Dear J. Parker

**Real names have not been used to protect the identity and privacy of people**

Dear J. Parker,

I am not sure if you remember that one day,

you first heard a six-year-old say,

“No, I don’t know how to brush my hair,”

With a look of shame and sadness in her stare.

-

I remember like it was yesterday,

All the neighborhood kids at play,

Down S&S’s driveway,

Me with a comb and you with (water) detangling spray.

-

With the first brush stroke you said “Oh, I’m sorry. That had to hurt!”

But pain for me was easy to divert.

I replied with “No, it didn’t hurt, I’m kind of use to pain.”

“My daddy taught me self-defense and would always say it’s all in my brain.”

-

I remember hearing the whispers, “she probably gets beat at home.”

Then I heard you say, “her hair is so bad, I can’t through this with a comb.”

With my father’s voice in my head saying, “never let them see you break.”

Holding back tears, my sanity I had to fake.

-

When you were done, you told me to smile,

“There it is, I’m sure no one has seen that in a while.

You told me to go home and change into whatever I want, just coordinate.

I could not run home any faster or accelerate.

-

J Parker you probably think that all you did was combed my hair,

But you did more than that, you made me aware,

Aware that kindness from others does exists,

And that life wasn’t only filled with yelling and balled up fists.

-

I realized that it was ok to receive help from others,

The Lord knows I wasn’t getting any from my parents or brothers.

I also learned what love for others is supposed to look like,

It certainly is not chasing each other around with knives.

-

I wasn’t even the bad kid,

But I always got in trouble for what they did.

Always treated like that black sheep,

They couldn’t see the GOAT inside of me!

-

Still till this this day, yes, even now,

I haven’t gotten answers to my why’s, what’s, and how’s.

But I do know one thing, I know what good vs bad is,

And if I learned anything at all it is this,

-

You showed love and empathy for a little girl you hardly knew,

Yes, I am your younger sister’s friend, but that you didn’t have to.

So, let’s not get it twisted or even a little misconstrued,

Your one act of kindness, for that I sincerely, truly, and deeply appreciate you.

-

Yours truly,

Steffany (Sunshine) Pope

P.S.

Look, your survivor is showing.

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