2819. The door is always open © Bruce Goodman 19 August 2023

“The door is always open” were the last words Jazzlyn heard her parents say as she walked out the door. She was all of fifteen and going out on the street to live with her boyfriend. Her parents had done their best to get her to stay, but she was so determined that all they could say in the end to their only child was “The door is always open.” The first days for Jazzlyn were great, but she started to miss a few home comforts. Of course she was far too stubborn to admit she was wrong, so she settled into street life with determination. After two months she had a huge row with her boyfriend. He took off; Jazzlyn didn’t know to where. She was at the mercy of other street kids. It was rightly called an urban jungle. Another month passed and Jazzlyn had learned enough to be street-wise and less stubborn. “Some have to learn to grow up faster than others,” she said. She would return home and admit she was wrong. Home she went. The door wasn’t open, in fact, it was securely locked. Jazzlyn knocked. A strange lady answered the door. “Oh didn’t you know?” she said. “Apparently they were killed in a car accident about two months ago.” Contact Author Back to Index Next Story Previous Story