I saw Jodie – a wisp of a girl with straw-colored hair and big, downcast Bambi eyes – before I created her.
That image generated her idiosyncrasies and eccentric behavior. I reckoned she was bashful and quiet. I reasoned she immersed herself in TV shows, movies and books that sheltered her from a harsh world.
And I wondered how she would respond when forced out of her comfort zone and into college’s demanding social environment. How would she contend with obnoxious roommates, intrusive acquaintances, and the opposite sex?
At times, her journey into the real world breaks my heart. I want her to confront her secrets and fears and seek help for her depression. But I remind myself she’s a kid living in a not-so-distant past when many people refused much-needed therapy and concealed their use of antidepressants.
Jodie does recognize her problems and she’s good at keeping her most obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior to herself. Oh, she occasionally slips up (“Blossom” and “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” come to mind), but she realizes most people do not worry about a soap opera character’s love life or clean a spotless mirror.
That’s why her journey also thaws my heart. I applaud her for standing up to her obnoxious roommates and for hanging out with Dana and Steph. I enjoy the new friendships she forges. The ease at which she accepts Laura, Chet and Leo into her life as well as the strengthening of her bond with Eleanor and Callie help her to experience a fuller life.
And to have some fun along the way.
A print version of “Someone She Always Has Known” will soon be available. The ebook is now available at: http://www.amazon.com/Someone-She-Always-Known-ebook/dp/B00CJYJ330/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367536240&sr=1-1&keywords=someone+she+always+has+known
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