I am a battered suitcase with a fairy tale book, clean underwear, a jar of peanut butter, and a flashlight inside...

These are the items I placed in a Samsonite suitcase in 1972 back in Canton, Ohio to runaway. My Ma was angry at me for throwing all my clothes and bed sheets out the window of our two story house. Being 5 years old, I just liked seeing the sheets fall out the window. Pretty. Anyway, Ma blew her top and I told her she didn't love me and I was going to go where someone did...my Grandma.

I promptly packed my suitcase...hmmm...my fairy tale book first, my most valued possession. Echos of "always have clean underwear!" bounced around in my furrowed noggin..."okay....clean underwear." I took my flashlight I kept underneath my bed for late night reading under the sheets..."it might get dark." I snook into the avocado green kitchen cabinet and took the jar of JIF peanut butter "cause choosy mothers choose JIF."

Out I went. To the forest. The forest because of the song "Through the woods to Grandmother's house we go..." I had no clue how to get to Grandma's house. Unbeknownst to me, my Ma was following me the whole way taking pictures of me running away. Finally when I was about to step in to the forest my Ma came out from behind a tree saying "Honey! I love you! I am sorry I yelled at you! Come home!"

I was relieved.

Upon retrospect...my items I took were telling. Still now...40 years later I think I would pack my runaway suitcase the same way. I am still threatening to runaway into the forest...perhaps I am there now...I don't know.