Free as a Bird Read Online Free PDF Page B

off. One minute she’s sitting peacefully, the next she’s scratching and biting anyone within reach. I don’t mean to scare you, but you have to be on guard with her.”
    â€œThank you, Nurse. I read Ruby Jean’s report and I’m aware of her history. But I feel confident that with the right stimulation we won’t have any problems.” Then she reached out to shake my hand. “Would you like to go out with me today, Ruby Jean?” I dint answer her. But I must’ve been smilin cause she said, “Great, let’s go.”
    Me an Grace walked to the locked meddal door.
    Morris said, “Good luck.”
    Then Millie said, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. And by the way, she’s a runner too so keep a good hold of her.”
    Somebody started laughin down at the nurses’ station.
    Grace dint say nothin back. She jus looked at me an whispered, “We’ll be fine, won’t we?”
    She unlocked the door an we went down the stairs that made the echo. I still liked to stomp my feet hard like when I was eight an came to Woodlands for the first time. But Grace dint squeeze my hand an say, “Stop it, Ruby Jean. Just stop it.”
    I was feelin awful good that day — yup, awful good. I guess cause I was dressed like a pink flower an had sticky hair an was outside takin a walk. Me an Grace walked for a long time. We walked passed the wards, an the rec centre, an passed the garden too. After a long while we got to a nice liddle brown house. In all my time at Woodlands I never saw that house before. It hadda front door — not a meddal one — an it wasn’t locked neither. It dint look zackly like the house I lived in before I was eight, but it had a kitchen, a bathroom, an a nice room to sit in. I felt happy bein inside that house — yup, awful happy.
    â€œThis old house was where the B.C. penitentiary warden used to live,” Grace said. “But now we’ve got it and I’ll be bringing you here for training every day, Ruby Jean. You’re going to learn how to take care of yourself. We’re going to make sure you can wash yourself, brush your teeth, comb your hair — and even pick out your own clothes. Then when you’re ready, maybe you’d like to learn how to make yourself something to eat — like toast, a salad, and maybe even how to make Mrs. Jiffy muffins. How does that sound?”
    I dint answer her. But I knowed I was smilin cause I liked to eat an those Mrs. Jiffy muffins sounded awful licious.
    â€œGood. Then let’s get started,” Grace said.
    First thing Grace did was teach me how to wash my face an hands. Millie already done that fore she combed my hair an made it sticky. But I dint mind doin it again with Grace. That’s cause she said I had to learn to do it for myself. She said there’s a lotta things to member. First, I had to put the plug in the hole … then turn on the cold water an then the hot water. Grace said, “Don’t let the water get too hot, Ruby Jean — we don’t want it to burn you.” After I made the facecloth wet I had to squeeze it. One time I forgot to squeeze. Grace said, “Never mind. Your shirt will dry.” Nother time I forgot an got Grace wet. She said, “Never mind. My shirt will dry.” Then I got soap in my eyes an it hurt a lot. I was moanin like the dickens but dint have no feelin to bite or hit. Nope, dint wanna do that a’tall. Grace told me, “Just keep practising, Ruby Jean. You’ll get it.”
    After that Grace said it was time to go. I dint wanna go an wished I could stay in the liddle house forever.
    â€œRuby Jean, you’ve done very well today. I can tell you’ll be able to learn many things in this program. Tomorrow we’ll practise what you learned, then try some new things — like brushing your hair and teeth. Would you like that?”
    I dint answer her, but I was smilin.