Lessons From the Hue

Typically, a writer waits until the end of the series before he/she discusses lessons or insights with the reader, but I think it is prudent to do it now.

A number of people have contacted me about “Annabelle”, wonderign why she would ever keep working this horrid job. Certainly she has asked herself how much of this she could take. I haven’t asked her to go into detail about what keeps her there, because I don’t have to. I know my friend.

The theme of “The Hue” is about choices. We all have to make them.  Long time Readers of my blog know that I got pregnant out of wedlock, and despite pressure to have an abortion, I chose to keep my baby. My future was not a mystery to me. I knew that the child’s father was irresponsible and would provide scat financial support, and he has largely stuck to the typical script that you would expect of a man in this situation. Fortunately, I married my college sweetheart and Douche Bag is a non-factor in how I raise my child.

Similarly, Annabelle made a decision to take and keep this job, although she did not have the foresight to predict any of this madness. I mean, how could she? How could any of us? My friend is hanging in there with this position because it is a means to an end, not the end itself.

Annabelle had any number of choices. She could have stayed here on my sofa until she became a part of it. She could be down at Woodruff park or in L.A. occupying and destroying public property so that she could be part of a “conversation” (about NOTHING). She could be selling her body for crack. But her choice was to change career choices, escape the madness of corporate America, and work as a private individual. Little did she know, nannying brought its own kind of crazy with it. Perhaps she has jumped from the frying pan into the fire – but at least she jumped.

I want to go ahead and defend my friend NOW, because although the comments are light and humorous now, I can see a trend towards them becoming judgmental. None of us knows what we would do or how we would react to any situation until we were in it. I myself never thought that I could set a whole town on fire until I gave birth, and I know that if my child ever went missing or was hurt, I would set ablaze every structure in my path until she was found or I were arrested.

As we continue on with The Hue, but let’s not judge Annabelle so harshly. She’s got bills, just like the rest of us.

Annabelle, you keep your head up, ya hear?!