George, a middle age man, leaned against the meeting room door, his head hung down; his hands hung down at his sides; his fists were clenched. A shy man who had not spoken to many during his months his young daughter and he were enrolled in the teen rehab program, George looked distraught. Finally, after much urging, he answered the other father’s question.
“Do you know my daughter? She’s the little blonde who always sits in the front row. She’s only 18 but she’s been drinking since she was 14. She started smoking when she was 11, and then started drinking beer. I thought she would be okay in college but she got in with some heavy drinkers and went off in a big way. Then she started using drugs before I found out about any of this. She says her drug of choice is cocaine. Imagine.”
“I know she can’t get liquor or drugs here. But, well, she cut herself again last night. They called me in to tell me. Now she’s run away. I don’t know what to do anymore. I think I know where she might have gone but she’ll hide if I go there.”
“Like I said, she cuts herself. She’s been doing it for a year or so now. How? She gets razor blades. Even though she’s in here and they watch her like a hawk, she got hold of one and cut her legs last night. She just slices across her arms or legs. She cuts hard enough to bleed. It makes me sick to see it. I’ve tried everything. I just don’t know what to do. I want to go look for her but I’m afraid that will set her off again. I don’t know what to do anymore.”
“What? Your wife will go with me? Your wife will help look for her and go to the house where I think she is and ask for my daughter? Oh, God, thank you. Thank you. I’ll take your wife this afternoon if that’s okay with you. I just hope my daughter doesn’t kill herself one day by accidentally cutting herself too hard. Her mom died a few years ago and I’ve been a mess since then. We had her when I was already 45 so I’m just too old to be a good father, I guess.”
“Yes, I know. I can only pray and do my best. I do love her a lot. It pains me to see those cuts on her. It breaks my heart. I brought her a little music tape today . . . I thought she’d like it. And now, I don’t even know where she is or for sure, who’s she with. Are you sure this is going to be okay with your wife? Okay, and Joe, thanks and God bless you and your wife.”
Emily (a pseudonym) was later found by her father and the woman. Weeks later, a tentative and fragile relationship with her father developed and she stopped cutting herself.
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