The Girl Most Likely To … - Part 61
By Barbara Lynn Terry

Chapter 1 - The Pine Meadows Home For Adolescent Girls.

Pine Meadows County deputy sheriff sergeant, Naomi Petersen, during her patrols, would stop in at the Pine Meadows Home For Adolescent Gils. This is where she was made an honorary sister. This is an honor not bestowed lightly by the resident girls.

On this particular day, Naomi picked up Renée from school and proceeded to the Home. Today, Debra Sanger turns sixteen. The Whole house staff would be there. This was a very special occasion for all the girls, because their birthdays were never forgotten.

It would be very nice if at least one of their parents showed up for the celebration. But, even with the girls, house staff and the superintendent, whom the girls called grandma, the particular birthday girl felt that she was loved and appreciated.

Rachel was already at the Home, because she went to school on the grounds of the Pine Meadows Home For Adolescent Girls. Renée was not a resident of the Home, and she went to the Pine Meadows High school in town. But, Renée, like Naomi, was an honorary sister of the Home.

Dinner on these birthday days, was buffet style. After the girls have eaten something nutritious, which included vegetables, they would wait about an hour before they had the cake. But, this just wasn’t have the cake and sing happy birthday, no, there was going to be an actual party.

Renée and Naomi went in to the house. They were met by hugs and cheek kisses.

“Thank you for coming, sister Naomi and sister Renée,” Debra Sanger siad cheerfully.”

“I wouldn’t have missed this for the word,” Naomi answered.

“I wouldn’t have neither,” Renée responded.

Janice Peyton, who was living down the road, also came to the party with her mother. She gave Naomi and Renée hugs and cheek kisses. She gave Debra the same, and wished her a happy birthday. Joy Carver said that she couldn’t wait until she was thirteen. Jan, the morning house mother, told Joy not to grow up too quickly. Jan told Joy to be a child while she can.

“Just remember, Joy, you are only a child for eighteen years. The rest of your life from that age, is as an adult. So, if you live to be one hundred years old, that means that eighty two years of your life is spent as an adult. There are many responsibilities that you will face as an adult. Do not grow up too fast.”

“Thank you, Jan,” Joy said, with understanding.

Wanda Jameson, whom the girls call auntie, would also be at Debra’s party. Wanda loved these girls, and did what she could for them. Wanda let the girls come to her house to play cards, maybe make cookies, do a little sewing, and many other things.

Wanda was still living in her little cottage, while her house was being rebuilt. But, this cottage was really a two story guest house, for when she had compnay. The girls loved aunt Wanda, and had her over for dinner many times.

Grandma Wells, the superintendent, would also be at the party. Then Sharon Hardesty remembered that the preteen girls would also like to go to the party. Children under thirteen just lived for parties of one kind or another.

Jan called city hall and asked to speak to the director of the community center. When he came on the phone, Jan explained their dilemma.

“I don’t see why not, Jan. These girls need this away space. So, by all means, use the community center.”

Jan phoned the other house, and told the house mother what was planned. The preteen house mother, Dawn MacGregor, agreed that this would give the girls something to do, to show they could be trusted to behave. There were only ten girls in the preteen house. The teens would help look after them.

Since there was no school tomorrow, the party would actually go until everyone was tired. The younger girls would tire out before the teens would. The Home’s bus would take the preteen girls back to their house. But, that would be all right, because at least they would have had fun. A lady showed up at Mrs. Wells office with several wrapped presents in her arms. She asked where Debra Sanger was, and Mrs. Wells took her to the house.

“I am looking for Debra Sanger,” the woman said, laying the presents on the table in the foyer. Jan went to get Debra. Jan told her there was a woman downstairs looking for her. Debra went downstairs and saw the presents on the table. Then she looked at the woman, and ran to her.

“MOM!” Debra screeched. Then Debra started crying.

“There, there, dear. Tomorrow, you are coming home with me. Your father is no longer living with us.”

“But, what about what the court said?”

“That is all taken care of. The judge has reviewed your case, and agrees with me, that you belong home. I had wanted you home long before this, but your father wouldn’t allow it. He wouldn’t even let me come to see you.”

“Oh mom,” Debra said through her tears. “I love you.”

“I have never stopped loving you, dear. I understand there is going to be a party for you tonight.”

“Yes, Mrs. Sanger, we are going by bus to the community center in town. All the girls from both houses will be going to this party. The other house is where the prepubescent girls are. They will probably tire out first.”

“What is your name?” Asked Debra’s mother.

“I’m Jan, I am the first shift house mother.”

“It is nice to meet you Jan. My name is Jean.”

Jan was a little bewildered by the appearance of Jean Sanger. Jan had not been notified that there was going to be a discharge from the Home.

“Jean, does Mrs. Wells, our superintendent, know about Debra’s leaving?” Jan asked.

“Yes, she does. I came over here from her office.”

Just then the phone rang. Madelline answered it. Madelline then came out of the office.

“Jan, Mrs. Wells just called. Debra Sanger will be discharged in the morning. She has to get her school trascript for Debra’s mother to take with her.”

“Alright, Maddy. I was a little bewildered how come we weren’t notified about this on first shift”

“Jan, Mrs. Wells didn’t know about this. She found out when I came with the court order, releasing Debra in to my custody. See, it wasn’t my choice to send Debra here. It was her father’s. Well, the divorce is final today. I was told if he comes near the house, or me, or even Debra, I am to call the police. Debra’s new school will have it so he can’t pick her up from school for any reason.”

“Well. All right then. You have to understand that our responsibility is for Debra’s safety. But, for tonight, we are having a party. We will talk more about this tomorrow.”

“Jan, I think we should have all of the staff here when we do talk. I will tell you all what I have planned for Debbie,” Jean Sanger told Jan, “I am staying at the hotel in town.”

“Alright, Jean, We will have our conference tomorrow at ten in the morning. Ladies, if we are ready, the bus is waiting. Let’s all get to the community center.

The girls all filed in to the bus. The younger girls were already aboard. There was enough room for the teens and the staff. When everybody was seated, the driver closed the door, and they were off to Debra’s sixteenth birthday celebration.

Chapter 2 - Debra’s birthday celebration.

The girls arrived at the community center. Jan, Debra’s mother, and the rest of the staff made sure the girls got in to the community center. Then, Jack Olsen, Jan and Jean Sanger went out to the bus to get the presents.

A banner supplied by Jim’s Hardware Emporium read: HAPPY SIXTEENTH DEBRA in twelve inch gold lettering. There were other decorations as well. As the girls went in to the community center, they saw the merchants at work. Unknown to the girls, grandma Wells had made a few phone calls. This is why the merchants all knew about the party. Of course, this was not the first birthday party they took part in.

Tommy Barker, Tom Bradley, Jim Buckman, David Evers, Alan McBride and Wyatt (Red) Watson, went to the party also. Jim, David, Alan, and Wyatt, were friends of Tommy Barker’s. It is amazing who you can invite with a few phone calls from Ms. Joan Wells, the Home’s superintendent.

Tommy Barker called his friends. He wanted those friends who would be decent toward the girls. He told them that there would be dancing, square in ledancing, and live music.

Everyone was at the community center in less than thirty minutes. The girls, seeing Tommy, wanted to know what all the boys were doing there. Tommy explained they were there to dance with the girls. What Tommy didn’t tell his friends, is that there would also be karaoke.

This was going to be a birthday party that the Home always puts on. But this one, Debra Sanger would remember for the rest of her life.

The local live band was already playing “Anywhere For You” by the Backstreet Boys. The band would play a mixture of current and oldies songs. The girls right away, as they entered the community center, started doing dance steps to the music. The song they were playing, was actually requested by Debra’s mother. Tommy went over by Sharon Hardesty and asked her to dance. The party was now in full swing. Ton Bradley asked Rachel to dance, and the other boys asked other girls to dance.

There was rock ‘n’ roll to dance to all during the party. But, since there were more girls than boys, the boys danced with as many as they could. When this song was finished, Tommy asked Debra to dance with him.

This time the band played the 1966 song Elusive Butterfly by Bob Lind. This was a slow dance, so Tommy put his right arm around Debra’s waist, and his left hand in her left one. They danced around the floor. When the song was over, Tommy went to dance with another girl.

Tommy was a respectable as well as a respectful young man of sixteen. He never thought that he was God’s gift to the world. He was taught that his strength was for doing hard work, and helping others. Tommy’s father always told him that without hard work, he would end up like a bum or even worse. This is another reason Tommy stayed in school.

The music was loud to the chagrin of the staff, who wore earplugs. While the teen girls danced, the younger girls also having fun. Some of the younger girls were actually doing dance steps, while others were just kind of hopping. But everybody was having fun in their own way.

Tom Bradley and Rachel sat down. Tom went to get them both drinks. Rachel wanted a Dr. Pepper, while Tom took a Coke. He also brought back a thing of nachos for something to snack on. Then Tom started talking.

“You are very pretty, Rachel. I want to know if you would like to go steady?”

“Oh Tom, I … I will have to think about this. I mean, this is so sudden.”

“Take all the time you need. There is one thing you never have to worry about; I will not press you to have sex or do anything that is not decent. We have all taken an oath together, that we will be decent with all the girls. Not just the ones from the Home, but girls everywhere. So, you take all the time you need.”

The band started playing the Katy Perry song “I Kissed A Girl”. Tom and Rachel got up to dance. The chaperons were busy putting up the food on the buffet table. Even though the food was catered by Glenn’s Eatery, the chaperons put it out the way they wanted it. The juice and sodas were already out.

As they danced, Rachel rested her head on Tom’s chest. She was thinking about what Tom had asked her. She did know that she would have to talk to Jan about this. She would also talk to her sisters, too.

The song ended, and everybody milled around, just talking about nothing, mostly. This was a party for one of the sisters that was leaving the next day. The best sweet sixteen birthday present anyone of the girls at the Pine Meadows Home For Adolescent Girls could have.

Debra’s mother was watching her as she danced with this boy and that boy. She saw that her little girl was having fun. Jean Sanger knew that Debra would like it at her new school, as they had dances and holiday celebrations throughout the school year.

The next song played was was a real oldie by the Dovells called “You Can’t Sit Down”. Debra was asked to dancd by Tommy Barker. As they danced, Rachel and Tom Bradley were once again on the danc floor. Since this was a fast song, The couples that were dancing, were twirling around the dance floor like tornadoes. All the chaperons were swaying to this music, also.

When this song was finished, Ms. Joan Wells called the girls to come and have something to eat. The teen girls lined up behind the younger girls. Some of the teens helped the littler girls take only what food they could eat. Sharon Hardesty, Joy Carver, Janice Peyton, and Renée Richards helped the five and six year olds take their food to a table.

After everybody had their food, there was a buzz in the community center that sounded like chipmunk chatter. But, all it was, was everybody talking at the same time. Even the chaperons were talking amomgst themselves, while watching the children.

Rachel talked with her sisters about what Tom Bradley had asked her. She didn’t know if this was the right move for her at this time. Sandra Erickson looked at Rachel and told her that she should think more avout wgo she is, then decide whether she is ready for a steady boyfriend.

“She is so right, sister Rachel,” Darlene Simpson said. “You and only you, sister Rachel, can answer that question. Are you actually ready to go steady with a boy? You can talk to us, and we can tell you how it was and is with us, but in the end, sister Rachel, it is you that has to answer that question.”

“I will talk with Jan and see what she says, too. I want to talk to everyone I can, before I do make my decision. I mean, Tom Bradley seems like a nice boy.”

“All the boys are nice,” Stephanie Reading told Rachel. “I think the boys that live here, were told they had to nice to girls. But, I think it is more that they show the respect that they want people to give them. See, sister Rachel, here in Pine Meadows, it takes a village. That can’t happen, unless everybody practices what that means.”

Jim Buckman came over to the group. “Hey, this is a party, so no gloomy guses tonight. Darlene would you like to dance?”

“Yes, Jim, I would love to,” Darlene answered him.

Alan McBride asked Renée if she would like to dance.

“Yes, Alan McBride, I would love to dance.”

Wyatt (Red) Watson walked over to Connie Stevenson, and asked her to dance. Connie held out her hand, and they both walked to the dance floor. The band was playing the 1974 song “Seasons In The Sun” by Terry Jacks. This was a semi-fast song, but the dancers were swinging around the dance floor like two squirrels chasing each other.

Making out never once crossed the boys minds. They were there to have fun. But, a girl can hope. Right?

The younger girls were starting to tire. Some were falling asleep, others were just sitting down. Dawn MacGregor told Jan and Joan Wells that she was taking the younger girls back to the house. She told the bus driver to get the bus. Once the girls were on the bus, the driver headed for the Home.

The teens were still partying. Renée was dancing with Alan McBride. Rachel was still having fun with Tom Bradley. Everybody was having a blast.

After two hours went by, employees of Glenn’s Eatery brought out the cake. This was a two tier cake, That was only because of how many people were at the party. The lights went low and the candles were lit. Then everybody stood around the buffet table and joined hands. Then everyone started singing …

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Debra, happy birthday to you.”
“Make a wish and blow out the candles.”

Debra blew out the candles with one breath. Her wish will come true. Debra made the first cut in the cake. Jack Olsen finished cutting the cake. One slice for each of the younger girls hhwas set aside.

This cake was served ala mode. The younger girls would have it the same way. Debra would be there for the younger girls to sing happy birthday. Jean Sanger was a social worker that worked with troubled girls.
Unknown to Debra, her mother was accepted as a social worker for the Pine Meadows Home For Adolescent Girls. This way, with a separate social worker at the Home, the psychistrist didn’t have to do double duty.

Ms. Joan Wells welcomed Jean Sanger to the Pine Meadows family. As Jean went along, she would find out just how the Home was operated, and how the girls were treated and trusted.

Of course, this goes without saying, that Jean did a little investigating. She talked to the merchants, the police and sheriff officers. She talked to the school and found out that there were girls from the Home that attended school in town. Sat elevenhe also found out that the girls were well respected by all in town.

The party began to wind down. It was eleven thirty when most of the girls were tiring out. Ms. Wells told Jan and Madelline to have the bs brought around from the parking lot.

The driver brought the bus to the front door of the ncentner. The girls, without a grumblr, dragged themselves in to the bus. After everyone was seated, the driver headed for the Home. There was no usual chatter among the girls. The boys wished them a good night, then headed for their own homes.

Next xhapter: Debra goes home.