the dumbwaiter, never to be
> seen again. Oh, well, I wasn't going to be the next Sonja Henie anyway.
> I fell asleep crying from the pain.My Mother went out, I was alone
> again, but not long enough.
> She came home hours later with my Father and both in their drunken
> stupor beat me again.After being pulled out of the bed by my hair.
> My Father said later he thought I was faking sleep and mocking him.
> It was about this time when I overheard the conversation between my
> parents about my Fathers'son, who was in the Navy and had been injured
> during the war. I couldn't figure out who this "son" was after all, I
> had never met him, and had no siblings that I knew of.
> My Father was crying about his son being injured and my Mother was
> asking him to take care of me and do things for me. Again another
> argument about money and there never being enough money because he had
> to send so much to take care of the wife and other kids? Most of their
> fights were about money and the non payment of bills, and why we moved
> so much I think.
> The first home wasn't so bad, except that some of the nuns were a bit
> too strict and punished too easily in to many ways, one wouldn't think
> of doing today. And the shock of not knowing ever why I was there. I
> felt as if I had done something so horrible that I didn't deserve
> parents and a home, like other children. The second wasn't so bad, after
> all I could leave to go back to my parents on a weekend if I wanted to,
> could afford to take the bus and ferry and then the subway, but with no
> money to buy my food I didn't waste too much of it going anywhere I
> couldn't walk.
> Finally for almost 2 years things got better, as far as home life was
> concerned. I was then placed in Mother Cabrini school, where I
> graduated from the 8th grade, and stayed until the May of being a
> Freshman and suddenly one day I got home to find boxes packed, and
> suitcases at the door. It's a wonder I ever learned anything in school
> or got good grades at all - I was always being transferred to another
> place mid year. In those days I was very quiet, shy and as they say
> retiring. I didn't talk unless spoken too. I slumped alot when walking
> or standing by myself, but at school straight as a ramrod! I had few
> friends I was allowed to see and no one near where I lived for fear they
> might see the real life I had.
> Well, this time there was a BIG promise made by my Mother, we were
> moving upstate NY to take care of my Grandfather, have a nice home, and
> a house to live in, I could go to school dances and have lots of
> friends. A new life was to begin.
> This was fine thru the summer, altho I didn't have too many friends at
> first. Everyone in the very small town had grown up together and the
> city kid was an outsider. They all went to one school together-all their
> lives-while I was sent to a school chosen by an aunt and recommended to
> my Mother in another direction. I did finally make some friends over the
> summer and got to go to the dances at church hall where of course all
> the parents also were to keep an eye on everyone ( chaperones?). The
> dances were for everyone, anyway not just teenagers. I was finally
> settled into a relaxed feeling like I belonged. Things were going Ok
> until my Mother started her drinking again. Grandfather drank only on
> Sundays when he went with his friends to the ballgame. The only time we
> saw him leave the house was on Sunday to Mass and then the game,
> otherwise he stayed in his bed all week.
> She met someone,named Arthur, and must have told my Grandfather and next
> thing I knew we were out in the street.
> WE then moved to a converted chicken coop-yes, you read that right. A
> large shedlike place with a pot belly stove in the middle a pullout
> couch for a bed for each of us, a hot plate and small refrigerator. The
> bathroom was in the main house.
> I knew the other kids made fun of me after that and could see them
> snicker as I came in view.
> I had my first real boyfriend then,(Buddy), which my aunt frowned on,
> and told my Mother and I, at each opportunity. always saying I would get
> in trouble if I didn't watch out. I wanted very much back then to be
> able to have a boyfriend like my friends did and be able to go to the
> movies or rides with the group, to belong to something or someplace I
> felt welcome. One Saturday, just about 6 months after our move to this
> town, and a month after meeting her new "friend" my Mother came to my
> girlfriends house where I was visiting at the time, to tell me my Father
> was coming up. He was going to kill both of us, he had a gun and would
> shoot her if he saw either of us, so I should get out of town. She left
> with Arthur. Buddy came to pick me up at the girlfriends house, heard
> about this conversation from the girls Mother and took me to his home.
> He asked his Mother if I could stay there til things blew over and my
> Father went back to the city. I stayed for the rest of the weekend,
> sleeping in his Mothers room with her, and went back to the hometown on
> Monday after school.
> Then my aunt took over, I was dragged to her house, told I was a tramp
> going off with the boyfriend and the story was a lie. She then called
> the state police, signed charges of desertion against my Mother, called
> my FAther demanded money and that I stay wit hher for her raising. I was
> there to go to school only and then home. We all went to court, and I
> was placed in her custody with welfare dep't to check up on me, and
> help financially with expenses.
> Just six months later, the aunt and uncle got a job offer in Florida as
> housekeeper and groundskeeper and they turned me over to welfare-and the
> road to GS was much shorter.
> More later.
> Pat
>
>
>
>
>
> ==============================
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> areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months.
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>
>

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