“…like a sleepy baby”

I have a boy named Hector, an 8th grader, in my creative writing class this semester. He is often absent, and when he’s there he tends to sleep. I got him to write one thing so far, and the last few classes he wasn’t even present.

The writers are working on doing modern retellings of fairy tales and myths. I was not there Tuesday, but Hector was. My awesome guest teacher talked to Hector and encouraged him to write.

And write he did.

I was so surprised when I found his story “The Little Thug Who Just Needed a Hug” submitted in the draft folder. That title! It is a story about a boy who does bad things because he doesn’t feel love, his family abandons him, his grandmother dies and that lights a fire in him that can’t be extinguished. He finds a woman to talk to and tell his troubles, and when he is done he falls into her arms “like a sleepy baby”—this was the healing that was needed. Someone to listen and hold him. Heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

WOW.

I shared the story with his counselor, Betty, and the social worker. They were in tears. Betty went on to read the story to nearly everyone in the front office. She also talked to Hector, not revealing I shared his story but that I had mentioned he wrote something good. Hector explained to her that some of the story was fictionalized, but some was not.

As I was walking in the hallway I heard a student call out, “Hi Ms. Sadler.” I looked over and saw it was Hector.

I can say with confidence in the past he would have just ignored me. I chalk this up to another connection made through the power of the written word and telling stories that matter.