The Day Monica Fulton Ran Away

The reason I was there I cannot recall But I was sitting outside of our classroom, alone in the hall When Principal Johnson walked into our class I stood up to watch him through the square in the door with the glass He whispered something to the teacher who put down her chalk Then up to Monica Fulton he slowly started to walk She gathered her things with a sad look in her eyes Butterflies started churning in my stomach as I could empathize Everybody knew about Monica’s troubles at home She lived with an abusive father in a house all alone But rules were different back in those days There were no social workers around to take her away I watched them walk down the hallway, footsteps echoing on wood Up to his office door where Monica’s father now stood He handed her over, then stepped on inside Monica simply starred at her father with blue eyes opened so wide He grabbed her collar and started yanking her toward the front door She tried pulling away yelling, “I won’t go with you no more” Then suddenly the fire alarm started a loud shrilling ring “Everybody, single file outside”, the teachers started to sing Mr. Fulton lost his grip in all of the chaos and confusion Breaking the glass with my fist, left on my hand a contusion That was the day Monica Fulton finally got to run away No one has heard from her since, not even today I happily spent my three months in the juvenile detention hall The sentence I received for initiating a false fire alarm call When Monica ran past me to the opposite end door She yelled, “Thank you, Joe – I’ll remember this forever and more”