Poignant naivety.

The government’s new isolation rules didn’t affect Sam much anyway. Sam, an overweight war veteran with a common and emotionless face, couldn’t leave the house due to what Stacey’s mother called ‘homophobia’. The isolation, however, did effect Stacey, a skinny and wide eyed young girl from Western Australian. You see, ever since the new rules Stacey didn’t get her weekly visits from what mother called ‘a bunch of dickheads’ or more often the ‘kid snatchers.’ Stacey didn’t know quite how to feel about this because although her mother would perform what she told Stacey was simply a painful dance routine Stacey called ‘TELL THEM’ which always included a cacophony of swift arm movements from her mother directed at Stacey along with the things to tell the kid snatchers to prevent Stacey being snatched from her mother. However, in contrast to the mean, nasty people that her mother described, the kid snatchers always seemed so nice to Stacey. In fact, the kid snatchers would sometimes bring her favourite food in the whole world, chocolate, which she would gulp down cheerfully. They would even happily listen to Stacey chatter away about Olaf or Toothless and all her other friends from the TV. Stacey loved the TV and although she didn’t have any friends, she found company through the characters on the screen. Stacey thought Sam must also love the TV. Whenever Stacey’s Mum would her perform their dance routine, Stacey would run off to the bush in front of Sam’s front window so she could watch his TV. And so as Stacey sits outside Sam’s front window, a tear trickles down her bruised face, a result of her mother’s prior dance. Stacey observed that Sam watched very different shows to Stacey, with real people rather than the cartoons she loved. Stacey much preferred her shows to Sam’s. In fact, sometimes Sam’s shows made Stacey’s eyes water even more as they reminded her off the painful clothes off dance her Dad used to do with her before the kid nappers took him away to live in a palace far away. Sam didn’t know that Stacey would sit outside his window and as Stacey observed, he rarely left his couch. 

*

One particular afternoon, after her mum had taste tested all the adult soft drink in the house that was borrowed from the shop, Stacey sat outside on the front porch playing with some McDonalds toys she found on the sidewalk a few months ago. Stacey lived in a small brick house that had a small kitchen, bathroom and 2 bedrooms. As unlikely as it was, Stacey heard the unfamiliar sound of Sam watering his plants. Stacey thought Sam would be outside all day watering his plants given they were well and truly dead! Stacey wandered over to the fence boldly to let Sam know about his mistake. “G’day Stacey. How’s isolation treating ya?” he offered yet before Stacey could talk. Sam then proceeded to let out an audible gasp and urged “Lord, Sweetheart! What happened to your face darling?” Stacey shrugged off his worry and assured “That’s just Mum’s dance. These things happen sometimes but I just need to suck it up and I’ll live” Stacey conjured from the all too familiar teachings off her post-dance erratic mother. The look of concern cemented itself on Sam’s face. Stacey thought this might be because Sam has been outside his yard for too long now and his homophobia was getting more painful. “Say sweetheart…” Sam forced out his works looking over the fence to see if Stacey’s mother was about “how would you like to share a hot chocolate with me? Do you like chocolate?” Stacey’s eyes lit up as she forgot all about the new isolation rules. “Yes please!” Stacey squeaked.

*

“So Stacey, does your mother…dance… with you a lot?” Sam asked as Stacey slurped down her drink in a desperate and starved yet enthusiastic motion.

“Sometimes.” Stacey replied absentmindedly “We mostly dance after she taste tests the special soft drink. Dad did his dance with me more than mum. But the kid snatchers took him to live in a special castle, so I don’t see him anymore. I like mum’s dance better…” Stacey trailed off as her knees went wobbly and her hands shaky. Sam felt a jab of pain in his stomach at the look of pain stirring in young Stacey’s eyes and swallowed a mouthful of vomit that had involuntarily come up at the news of her father’s treatment.

*

The kid snatchers, who Sam called child protective officers, took Stacey from Sam to a strange white building full of real-life kids just like her. Stacey had never been this close to other kids before in her life. She felt a strange feeling in her stomach which she was told is called nerves. She was asked many questions and told many things that she didn’t understand by many strange people. After a week in the new big place and many nights away from home, Stacey started to wonder if she’d get to go back to her mother soon. Stacey missed her mother.

*

Stacey talked and played with her new friends often just like the characters on her TV back home would play with each other. Life was much better for Stacey. 

*

Stacey rarely thought of home anymore and Nancy, her therapist, gave many useful tricks to help deal with the trauma of her parents abuse. 

*

Stacey was to be adopted today by a young couple. Stacey felt nervous yet excited. It had been 1 year since her treatment began.

*

Stacey greeted her Mum, who was cooking dinner in the kitchen, after coming home from her first day of grade 3. There was some sherry on the kitchen bench that made Stacey feel slightly nauseated to see. Stacey took 10 deep breathes like she learnt to do with Nancy. Her mum noticed Stacey’s reaction and rushed to give her a warm hug. A warm tingly feeling filled her up and a large smile came across her face which hasn’t been bruised in years. Life was good.