A Courageous Battle

Embarrassed, and sorry that she had confided in him, Lacey sighed and gathered her books to go to the library, as she did every Saturday.

Miss Blodgett, the librarian, had noticed the lonely, unkempt girl that read so many books, and she saw Lacey's sad face as she returned her books that day.

"My dear, you're getting to be a big girl. Come with me," she said, as she led her over to the magazine area.

"I wonder if you'd like to read these for a change," she said with a kindly smile, passing Lacey a copy of Girls Today, with a feature article that pondered the pros and cons of daily hair washing.

Lacey would read anything, so she added magazines to her pile of books for the week. From then on, in articles like 'Fifteen Tips for Spring Cleaning', and 'Soap versus Face Cream', Lacey learned about housework and personal hygiene.

In high school, Lacey's shyness prevented her from making friends, but in the larger environment she was able to avoid bullying. Concentration on school work helped her to compress several semesters. Money she earned working part-time at her local supermarket enabled her to buy clothes and cosmetics, and blend in with her peers. By then Lacey was of the opinion that money was the key to happiness, but she wasn't sure how to get it; hoped that education would be the answer.

Everything finally seemed to be falling into place for Lacey Wilson when, at the tender age of seventeen, she was accepted at the University of Toronto and her father agreed that she could continue to live at home. Tuition would be her only expense.

She knew she would have enough money for her first year if she worked all summer, and was thrilled to get a job as a 'gofer' at Toronto's largest newspaper. Perhaps I can become a journalist and travel the world, reporting on catastrophes and wars! Then disaster struck.