Everybody Loved Sally

Sally was born April 30, 1970, in Trenton, NJ

 

raised by both parents and an older brother

at the age of seven she tried reefer and cigarettes

an “A” student, cheerleader and class president

voted most popular, and homecoming queen

 

her graduation day she sucked down Jack Daniels

when she was sober she was calm and directed

while under the influence she was uninhibited

she went to college on a full scholarship

 

her freshmen year she decided to drop acid

the same night she lost her virginity to six men

that morning she didn’t remember anyone's names

she thought by pledging a sorority it would erase

her ever growing reputation of being a college s**t

 

by her sophomore year she had her third abortion

her junior year she quit college and returned to NJ

she got her first job working the drive thru at McDonalds

later on she was diagnosed with depression

 

started popping pills from her lifelong family doctor

summer of 92 she tried crack cocaine and loved it

she went bankrupt in 93, car repossessed and homeless

turned her first trick three months later in a dark ally

 

vanished for six months after that

 

Sally Robinson, 24 years old, Trenton, NJ

died at 1:15 am from a single gunshot to the head

 

her first boyfriend asked her father why?

he blamed them and her friends

for not being there for her

he called her a true victim of society

 

the father in turn replied

Sally was a victim of her own doings

because she never fully could grasp

the true meaning of cause and effect

Author's Note

I don't believe in victims, I feel we make our futures by what we do today. If our lives are bad it is because we made choices that let us to that point. We all should learn and understand cause and effect at an early age it will help us make wiser decisions when we get older.

Reviews

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

born in a cycle of self devastation~ caught through~ ruptured~
powerful~ electric~a pure cautionary tale!~

how I do agree with you~ we are not doomed to be as we were raised~ not doomed to repeat the same mistakes~

Iota~ growing up~ I used to watch the brutality~ the alcoholism~ the infidelity and careless users who called themselves adults bleed out their souls around me through avenues that left them nothing but empty houses of self at the end~

I used to sit back~ desperate not be noticed~ there was always a price for being noticed~ whispering my private mantra for decades before I left skidmarks out of that environment at 16~
my mantra simple but it stuck and removed me from the gentic pool of crazy people with hard hands and hard souls~ "I am not like you, I will never be like you."

[bob, small b. aka invs]

as to the poem...great character study. if expanded, sally could be the protagonist of a novel, but i do like this short form.
as to message and the conclusion you draw from it... yes, we are a product of the decisions we make, but sadly for some, decisions are limited at an early age and, like a tree that is twisted as a sapling, the tree must grow bent if it's to grow at all. a lot of people are damaged not by their own decisions, but by their environment.

[Alex P.]

This isn't one of your usual writes, but it is powerful. More so because you're straying from your 'norm.' I half-agree with you on the whole victim thing. In Sally's case, yes, she did that to herself, chose the wrong things and didn't realize that there were consequences. This is a very saddening read, (as Chloe mentioned)

As for the victim thing, yes, there are victims. Not in Sally's circumstance, but victims of domestic abuse, for instance, or random acts of violence didn't bring it upon themselves. However, if people like Sally are blaming their problems on other people without doing anything to save themselves, then no, they cannot be called victims.

This poem raises a lot of bias and opinion from me, I believe your goal is reached. Mischief Managed.

[Faceless Love]

I think they are victims especially of abuse. Sometimes when you understand the outcomes it'll keep you from going that route in the first place.

Sad poem. Sally's story is an example of how to think for yourself and don't get caught up.

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

Sally was her own victim. This is a sad read, it is true in so many cases.
She should have made better choices... some do some don't.
I think there are victims ... of abuse mental and physical , sexual . I feel those types of abuse can leave a deep scar.

As for Sally's story she followed the crowd and lost her life .. so sad.

Chloe