Ordinary Victims
by
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As the six-year old walked down the dusty roads of his quiet little sleepy hometown to the local neighborhood grocer, he felt the sharp, piercing pains of boredom. This was not the everyday, restless, wish there was something to do lethargy, but rather, it was abdomen burning, mind blowing, one hundred per cent bona fide BOREDOM. Then like a bolt of lightening, the idea struck him. The forming of this idea was to forever change the course of his life. As he sat behind the bars of his human cage years later, he would remember this very moment. The moment of clarity when the streets were quiet, the sun was brightly shining and how the sharp pains felt in the pit of his stomach.
When the scraping sound of the key turned on his freedom, David reflected on that moment. This led to a barrage of thoughts of how he ended up here. From his earliest memories, home was a place of pain - not the nurturing sanctuary of security that children need. This is actually what led to his search for comfort - initially via ministers and schoolteachers, but eventually through a more deviant lifestyle.
The bolt of lightening idea David experienced had to do with the
fact that he felt invisible and insignificant to others. His thought
was since he was invisible; he could use this to his advantage.
After entering the Mall, David never saw Michelle again. He never knew she was the one whose car he had robbed. Sitting in juvenile, he wondered why he had even thought of her. Though he was recalling some of the mistakes he had made, including burglarizing that Mercedes, he did not know what the connection was between this and his remembering the lady at the Mall.
Ironically, David was able to hide all of the gifts he had taken from the car, but none of them were appropriate for Daniella. The gifts held savings bonds, key rings, some old pin he had heard someone call a broach and various and sundry other items that were not appealing to David. He could not believe he had wasted his time breaking into such a nice car for such sorry gifts.
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About the Book
Ordinary Victims, a poignant account of one child's journey approaching adulthood and the lessons learned. David's troubled and sometimes confusing education on the power that every decision has in determining how we experience our lives. Additional clarity, insight and humor are found on brief side trips as the young man encounters people like Daniella Sanchez.
Daniella was a physically beautiful young lady who appeared to have it all. People ogled her beauty and envied her upper class financial status. Outside observers would look at Daniella and enviously mutter how "it must be nice to be her". Daniella, however, never enjoyed her looks for she was not fully aware of them. When she looked in the mirror, she saw a young lady who no one loved. When she saw her material wealth, she felt no great joy, but rather she longed for the emotional love and approval of her parents.
Travel with David as he meets many persons like you and I, or who we come to affectionately know as Ordinary Victims.
About the Author
Delrick J. Johnson is a first time author who was born in Tennessee. At the age of twenty, he served in the Armed Forces (Army). Currently working for the E.I. du Pont Nemours and Company, he is the father of two teenaged children. Presently, Mr. Johnson resides in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Inspired by ordinary people, he endeavored to co-author this novel.
Lisa (Britton) Keith, also a native of Tennessee, is a mother of one and grandmother of one. A bachelor's level social worker, Ms. Keith collaborated with Mr. Johnson to produce this first novel. Having spent the past two decades, working with both the severely and persistently mentally ill and alleged batterers of domestic violence, Ms. Keith believes there are more victims in the world than meets the naked eye. This was part of the inspiration for this novel.