By Eva Joy Musick
This is the story of Heather, a 13-year-old girl who wanted to become anorexic. Naturally being 17 and having dealt with it in my past, I was all too happy to lend her my advice. "Give me a day with her," I told Heather's mother, who was worried sick. She agreed.
"I hear you want to become anorexic," I said as we drove to my place. "Yeah, so what? Don't try to tell me all the bad things about it and how it will kill me and . . . "
"Oh no. You've got me all wrong. I'm here to welcome you into the club!" She looked at me with shock and amazement.
"What are you talking about?"
"I said I'm here to welcome you to the club. I was anorexic once. Now I just recruit new girls."
When we got to my place I gave her a pen and paper. "Now write down everything you enjoy and love in life." She looked at me blankly. "Go ahead." She did as I told her.
While she was writing, the phone rang. It was Shawna. She and Nikki were going out for pizza and wanted to know if I would come. I told them about Heather and that I wanted her to come, too. They said fine and I got ready to go.
"All done," she said.
"Let's see. You've got friends, family, and guys. Is that all? Let's put down life and your future too. Okay?" She nodded. "Now we're going out with some of my friends to eat pizza. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," she said smiling. I slipped the paper into my purse as we left for the pizza place.
When we arrived, Shawna and Nikki were waiting a a table with the pizza. We sat down and I reached for a slice. Heather also reached for one. "You can't do that remember? You're anorexic," I said to her pushing back her hand.
"But you're eating!" she exclaimed.
"That's beside the point. Anyway, I just recruit anorexics now, I'm not one."
"UH!" She slouched back in her chair. In a few minutes, five young teens walked in. They all seemed to recognize Heather and came over. "Hey!" she exclaimed.
"Are you Heather's friends?" I asked.
"Yeah. You wanna sit with us, Heather?" one of them asked. Heather started to get up but I held her arm.
"I'm sorry but she can't hang out with you," I said returning to my pizza.
"Why?" one of the others exclaimed.
"Because she's anorexic now and she can't have friends," I said.
"What are you talking about?" Heather shouted.
"No need to get upset. You may as well start out right. Anorexics don't have time for friends. Do they Nikki?"
"No, you didn't have time for us when you were anorexic," Nikki agreed.
"Sorry Heather, but anorexia is your only friend now. You want to stay thin don't you?" She lowered her head.
On the drive home I went very slowly. We passed a couple on a bridge kissing softly. "You see that Heather?"
"Yeah."
"Well, mark guys off your list. You won't have any now."
"Don't anorexics have boyfriends?"
"Some do. But they don't really have time for love. They're too busy thinking about their weight."
An old woman
Then we passed an old woman sitting on her front porch. "Look, Heather. At least you won't have to worry about being like that." I said.
"But she looks happy," Heather said.
"True but you won't be happy or old."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You'll die before you're old enough to even have a future. Speaking of which, get that piece of paper out of my purse, will you?" She did as I asked. "Okay. Now take the pen in the dashboard and mark off friends, guys, life, and future." She looked up at me.
"All that's left is family!"
I looked at her. "Mark that off, too."
"WHAT!" She screamed.
"Well you can't expect to love them can you?" I said.
"I love my family, okay? And if you can't deal with that I don't care!" She began banging her fist into the door. By that time I had stopped in front of her house.
"But you won't have time for them."
"Don't tell me that because I will! I will have time and you know why? Because you're crazy! Being thin isn't worth all that!" She yelled as she got out of the car and slammed the door.
I wish I had read this before. Not that I got to that extreme, but it still may of stopped me from getting to where I am now.
