Millie the Monster: Book 1 of "The Let's Talk About It Series"
Posted: Saturday, February 07, 2009
by carmela sansone
Millie the Monster
Millie was really a very pretty little bear but no one could tell. Her face was always scrunched up into a scowl which hid her sparkling eyes. All that anyone saw was the anger in them and the steam coming out of her ears. None of the bears ever noticed Millie's beautiful smile because she never smiled.
Millie's mom was always smiling but all her smiling was done for other bears since she was never home. Mom was the mayor of Bearsville. She was very important and so busy that even when she was home, she was on the telephone dealing with other bears' problems. Millie was certain that Mom never noticed her. To prove it that very morning she put on two different shoes. As she was leaving for school, she stood directly in front of her mother and asked, "How do I look today, Mom?"
"But Mom, I have on two different shoes!"
"Better yet, this way if you get lost I can always tell the Bearsville Police that my daughter is wearing two different shoes and they'll be sure to find you right away."
Mom always had a quick answer. That's what made her such a great mayor, but not such a great Mom. Millie turned on her heels and headed out the door. Her mother didn't notice the tears that were forming in Millie's eyes, nor did anyone on the bus. No one ever sat next to Millie and that was just fine.
"I don't need any of these losers," Millie thought as her tears turned to anger.
Millie crawled off the bus when it arrived at school. She slowly shuffled from class to class.
"Why should I rush? Let them wait for me," Millie thought as she dragged her feet to her gym class, her eyes glued to the floor. When Ronald, another third grader with thick glasses and a lost look, bumped into her, she tore into him.
"What is wrong with you.are you blind? I should knock those glasses right off your face.. They don't help you see any way!" Millie shouted as she grabbed Ronald by his jacket and slammed him into a locker.
Good thing Ms. Seabecker showed up or who knows what would have happened.
"Both of you in my office NOW", said Ms. Seabecker in a slow quiet voice. Kids could always tell when Ms. Seabecker was really angry; she would speak so softly that they had to listen carefully to hear what she was saying.
Impatiently Millie followed Ms. Seabecker to her office, while Ronald followed behind with tears gathering in his eyes and fogging up his glasses.
"Now, Millie, why were you slamming Ronald into the locker?" asked Ms. Seabecker
"Why should I answer? You probably already think it's my fault, just like everyone else," snapped Millie.
"Millie, just respond to my question."
"Ronald pushed me."
"Ronald, is that true?" questioned Ms. Seabecker.
Ronald was sobbing so much it was difficult to understand what he was saying.
"No Miss Seabecker," he whimpered, "I just bumped into Millie but it was an accident. I would have said I was sorry but Millie didn't give me a chance, she grabbed me and pushed me into the locker."
"Boohoo! Poor little baby boy, being picked on by mean old Millie the Monster," mocked Millie.
"Millie, please stop that! Ronald, you are very upset. Please go to nurse's office and I will be there shortly. Take the pass from on my desk."
When Ronald was gone, Ms. Seabecker turned to Millie and said,
"Millie, I have had just about enough of your behavior. You can go to the detention room now and think about your actions."
"But Ms. Seabecker, why am I the one who always gets in trouble? I didn't hurt Ronald or anything. I know he pushed me on purpose and Ronald probably won't get in any trouble at all!"
"Just worry about Millie I will take care of Ronald," retorted Ms. Seabecker.
"You don't care about what I have to say, you just blame me."
"That will be enough. Go to the detention room and stay there for the rest of the day. You will report there tomorrow morning and for the next 3 days."
With that Millie shot out of the room and down the hall. She was so angry she almost knocked over Ms. Jacobs, the guidance counselor, who asked,
"What in the world is wrong with you Millie?"
When Millie did not answer, Ms. Jacobs ordered Millie into her office.
"Millie, what is the problem?"
"I have to go to detention. That witch gave me in school suspension again I get blamed for everything around here."
"Millie, that is not true," Ms. Jacobs replied gently.
"Everybody blames me and everybody hates me."
"Now, Millie, no one hates you. All the other bears are just frightened of you. They are afraid you will bite their heads off. That is why they stay away from you. And the teachers are just trying to protect all the students."
"Oh I don't care about them anyway," said Millie, ready to run out of the room.
Ms. Jacobs stopped Millie by putting her hand on her shoulder.
"Millie, why are you so angry all the time?"
"What does it matter?'
"It matters to me."
For a moment it looked as if Millie's eyes would fill with tears and her scrunched up face would soften just a little.but then the bell rang and it was time for Millie to get to the detention room.
"I have to go, Ms. Jacobs. If I don't report to detention now I'll be in even more trouble" said Millie as she dashed for the door.
"Millie, if you ever want to talk to me, I am here.
"Sure," snapped Millie.
When Millie got home her mother was getting ready to dart out the door.
"How did things go at school today, sweetheart?"
"Terrible. I'm suspended again, for 3 days this time."
"Well, don't worry. It's only 3 days and when it is over, you can get a fresh start."
"Right."
"Listen, sweetheart, I have to run. Make sure you straighten up before dad gets home. Love you," Mom said as she hurried out the door.
Millie slumped to the floor in front of the television and began to cry. Then she realized she would be seeing her Pop soon and her expression changed. Millie loved her Pop as much as much could be. She would do anything to make him happy; the problem was he was never happy. No matter what Millie did, Pop was always angry with her.
"Well," she thought, "I better clean up the kitchen before Pop gets home or he really blows his top."
Millie worked as hard as she could, smiling and humming, as she thought how happy Pop would be when he got home to see a clean kitchen. The place really sparkled when she was done and the table was set for a king. She hoped this would make Pop feel good. Just then she heard his car drive up.
When her father entered the kitchen, she was so excited she shouted with pride,
"Pop, I cleaned the whole kitchen by myself."
"Where's your mother?" her father growled without even looking up. " I suppose she's out being important again. Did she leave anything to eat?"
"There is some pot roast from yesterday that I could heat up."
"Fine, whatever. Just make sure it is hot. I hate cold food."
As Millie got the pot roast ready, her father looked around the room and shouted:
"Did you take out the garbage? You never take the garbage out. How many times do I have to tell you the same thing? You never listen to me." Gruffly Pop grabbed Millie and slapped her face so hard she actually heard a bell ring.
"I m sorry Pop. I just forgot. It will never happen again."Millie cried as she gently rubbed her cheek to ease the sting.
The next morning, Millie's mom was in a rush to get out to the office. She didn't notice the bruise on Millie's cheek from where her father slapped her. Instead she asked,
"Millie, would you mind making the lunches today? I'm late!" It really wasn't a question because before Millie could answer, her mom was out the door.
Millie liked to make her father's lunch. She would always put little notes into the bag telling him to have a nice day with a happy little smiley face at the end. That morning her note said:
"Pop, I am really very sorry I let you down. I promise I will try never to let it happen again. I love you so much.
Your daughter Millie" (smiley face).
Millie hoped that when Pop opened up his lunch, he would think of her and smile. He was often in her thoughts and she tried to think of ways to make him happy.
When she finished making her father's lunch she rushed to get the bus. When Millie got to school she kept her head down as she made her way to the detention room. Since no one dared to look at Millie, there wasn't a chance that someone would notice the bruise that had formed on her cheek.
As she was about to enter the room she saw a crowd gathered around a sign on the bulletin board. When the bell rang and everyone headed for class, Millie walked over to see what all the fuss was about.
Then she saw a sign posted that made her eyes light up.
SOCCER TRYOUTS WILL BE ON FRIDAY AT 3PM IN THE GYM. ALL THIRD AND FOURTH GRADERS ARE INVITED TO COME.
"This is just great!" Millie thought. Millie was a wonderful soccer player. Her father had taught her the game when she was a very young bear. Often mom would come outside and watch them play. Those were some of the happiest moments in Millie's life.
During those years, Pop was on the Bearsville's Soccer team. Then he had a fight with one of the coaches and had to leave the team. This made him very angry since he really liked soccer and was one of the best players on the field. When he was kicked off the team, he stopped playing with Millie, but she continued to practice on her own. She too loved the game.
"This will make Pop so proud of me!" Millie thought. As soon as she got home she went into the back yard and started to practice. She kept practicing until her mom got home and called her in for dinner. For the next three days, Millie practiced each day trying to make her moves perfect. This little bear was a natural with the ball. She could bounce it off her knee, spin it on her finger and with a controlled kick, get it just where it needed to be.
Finally it was Friday and Millie was so excited her scrunched up face seemed a little less scrunched. She knew she was a good soccer player and she couldn't wait to play.
The coach divided all the players into two teams. Although none of the other bears wanted to play with Millie, not one of them to had the courage to say a thing. Millie's playing was flawless that day. You could almost glimpse a smile on Millie's face as she scored goal after goal. Easily she was the best bear who tried out that day.
"Too bad it is Friday," thought Millie. "I have to wait all weekend to find out who made the team."
After what seemed like a lifetime, Monday finally arrived. Millie rushed into school and ran all the way to the gym to see the names of those selected to be on the team. Millie held her breath as she read the list.
But something was terribly wrong; Millie's name was not on the list. Fighting back tears, Millie ran into Mr. Wood's office. He was the soccer coach. In her pain, Millie began to yell at Mr. Wood,
"You know that I was easily the best player at the try-outs. Why isn't my name on that list?"
"For this very reason. You have a terrible temper and you don't play well with other bears. I can't have that behavior on my team," responded Mr. Wood.
Millie felt like someone had punched her in the stomach; she couldn't catch her breath and she thought she would faint. She needed to get out of that office immediately. Blinded by her tears, she bolted into the hall. Ms. Jacobs spotted her and ran over to say,
"Millie, please tell me what is wrong. Maybe I can help you."
"Sure you can, just like everyone else helps me," Millie cried.
"Please, Millie, give me a chance to help you out."
Millie didn't want to hear anything. She just continued to push Ms. Jacobs away.
But Ms. Jacobs held onto Millie and put a card with her phone number into the young bear's pocket.
"Here, Millie, here is my phone number. If you need to call me at any time, it is fine with me ."
"I bet," screamed Millie. "Now just let me go!"
With that Millie ran out of the school. With tears flowing like a heavy spring shower, she ran all the way home. When she finally got there, her father was already home and sitting in front of the television set. Millie knew what this meant; it had happened so many times beforeher Dad had lost his job and he would be in a foul mood. Millie forgot about her own problems and tried not to do anything to upset her father.
"Your mother's gone again?" Pop snarled
"Yes, she left today for the state capitol and she won't be home until tomorrow afternoon. But don't worry Pop, I'll cook dinner," she said, trying to soothe his anger.
"Well it better be hot," he barked.
With that Millie got to work. She put two big potatoes in the oven to bake, cut up some lettuce for a salad and placed a nice steak on the grill. While everything was cooking Millie set the table. In her desire to make everything perfect, she lost track of time and over cooked the meat.
When her father put his fork into the steak, he howled "I said hot, not burnt! Weren't you paying attention to what you were cooking? Too busy to make your father a decent meal?"
As he spoke, a fire grew in his eyes. He grabbed Millie, slapped her face so hard that she fell to the floor. While Millie was on the ground he kicked her as if she were a soccer ball.
Millie didn't move; she didn't even cry for fear that this would make her father even angrier. As her father kicked Millie, his fury seemed to grow. Then suddenly he stopped kicking her and ran out of the house. It was a good thing because in his rage, he had really hurt Millie.
As she tried to get up, Millie felt a stabbing pain in her ribs. She was dizzy and needed to hold onto the table to stand up.
Her head pounded and when she tried to walk, her left leg wasn't moving. She was barely able to crawl into her bed.
Millie was in so much pain, she could not sleep a wink. Pop didn't come home that night and Mom couldn't be reached so Millie just laid there and waited for the morning to come.
The next day, Millie could hardly move for all the pain she was in. She felt so lost and alone; then she remembered what Ms. Jacobs had told her the day before. With nowhere else to go
Millie slowly got up and limped onto the school bus.
One of the older bears, Agatha noticed that Millie had been badly beaten. In a low voice, fearful that Millie might hear her, she whispered to her best friend Sally:
"I guess Millie finally met a bigger monster!" With that Agatha, Sally and some of the bears sitting near them, looked at Millie and started to laugh. But Millie was too busy holding unto her ribs to even notice. As the bus hit bump after bump, Millie had to hold on tight to prevent herself from crying out in pain.
When Millie got to school, she headed straight for Ms. Jacobs office, dragging her left leg behind her.
"Let's see if she'll really help me," Millie sneered.
When Ms. Jacobs saw Millie she jumped out of her seat.
She ran over and put her arms around Millie. As Ms. Jacobs looked at the bruises on the little bear's face, Ms. Jacobs asked,
"Millie, what happened to you?"
Millie didn't want to talk against her father but she had to tell someone what happened. With tears streaming down her checks she turned to Ms. Jacobs and explained.
"Last night my Pop was in a foul mood. He lost his job and mom was away again for the night and there was no dinner.
Millie was sobbing so much that it was difficult for her to continue.
"It's all right Millie, just relax, take your time and try to tell me what happened," Ms. Jacobs said as she walked over to where Millie, having difficulty standing up, was leaning against the door to her office.
"Here" Ms. Jacobs said, "let me help you sit in this chair."
Ms. Jacobs brought a chair over to Millie and gently lowered her into it. Then Ms. Jacobs brought her a drink from the water cooler and Millie hesitantly started explaining what happened the night before.
"Well, I tried to cook dinner but while I was setting the table, I lost track of time and the steak burned. I didn't mean to burn the steak, honestly," she sobbed, "I just wanted the table to look nice so Pop would smile."
Millie stopped, afraid to tell Ms. Jacobs about what her father did, but the counselor realized this and said reassuringly:
"Millie, you need to tell me what happen so I can help you".
"Uh," Millie stammered. "Pop wasn't himself. He didn't mean to hurt me but he got so angry, he slapped my face and I fell down so he kicked me."
Ms. Jacobs, realizing the pain Millie was in, dialed 911 to request an ambulance to take the injured bear to the hospital.
"Ms. Jacobs, I will be fine. I don't need to go to the hospital. My parents will be furious with me," Millie pleaded.
"Don't worry Millie, I will ride in the ambulance with you and I will speak with your parents. It will be fine. Please try not to worry about that now."
"You don't know my Pop; he'll be fuming if I go to the hospital," Millie argued.
Before Ms. Jacobs had a chance to answer Millie, the ambulance attendants arrived at the counselor's office. While a gentle man, dressed all in white helped Millie unto the gurney, Ms. Jacobs notified the principal, Mr. Jeffrey, that she would be talking Millie to the Bearsville hospital.
Ms. Jacobs, as she promised, sat next to Millie and held her hand until they arrived at the hospital. Quickly the attendants brought Millie into the emergency room and settled her into an examination cubicle. A kind woman called Dr. Evans carefully examined the bruises that covered Millie's body.
"Some of your ribs seem to be broken. There is little that we can do to fix ribs but we will wrap them tightly so they can heal. They will be pretty sore for a while but I can give you some medicine to help with the pain" she explained.
"Your leg is badly bruised but nothing seems to be broken. Just the same, I think you will need to stay here for a few nights just so we can keep an eye how your wounds are healing" Dr. Evans spoke softly as she stroked Millie's hair.
Then she turned to the counselor.
"Ms. Jacobs, perhaps you could stay with Millie until we find a room for her to spend the night?"
"Absolutely, I won't leave Millie until she's ready for me to go."
As Dr. Evans walked towards the door, she turned and said:
"I am going to send Dr. Thomas in to speak with you, Millie. She is a psychologist, someone who talks with bears to help them with their problems. She will help us figure out what we can do to make things better for you."
Millie became very frightened again. She didn't want to talk about what happened to some stranger. She turned to Ms. Jacobs and asked,
"What should I do? I don't want to tell her what my father did. I don't want to get him into trouble. He didn't mean to hurt me; he really does love me and I love him very much. What should I do, what should I do?" she cried.
"Millie," Ms Jacobs said softly as she wiped away Millie's tears, "no one wants to hurt you or your father. We just want to see that you and your family get the help you need so you don't have to be in pain all the time."
At that moment, a woman with warm eyes came into the room.
She approached Millie very gently and said,
"I am Dr. Thomas, but you can call me Joan. What is your name?"
Timidly Millie answered.
"Can I get you something to drink? How about some cookies and milk? You must be hungryI am," Joan said as she handed Millie a container of milk and a package of chocolate chip cookies that she pulled from her overstuffed purse.
"Some milk and cookies will help you feel better."
Ms. Jacobs saw how nervous Millie was, so she held the little bear as the child brought the milk to her lips.
As Millie chewed on her cookie, Joan began to speak.
"Millie, Dr. Evans told me that you are very bruised. I know that I am a stranger to you and that it is hard to speak with someone you don't know about your problems, but I believe I can help you and your family. You don't have to say anything at this moment but I will be back later today and perhaps you might feel like talking a little more then."
Before she left, Joan asked "What is your favorite flavor ice cream?"
"Chocolate," Millie replied with a slight smile forming on her face.
"Great, so is mine! I'll be sure to bring some with me when I come back this afternoon."
"Ms. Jacobs can you walk me out," asked Joan.
As the counselor approached, Joan whispered,
"Have you contacted Millie's parents?"
"Yes, the school called them this morning. I can phone them again and give them your name and phone number. I'm sure they have some questions for you." Ms. Jacobs said very softly so that Millie could not hear their conversation.
"That'll be great, thank you." Then Joan asked, "How long do you think you can stay with Millie?"
"As long as she needs me to; I can even stay the night if you feel it best." Ms. Jacobs responded.
"No, I don't think that will be necessary, but Millie could sure use you around as much as possible especially until her parents arrive," Joan answered.
"That is fine with me," the counselor replied willingly.
As she promised, Ms. Jacobs stayed with Millie until she fell asleep that night and came back early the next morning.
When Millie saw her counselor enter the room, the first thing she asked was,
"Are my parents coming today to visit me?"
"Joan spoke with them and they will be coming to visit you in a few days. We want to be sure you are ready to see them before they visit," responded Ms. Jacobs.
Millie didn't answer, but her big eyes filled with tears. She knew Ms. Jacobs was right, but she really did miss her parents.
Joan came to speak with Millie several times during the next few days. After some visits from Joan, Millie felt more comfortable and she was able to tell Joan about what happened that night. It was not easy talking about the bruises she had within herself, but slowly Millie found that by talking about her pain, she began to feel better. With Joan and Ms. Jacobs by her side, that little bear began to heal her inner and outer wounds.
After lunch on Millie's third day at the hospital, Ms. Jacobs said,
"I spoke to your parents and they would like to see you today. Do you feel you are ready to speak with them?"
"Sure," Millie replied as she wiped away her tears. "I really want to see my parents. I miss them very much. I am just worried that my parents will be angry. I hope they don't hate me for what I told you and Joan."
"Please, Millie, try not to worry. I spoke to them already and they don't hate you. In fact, they love you very much and they just want to be sure you are feeling better."
"I hope you're right. I don't want to get Pop anymore angry then he already is," Millie said nervously as she bit on her lower lip.
"Just one more thing," added Ms. Jacobs.
"Because of what happened, someone will have to supervise that visit. I spoke to Children's Services, the agency that deals with these types of problems. They agreed to let me be the person to supervise the visit. I will be here all during the meeting with your parents. Is that all right with you?"
"Yes, I'd like it very much if you were here with me," Millie said as she reached out to hug Ms. Jacobs.
"I won't leave you Millie, I promise," Ms. Jacobs said reassuringly.
Later that day Mom and Pop came to see Millie. They too had been speaking with Joan and although Millie was afraid her Pop would be angry with her, he wasn't. Instead he said,
"Millie, you didn't do anything wrong. I have a serious problem with anger and I am so sorry I hurt you. It will never happen again."
Taking a deep breath, Pop continued,
"Joan found me a program for me to attend where I can learn how to control my temper. I won't be able to come home until I finish this program and prove that I can control my anger, but don't worry, I will call you every day."
Tears rolled down Millie's cheek as she listened intently to her father. Her mother began wiping those tears from Millie's eyes.
"I was wrong too, Millie," she said. "I should have been more aware of what was going on at home. Your dad and I have a lot of work to do, but I believe with Joan's help, we can make things better."
Things did get better, though it didn't happen very quickly or easily. Pop didn't come home for a long time. Millie missed him very much but he called her every day as he promised he would.
Mom decided to take some time off from work and was much more interested in what was going on in Millie's life.
She took Millie to meet with Joan each week, and talking with Joan helped Millie learn how to get along better with the other young bears at school. It was very hard to change, but slowly things did change for this little bear.
Even Mr. Wood noticed Millie's improvement, so he decided to let her play soccer with the team. During the last few minutes of Millie's first game, Gina, the team's best player, came running down the field with the ball, passed it to Millie and Millie scored the winning goal.
Millie looked up into the bleachers and saw her parents jumping up and down and cheering more loudly than any of the other bears there that day. As the bell rang, signaling the end of the game, all her teammates came over to congratulate Millie and at that moment Millie realized she was no longer Millie the Monster.
This Article has been viewed 200 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.