Does anyone else feel like there's going to be a break in the case rather soon? I have a strong gut feeling that this week will bring either more arrests or some information (for once!) about Brittney.
As I covered my kid up for school, said goodbye to my oldest and put the rest of my makeup on for my classes today... I realized how easy it would have been to be Brittney. I wasn't too far off, had a kid at the same age, definitely behaved and conducted myself the same. I did a LOT of stupid things that seriously didn't phase me. I hitchhiked, I moved to NYC with 75.00. I met strange men on mIRC chat rooms and went off to have relationships with them (and this was in the 90's!) they would pay my bus tickets and more than a few times I had to call people collect from payphones because I was stranded in a bad city far away.I had an ID (military) that I purchased from someone, and it gained me access to anywhere I wanted to go. Again, different era - people didn't suspect a military ID as being a fake one some kid would use to get into a bar or a job.
I disappeared into the world of raves/club kids. It wasn't hard at all. Not in the least, and in the end I was dragging a child along with me. Not the brightest or best years but Brittney isn't alone in her choices. She didn't have a good concept of motherhood, she had a child and realized "I'm 17!". That was pretty much what happened to me. I was deemed terrible but truly, I was a kid and having a child doesn't automatically change your perception of the world - not as a teen ... and not if you weren't raised and guided. I may come from wealth but I assure you one thing, I wasn't raised well at all. I was ignored, their (parents) life came before mine, various things like that. And yes, even drugs were present because wealthy people can afford the good stuff and believe me, the people they bring around aren't any better (in fact, I'd venture to say worse off because money is the root of all that's evil). I get it. That's why I'm passionate about this case and hope against it all that she did what I did and took off.
If someone would have taken my son from me or I lost custody, I wouldn't be sitting here today. I would have absolutely over dosed at some point or got myself into a really bad situation that I could NOT have talked my way out of (and believe me, I was raped - beaten, robbed and did overdose but managed to walk away and chalk it up to "that's the scene!...seriously). I talked a good game but like Brittney, I'm pretty small, and someone could have easily over powered me. I'm glad someone DID go to jail for the crimes committed against her. I live with knowing the person who did so to me (one of) is walking around and has children, i"m not his only victim either .. his sister bore his children. So I don't think money, aspects of culture ..really make much of a difference here. All of us girls in the sex industry ended up there with one common thread: abuse and the hole in our hearts where no one protected us or put us first.
I also know that Brittney ran with a tough crowd, or one that thought they were. She isn't a saint either, and could have said something that really upset someone and they finally made good on once idle threats (I've seen more than my share on FB). Her fate may never be known but I hope it is, and I hope it is soon. I hope she's alive because I somehow survived those years and I can't imagine her missing her child growing up and she herself growing into a woman. Right now she's a kid! She's just 2 years older than my son.
I don't judge her or her family. I know this life from both sides of the fence; being the child and being the parent making poor choices at an early age. The thing is, I stopped making those choices, confronted what had went on and owned up to it. I apologized and explained, I feel that was never done for her and if it was, she's far too stubborn and young to listen right now. She has pain that's obvious and part of that is just from growing up and the other end is where she came from. I just hope that anyone who's still recovering from substance abuse issues will continue to recover for her sake. I know it would be easy to "fall off" right now, to numb themselves to escape it but please don't (if you're reading this). It will serve no good, you'll have to face reality at some point.
Anyway, it's pouring rain and I'm off to classes.
Nevermind... class is not happening this morning and I have 61 pages of power point in NOTES to print out. I'll be around lol