----
Melissa Bliss rubbed her temples wearily as she sat down. It was Sunday night and she was found curled up in he swivel chair at her home office, much to her disgust. In place of her suit and heels were a nightshirt, robe and fluffy slippers. She sipped a cup of warm chamomile tea and nibbled at a graham cracker. An open folder lay on the desk; its neat label read 'Helga G. Patacki.' Dr. Bliss took a final contemplative of her herbal drink before placing it to the side and picked up a pen with her left hand.
She looked down at a row of boxes before checking one which read: 'Further Therapy Recommended'. She took a deep breath as her pen tip hovered over another box. She exhaled and checked it as well. This box read 'Removal Into Foster Care Recommended'. She jotted down a quick note in beautiful cursive, 'Said patient has severe mental walls which were in effect caused by emotional neglect from her parents. Temporary or permanent removal from environment highly recommended.' Signing her name, she quickly faxed the paper before she could change her mind. She heaved a big sigh and allowed a small tabby cat to jump into her lap and settle down. Dr. Bliss stroked her pet absentmindedly as she remarked quietly, "Helga is going to hate me."
----
It was a blustery October morning at P.S.118, and Mr. Simmons, having followed them to the fifth grade, was just greeting them.
"Good morning, all my special people. I know that some of you might be antsy bet let's remember that today is still a day of learning, even if it is Friday. Oh and Helga you have to report to the office, you have a visitor."
Helga sat up genuinely confused then faded into nonchalance, saying, "Hmmm....mabe Miriam woke up and brought me an edible lunch for once. Be right back, Pheebs, hold my calls." Helga smiled at her best friend as she left the classroom. Phoebe giggled and watched Helga walk out before reminiscing about the summer.
Fifth grade! The old gang sure had a hectic summer, saving the neighborhood from being turned into a mall, although it really was all Arnold and Gerald's doing. Overall nothing much had changed, Harold still had a passion for Mr. Fudgie bars and Chocolate Num-nums and Rhonda still enjoyed the finer points of life including fashion and popularity, but was surprisingly growing more and more tolerant of Sid's flirting. Eugene was growing out of his clumsiness and the nickname, 'Jinx' was used more in friendliness rather than in derision. Helga too had changed, she was being nicer and was easier to talk too, although Phoebe had always known that.
----
Helga walked slowly to the office; she didn't feel like rushing things. When she got there she looked at the receptionist expectantly, saying, "Uh, you called me down?" Suddenly a tall woman stood up and held her hand out to Helga, "Hello I'm Ms. Tirran but you can call me Julie. You must be Helga, we need to talk."
Helga responded, "Hi bucko, pleased to meet you." Helga wouldn't have answered like that under normal circumstances, but Julie oozed a wishy washy manner that reeked of egotism. She acted as though she was God's gift to earth and felt it her duty to help out these pitiful people surrounding her. Ms. Tirran wore a smart business suit, her hair was short, brown and curly, and looked artificial. They walked in silence to Dr. Bliss's office, each trying to size the other up. Helga noted with pride that she had shocked Ms. Trillan with her frank, down-to-earth manner.
They seated themselves in two comfortable chairs. Julie started talking first, "Well, Helga. As I said before, I'm Julie and I work with Social Services in this area. I-"
Helga glared at her as she interrupted, "Listen, lady, if you're here to see if Big Bob is doing anything illegal, he isn't. And I think its stupid that you would ask me-"
Now it was Ms. Tirran's turn to break in,"No, no you don't understand Helga. I work in Social Services, specifically in the Children's Department. I'm here to tell you that you're going to be moved into a foster home for a while."
Helga was floored by the statement before she lashed out in an icy tone, "What? Who are you to decide that? Who said I needed to be moved into a foster home? Nobody ever heard me complain about negligence. I'll s-"
Again Julie interrupted, "Well, maybe you should've complained, Helga. Maybe it wouldn't have progressed this far."
Helga glared with such intensity that it stunned Julie into silence, "Listen, Ms. Tirran," she spat, "I'm not going into any foster home and don't you try and pin this on me-"
"Listen to you! I wouldn't be here talking to you right now if I didn't have enough evidence that you need to be moved. I've got the proof Helga, and it surprises me that you don't want to leave. Aren't you tired of the wrong name? Tired of living in a shadow? Tired of having to be independant to survive? We're doing this because we care, and because its whats best for you."
"What do you know of what's best for me? Listen lady and listen good, I didn't ask you to care and I don't want your sympathy!" Saying this, Helga banged out of Dr. Bliss's office. She hadn't cried for as long as she could remember, but her eyes teared up now. Sure, she was tired of it, but it didn't mean that she wanted to leave.
As she stormed through the hallways in emotional turmoil, she didn't notice Ms. Tirran walking behind her. She carefully wiped her eyes of any telltale signs of tears, and opened the door to her classroom. Mr. Simmons looked up to see a fairly upset Helga stamping into the room and a young woman mouthing, 'We need to talk' and turned to the class saying, "Class, since you've been so good, fifteen minutes of free time!"
Immediately, pandmonium broke out. Among her noisy classmates, Helga stomped back to her desk unnoticed. Well, not entirely unnoticed. Phoebe had seen Helga's older manner return as pushed Stinky and Sid out of the way to her desk. The petite Asian girl was immediately alert as she watched Helga place her head face down on the desk.
Phoebe picked up her voice and said, "Helga? Are you okay?" When the only response she got was silence, she repeated her question.
"I'm fine, Pheebs. Criminy, there's no need to mother me."
"Okay Helga," Phoebe then added more quietly, "You just looked like you needed to be mothered."
Another person noticed. Arnold had looked up when Helga entered. He saw the different emotions play across her face and shrugged it off. Helga was probably in a bad mood.
In front of his desk Mr. Simmons was listening to Ms. Tirran who spoke in a business like manner.
"Oh my. This, this is awful, I can't believe it. I'm so sorry."
Ms. Tirran brushed away his sympathy with, "Yes, yes we all are. Please tell Helga to meet me outside the school. Thanks."
Her heels clicked smartly as she exited the classroom, leaving Mr. Simmons to gaze at Helga.
----
Melissa Bliss rubbed her temples wearily as she sat down. It was Sunday night and she was found curled up in he swivel chair at her home office, much to her disgust. In place of her suit and heels were a nightshirt, robe and fluffy slippers. She sipped a cup of warm chamomile tea and nibbled at a graham cracker. An open folder lay on the desk; its neat label read 'Helga G. Patacki.' Dr. Bliss took a final contemplative of her herbal drink before placing it to the side and picked up a pen with her left hand.
She looked down at a row of boxes before checking one which read: 'Further Therapy Recommended'. She took a deep breath as her pen tip hovered over another box. She exhaled and checked it as well. This box read 'Removal Into Foster Care Recommended'. She jotted down a quick note in beautiful cursive, 'Said patient has severe mental walls which were in effect caused by emotional neglect from her parents. Temporary or permanent removal from environment highly recommended.' Signing her name, she quickly faxed the paper before she could change her mind. She heaved a big sigh and allowed a small tabby cat to jump into her lap and settle down. Dr. Bliss stroked her pet absentmindedly as she remarked quietly, "Helga is going to hate me."
----
It was a blustery October morning at P.S.118, and Mr. Simmons, having followed them to the fifth grade, was just greeting them.
"Good morning, all my special people. I know that some of you might be antsy bet let's remember that today is still a day of learning, even if it is Friday. Oh and Helga you have to report to the office, you have a visitor."
Helga sat up genuinely confused then faded into nonchalance, saying, "Hmmm....mabe Miriam woke up and brought me an edible lunch for once. Be right back, Pheebs, hold my calls." Helga smiled at her best friend as she left the classroom. Phoebe giggled and watched Helga walk out before reminiscing about the summer.
Fifth grade! The old gang sure had a hectic summer, saving the neighborhood from being turned into a mall, although it really was all Arnold and Gerald's doing. Overall nothing much had changed, Harold still had a passion for Mr. Fudgie bars and Chocolate Num-nums and Rhonda still enjoyed the finer points of life including fashion and popularity, but was surprisingly growing more and more tolerant of Sid's flirting. Eugene was growing out of his clumsiness and the nickname, 'Jinx' was used more in friendliness rather than in derision. Helga too had changed, she was being nicer and was easier to talk too, although Phoebe had always known that.
----
Helga walked slowly to the office; she didn't feel like rushing things. When she got there she looked at the receptionist expectantly, saying, "Uh, you called me down?" Suddenly a tall woman stood up and held her hand out to Helga, "Hello I'm Ms. Tirran but you can call me Julie. You must be Helga, we need to talk."
Helga responded, "Hi bucko, pleased to meet you." Helga wouldn't have answered like that under normal circumstances, but Julie oozed a wishy washy manner that reeked of egotism. She acted as though she was God's gift to earth and felt it her duty to help out these pitiful people surrounding her. Ms. Tirran wore a smart business suit, her hair was short, brown and curly, and looked artificial. They walked in silence to Dr. Bliss's office, each trying to size the other up. Helga noted with pride that she had shocked Ms. Trillan with her frank, down-to-earth manner.
They seated themselves in two comfortable chairs. Julie started talking first, "Well, Helga. As I said before, I'm Julie and I work with Social Services in this area. I-"
Helga glared at her as she interrupted, "Listen, lady, if you're here to see if Big Bob is doing anything illegal, he isn't. And I think its stupid that you would ask me-"
Now it was Ms. Tirran's turn to break in,"No, no you don't understand Helga. I work in Social Services, specifically in the Children's Department. I'm here to tell you that you're going to be moved into a foster home for a while."
Helga was floored by the statement before she lashed out in an icy tone, "What? Who are you to decide that? Who said I needed to be moved into a foster home? Nobody ever heard me complain about negligence. I'll s-"
Again Julie interrupted, "Well, maybe you should've complained, Helga. Maybe it wouldn't have progressed this far."
Helga glared with such intensity that it stunned Julie into silence, "Listen, Ms. Tirran," she spat, "I'm not going into any foster home and don't you try and pin this on me-"
"Listen to you! I wouldn't be here talking to you right now if I didn't have enough evidence that you need to be moved. I've got the proof Helga, and it surprises me that you don't want to leave. Aren't you tired of the wrong name? Tired of living in a shadow? Tired of having to be independant to survive? We're doing this because we care, and because its whats best for you."
"What do you know of what's best for me? Listen lady and listen good, I didn't ask you to care and I don't want your sympathy!" Saying this, Helga banged out of Dr. Bliss's office. She hadn't cried for as long as she could remember, but her eyes teared up now. Sure, she was tired of it, but it didn't mean that she wanted to leave.
As she stormed through the hallways in emotional turmoil, she didn't notice Ms. Tirran walking behind her. She carefully wiped her eyes of any telltale signs of tears, and opened the door to her classroom. Mr. Simmons looked up to see a fairly upset Helga stamping into the room and a young woman mouthing, 'We need to talk' and turned to the class saying, "Class, since you've been so good, fifteen minutes of free time!"
Immediately, pandmonium broke out. Among her noisy classmates, Helga stomped back to her desk unnoticed. Well, not entirely unnoticed. Phoebe had seen Helga's older manner return as pushed Stinky and Sid out of the way to her desk. The petite Asian girl was immediately alert as she watched Helga place her head face down on the desk.
Phoebe picked up her voice and said, "Helga? Are you okay?" When the only response she got was silence, she repeated her question.
"I'm fine, Pheebs. Criminy, there's no need to mother me."
"Okay Helga," Phoebe then added more quietly, "You just looked like you needed to be mothered."
Another person noticed. Arnold had looked up when Helga entered. He saw the different emotions play across her face and shrugged it off. Helga was probably in a bad mood.
In front of his desk Mr. Simmons was listening to Ms. Tirran who spoke in a business like manner.
"Oh my. This, this is awful, I can't believe it. I'm so sorry."
Ms. Tirran brushed away his sympathy with, "Yes, yes we all are. Please tell Helga to meet me outside the school. Thanks."
Her heels clicked smartly as she exited the classroom, leaving Mr. Simmons to gaze at Helga.
----