a glimpse at the beginning

September 8, 1995

Dear Diary,

I saw Mrs. L. today after school.  I was walking down the hall in my gym uniform, all red and sweaty from field hockey practice. She said I should try doing cross country this year, so I think I will.  I was hoping that she would be the supervisor for it, because she was last year, but someone else is in charge. I would be more encouraged if she was the supervisor.

Melyssa B, a really nice friend that I met at camp last summer, is earnestly begging me to tell Mrs. L. about what dad does to me.  I'm afraid to.  Even though Melyssa and I talked about dad this summer, and we both figured it's wrong, I don't know.  Somehow, I feel like his harassment isn't even that serious.  He doesn't just go out and do it, he does it when he's "tickling me".  That's what he calls it anyway.  Maybe he thinks it's a game, I don't know. 

When I say something funny and sarcastic about him and sometimes other people, he'll... 
 [and it continues... 70,000 more words or so)