October 10
Dear Daddy Longlegs,
Have you ever heard of Michelangelo? I thought I had, but I was wrong.
The other day in English class, the professor said, "Who can tell me something about Michelangelo?"
Just about every girl in the class raised her hand, so I was happy that she called on me.
I spoke up loudly, and everyone could hear me. "He was an angel."
What a mistake! The whole class burst out laughing!
Even the professor was trying to hide a smile.
"Anyone else want to try?" she said.
"Michelangelo was a famous artist who lived in Italy a long time ago," Julia Pendleton said.
"Everybody knows that."
"But he has angel right in the middle of his name!" I thought, blushing furiously.
The trouble with college is that everyone thinks you already know a lot of things.
But I never learned those things in the orphanage.
It's very embarrassing at times.
Now I keep quiet when the girls talk about something I've never heard of.
Then afterward I look it up in the encyclopedia.
You know, Daddy Longlegs, it isn't the work that's hard at college. It's the play.
Half the time I don't know what the girls are talking about.
I'm a stranger in a foreign country, and I don't understand the language.
It's a miserable feeling. But I've had it all my life.
In high school the girls would stand in groups and stare at me.
I was odd and different.
I felt like John Grier Home for Orphans was stamped across my forehead.
There was one nice girl. Sometimes she came over and said something polite.
"How are you today, Jerusha?"
Or "What did you think of the history test, Jerusha?"
Or "I really liked your story when the English teacher read it aloud."
But I hated every one of those high school girls.
And I especially hated the nice one.
I knew she only talked to me because she pitied me.
Nobody here knows that I grew up in an orphanage.
Not even Sallie McBride.
One day when we were walking, Sallie said, "You never talk about your family.
Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
"No, I'm an only child," I quickly replied.
"And I've never heard you mention your parents."
"That's because they're dead."
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Sallie said.
"I hope I didn't make you feel bad by asking about them."
I shook my head. "No, they've been dead a long time.
I'm only able to go to college because a kind old gentleman is sending me."
That's mostly true, right?
I just want to be like the other girls.
I just want to forget the John Grier Home and get on with my life.
At least Sallie likes me and is my friend.
I've just been reading over this letter.
It sounds pretty unhappy.
But that's probably because I have an essay due tomorrow and a geometry test.
And I have a very sneezy cold.
Oh, I almost forgot! Mrs. Lippett said that you wanted to know everything I'm learning.
Besides English and geometry, I'm taking Latin, French, and biology.
Yesterday the English professor had something nice to say about my latest paper.
"This shows a lot of originality," she said to the whole class.
Which made me feel better about the Michelangelo episode.
The John Grier Home aims to turn out 97 orphans who are all alike.
So it's amazing that I have any originality.
I hope I don't hurt your feelings when I say bad things about the orphanage.
But if I do hurt your feelings, you can stop my allowance.
I guess that's not a polite thing to say.
But you can't expect me to have any manners.
After all, I grew up in an orphanage!
Here's some more news:
I'm trying out for the freshman basketball team.
I'm short, but I'm quick and tough.
While the other girls are jumping, I dodge under their feet and grab the ball.
Practicing is fun!
We're outside in the fall air and the trees are all red and yellow.
Everybody is laughing and shouting.
These are the happiest girls I've ever seen—and I'm the happiest of all.
So there. I've thought of some cheerful things to tell you.
Don't be discouraged when my letters seem sad.
I really love college, and I love you for sending me.
The ten o'clock bell is going to ring in two minutes.
Our day is divided into sections by bells.
We eat and sleep and study by bells.
There goes the bell! Lights out.
Observe how seriously I take the rules here.
The John Grier Home has trained me well.
So I've said nice things about the orphanage too!
Sincerely,
Jerusha Abbott