Insights into Wendy Dakin's Life

The First of Many Meetings

I first met Scripps when I was five.

It was my parents suggestion going to the park that day. And a fine day that was. The sun was shining, the breeze ruffled my dark locks and the clouds were few to none in sight. It was the start of a very happy memory.

My mother, Denise, was an office worker pulling in the hours from dusk to dawn. It was only recently that women were fully accepted in the workplace, though there are still some amnosity towards the other sex from, well, the other sex in the workforce. But my Ma did what she could to provide us with a reasonable lifestyle. It was an unconventional lifestyle for Ma, Darin and I.

But dad, he was working overseas in America as a teacher of sorts. We rarely get to see him, but when we do it's always a memory full of laughter, smiles and good times.

And that day at the park, we were with Ma and Dad.

Dakin and I were running around in coveralls running away from our dad. You know how they play that game of monster, how the dad is the monster chasing after the kids? I don't know why but it was always great fun. Stuart and I, split up and off in separate directions, causing our father to run after one of us, and that was Stuart. Stuart ran off squealing as dad got closer and closer. But that's all I knew since I started to run down a hill, and low and behold, I tripped. So I went tumbling down a hill and landed in a mud patch. Don't tell me it was bad luck that it happened, but to me it was fate.

So here I am sitting a mud patch soaked from head to toes in cold slimy mud. I didn't cry, I think I was too shock to cry out. But then a voice had called out asking out if I was okay. I still didn't respond. It was only then that I noticed a hand stuck out in front of my face. That hand was connected to a boy, around my age, with freckles covering his face, light brown eyes and tousled blonde hair.

"Do you need a hand?"

I nodded numbly and grasped his hand with my slightly cold and muddy hand. He helped pull me up out of the mud patch, and grabbed something from his pocket. It was a handkerchief. White with blue edging, he unfolded it and cleaned my hand. He then placed it in my hand and smiled, he had two front teeth missing,

"This will help you get clean, er cleaner then you are now." He chuckles and scratches the back of his head.

I use the hanky to clean my face, so that I could see properly. When I could see better, the boy had his head cocked to the side, staring at me in a boyish curiosity.

"Who are you?"

I stared back at him, rubbing at my mouth, to get rid of the foul tasting mud, before I answered back.

"Wendy. My names Wendy."

"Oh, then nice to meetcha Wendy," he sticks his hand out to shake, "My names Donald Scripps."

I shook his hand and was smoky shyly at this nice boy. We stopped shaking hands and stared at each other in silent curiosity. Donald looked like he was dressed in his Sunday best, was he one of those chrissy-chrast-er praying people? But before I could ask a nicely dressed and and lady walked up to Donald. They were scolding him for running off after the church meeting, or something. His Ma and Pa didn't notice me standing there, with mud dripping my ratty hair, until his Ma hugged him and noticed me.

"Oh dear, and who are you little one?"

I opened my mouth a little to speak, but Donald spoke instead for me,

"She said he name was Wendy Ma. I found sitting in this mud pool, I dunno why she was in it but I helped her out, like you told me to Pa!" He was looking towards his Ma then his Pa in silent pride. His Pa ruffled his hair chuckling slightly, he then looked at me,

"Wendy as in Wendy Dakin, Rufus' girl?" He asked me.

I nodded my head, and he smiled kindly at me.

"Don't worry Wendy, I'm a friend of your Dad's. We went to school together." His smile was soft and warm, "Can you tell me and Theresa here, why you were sitting in this mud patch?"

I nodded my head and began to recount my tale of playing monsters and tripping down the hill. As I continued speaking I grew a bit confident talking to this nice family. As I was talking, Donald's Ma was wiping my face and arms down with Donald's handkerchief. When I finished talking. Donald's Pa was chuckling at me, he then promised to help me find my family.

We walked back up the hill and looked for Dad, Ma or Stuart. We found them eventually, Ma ran up to me and ran hugged me, not really caring about the mud getting on her clothes. She thanked Donald's parents, while Dad shook Donald's Pa's hand. Dad introduced Stuart to the Scripps family, and Donald's family did the same.

We parted with farewells and promises to catch up later.

I was wrapped up in dads coat and in his arms while Ma was holding Stuart, as we walked home.

It was the first but not the last meeting with Donald 'Saint' Scripps. But it was one of the most memorable meetings in my mind.

"Oi! Wendy! Are you gonna stare in through the window anymore? What's so interesting about the outside world?" Stuart's voice jolts me out of memory lane. I realised that I had been staring out of the window for the past 10 minutes, meaning class was over. I looked over towards Stuart and saw that Donald was standing next to him. His hair had darkened over time settling to a light brown, and his eyes had darkened as well, settling on a dark brown, which were staring at me with amusement.

"Do I amuse you now, Donald?"

He just chuckles, "You always manage to amuse me Wendy."

"Okay if I amuse guys that much you can continue on without me, I'll be out shortly. Okay?"

Stuart salutes me and Donald just nods his head. They walk out the door shoving each other and talking about the woes of Irwin. I begin to collect my belongs and track them away. Sliding my bag on my shoulder and walking out of the classroom into the crowded hallway, I venture my way of of the testosterone filled school. I survived, but there was a few times that I caught some bravely foolish boys trying to flick my skirt up. Sigh might as well tell Stuart about this. Might teach the boys some respect. Walking across the courtyard, a white piece of fabric fell out of my bag.

Stopping, I reached down and picked it up. It was the handkerchief that Donald had given me years ago. It was softer then it originally was after continual washing, it was faded, but it still held the memory of that meeting. I started to smile stupidly at the handkerchief.

"Come ON Wendy! Dads gonna be home tonight!" Stuart yelled across the courtyard.

"Okay I'm coming!" I shouted back, shoving the handkerchief into my jacket pocket. I ran across the courtyard towards the only two constants in my life, I felt the handkerchiefs comforting weight in my pocket, and saw Stuart's and Donald's smiles, I felt like tonight was going to be a good night, and maybe even tomorrow.