free hosting   image hosting   hosting reseller   online album   e-shop   famous people

Darlene from the Diner

     Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city was a diner famous for very good and very fast breakfast at reasonable prices. The business was a very well run family operation where every person had a job to do and did it well. Part of the success was due to the expertise of Darlene, the grill cook in the kitchen. She could do eggs any way the customers liked and could handle several orders at once, as well as handle the lunch crowd. Darlene's day started at 5:00 AM and continued well past the last of the lunch crowd. Darlene never asked any one to do anything she would not do herself, or never asked for special favors. On the other hand, she would give anything to help someone in need. At 38, Darlene was the oldest of three sisters, but the people at the diner were more her family than her sisters. She never married, due to taking the responsibility to care for her mother, who suffered from a stroke years earlier, and the long hours she put at the diner. There was one other thing that separated Darlene from most women, her very long hair. Her hair was worn in a long braid at the grill hanging past her bottom, well down towards her knees. She would wear little ornaments in her braid not only for show, but to keep her braid weighted down and away from the grill while filling so many orders.

     Darlene was content with how her life turned out. Although she put in six day weeks at the diner, she took pride in how many customers would come back for more of her excellent omelets. The owners knew this, too. Whenever times were good at the diner, the owners, Vince and Mary Lou,  would slip a little bonus in Darlene's paycheck. Mary Lou also had long hair and would get tips from Darlene on how to better care for it, and make it grow longer. Monday was Darlene's day off, due to the diner being closed. On Mondays, Darlene took her mother to therapy in the morning, as well as make her mother's other doctor appointments for the afternoon. Since she was usually too tired after a  work day, she would do her grocery shopping and other errands on Monday, as well. Monday was also the time to let her beautiful long hair escape the confines of a braid and hang free. Although her mother was confined to a wheelchair due to her stroke, she was still quite capable of helping Darlene with brushing, washing, and braiding her long hair. While Darlene sat on a stool in front of her mother's wheelchair, her mother would brush and add the conditioners. "My beautiful daughter and her priceless hair! Someday, you will get your due.", she would say, over and over. All the attention and natural conditioners her mother gave to her hair made it shine like no other woman's, even those many years younger. Other than her hair, Darlene was sort of homely looking. Her face was scarred from acne as a teenager, and she had a few pounds too many. Except when around her fellow workers at the diner, she was very shy around others. She was taken advantage of by her younger sisters, who helped very little in helping Darlene with their mother financially or emotionally.

     One morning, after the breakfast rush was over, a woman, about 40, came to the counter to pay her bill. After paying Vince, she presented him with an ID card saying she was with the health department and needed to inspect the premises. She introduced herself as Marcia, and Vince brought her back to the kitchen and introduced her to Darlene. "Darlene, this is Marcia Henderson with the health department. Could you see to it that she gets what she needs?", asked Vince. "I'll be right up front if you need me", he added. "Great omelet. One of the best I ever had.", said Marcia. Someone called Darlene and she turned around. "Can it wait? I'm busy right now.", she hollered. Marcia got a glimpse of  Darlene's long braid and her face turned into a frown. Marcia flashed back to when her ex-husband had an alleged affair with a woman with very long hair. "How do you keep that out of people's breakfast?", scowled Marcia. "Keep what out?", asked Darlene in return, again facing Marcia. "That hair. How do keep all that hair out of the food?", she scowled again. "I keep it braided, so individual broken hairs can't fall out. It's always behind me, so it don't get in the way at all.", said Darlene. Marcia wrote some notes in her spiral notebook and they went on about the inspection. After everything was done to Marcia's satisfaction, Darlene brought her up front where Mary Lou had relieved Vince by the register. "Vince is back in the office, Darlene", said Mary Lou. When they got to the office, Marcia went in, giving Darlene a hideous stare. Darlene wrote it off thinking this woman was just having a frustrating morning.

     Marcia left and the rest of the day was uneventful until Vince put a note up by the time clock. It read, "Starting tomorrow, all servers with long hair are now required to put their hair up in such a way so it doesn't hang beyond the shoulders. This is been mandated by the Health Department in order to keep our grade A rating. Failure to do so can result in termination.". As Darlene was reading the note, she was called into the office by Vince. "Darlene, this is the most unusual inspection I ever saw. She would have given us a perfect score, except for the fact that a few of the women here wear longer hairstyles. Here, read it for yourself.", said Vince. Mary Lou looked down and shook her head. Darlene read down to the part that said, "If you want to continue to enjoy a grade A rating, I strongly suggest that you advise your grill cook to cut her hair to a more appropriate length for working in a kitchen environment. Hair as long as hers has no place around the preparation of food. All kitchen workers should wear a properly fitted hair net". Darlene put the paper down, stunned. "I have to cut off my hair?", she quivered . "No.", said Mary Lou. "I asked Marcia if all the waitresses with long hair had to cut theirs and she said no, just wear it up. They don't have to cut their hair, neither do you. But you will have to wear your hair up.", said Vince. "Maybe you can wear your hair in other ways you never thought of. Be creative. It has to fit in this hair net, it's the largest size the restraunt supply house carries. ", said Mary Lou. Darlene let out a sigh of relief. "I don't think this Marcia likes long hair for some reason. She looked at me like I was a mortal enemy!", said Mary Lou.

     Darlene came into work the next morning with her hair braided and rolled up into the hairnet. "Looks like they got you, too, Darlene!", said Jan, a waitress with hair to mid back. "Got me, too. Banana clip for me.", said Bekki, another waitress with longer hair. "Well, it's better than the alternative given me, which was to cut it all off!", said Darlene. "I don't understand why the inspector singled you out, Darlene. Never have I heard a complaint about hair in anyone's food!", said another waitress with long hair. "Oh, give it up. You all should just cut it off and get it over with. And Darlene, you are getting old enough now that you should be thinking of cutting it off anyway!", said Crystal, a crabby waitress with a pixie haircut.  "Come on, it's showtime!", said Darlene as the first customer of the day pulled into the lot. The diner went on the rest of the week in "hair up mode", as the waitresses called it. The only flaw was when Darlene would get so many orders and move around so fast, that sometimes her braid would fall out of the hair net. When it would slow down, Darlene would retreat into the rest room and fix it. It became a trademark to the waitresses, if Darlene's hair came undone, it was a day for very good tips.

   When Darlene took her mother to therapy the next Monday, she noticed someone new sitting in the waiting room. He was not one of the regulars she saw here every Monday. He was middle aged, slightly graying, and wore glasses. He was sitting alone and had nothing outwardly wrong, so Darlene wondered in her mind why he was there. As Darlene turned her back towards him to check her mother in, he looked in awe at her hair, worn in a simple ponytail, tied high on her head. As her mother looked over at him staring at her daughter's hair, he quickly looked away. When the receptionist was done, Darlene took her mother's wheelchair and parked it in an open space about three chairs away from the new gentleman. Darlene sat in the next chair by her mother. "I think that guy over there likes you!", said Darlene's mother in a voice loud enough for all to hear. "Mo-om! Hush up. Everyone can hear you!", quipped Darlene in a harsh whisper. Her mother was hard of hearing, so she could not hear Darlene scolding her. "He was staring at you when you were checking me in.", she said again in a loud voice. Darlene got red in the face in embarrassment as everyone was now looking at her. After a while, everyone was called into the therapy room, leaving Darlene, her mother, and the stranger. "Excuse me, I apologize for staring at you. You have the most beautiful long hair I have ever seen.", he said to Darlene. "Why thank you, sir. No one has ever said anything like that before except Mom.", returned Darlene. :By the way, My name is Gerald, I just had a cast taken off my wrist and I have to do three weeks of therapy before I can play golf again.", he said. That settled the question of why he was there. "Oh.", said Darlene. A few moments passed. "So, are you here with your Mom?", he asked. "Yes, she had a stroke about ten years ago and I bring her here every Monday for therapy.", said Darlene. "Every Monday for the last ten years? Your Mom is very lucky to have someone like you. When my parents got sick, my brother and I were so busy with our careers, we had to hire someone. In hindsight, we should have put our careers on hold and stayed with them. Dad went quick, but Mom lingered on for a while. I felt so guilty about it that it ended up costing me my marriage. My ex was certain I was having an affair, but I was only talking to a counselor. In fact, she had real long hair, too.", he said, sounding sad and looking down. "Did you?", asked Darlene. "Did I what?", he asked. "Have an affair.", asked Darlene. "No, she is happily married with two children and her husband and I play golf. She was helping me as a favor. My ex was always jealous anytime I talked to any woman with long hair. It probably would have happened anyway. I'm sorry, uh, I don't know your name.", he stammered. Darlene noticed her social error and got further embarrassed. "I'm Darlene. This is my mother, Geraldine.", she said and started laughing a little. "What's funny, Darlene?", he asked. Now Darlene really dug herself a hole. You're Gerald, she's Geraldine?", said Darline hoping for a reprieve from trying to be funny. "Oh, I get it", he said. Just then, the nurse opened the door and called, "Gerald Henderson". Gerald got up and saw Darlene's mother staring at him. "Your daughter has very beautiful hair!", he said, loud enough for her to hear. "I know! I do it myself with all natural conditioners and lots of loving care. You know, there's more to her than hair, you should talk to her sometime.", she said. Gerald and Darlene looked at each other with a giggle. They realized she had no idea they had that short conversation. "Guess I'll see you here next Monday?", he said, and he went in. Darlene recognized his last name, but could not figure out why. "Must be a common name.", she thought to herself.

     The next week saw four of the six days with Darlene's hair coming undone. On Saturday morning, Her hair was undone for over two hours during breakfast and another  hour during lunch. "Darlene, your hair is still down? Wow! It's going to be a hundred dollar day!", exclaimed Bekki, who's hair fell out of the banana clip once that day, also. Even Vince and Mary Lou got into it. "Darlene's hair came loose again, it's going to be a great day!", they would say. "One of these days, I'm going to figure out how to keep my hair in this net and you all will have to wait till the end of the day to count your money!", she laughed in return. It became a test to see how busy Darlene would get before her hair net broke and the big braid regained it's rightful place hanging down her thighs. The Sunday crowd was good as Darlene's hair was loose most of the day. When it was time for Darlene to leave Sunday, "I don't think my hair had this much attention in all my years as it had this week!", she told Mary Lou as she was leaving.

     When it was time for Darlene to take her mother in for therapy, there was Gerald, sitting in the same chair as last week. This time, Darlene, at her mother's request, wore her hair down and free, instead of a ponytail. They took the same places as last week. "Look, there he is again, Dear! That's why I wanted you to show off your beautiful hair instead of having it all tied up!", said Geraldine. "I'm sorry, Gerald. Just ignore her.She gets these ideas and then...", Gerald interrupted, "Please, don't apologize! It's not your fault your mother thinks she has a beautiful daughter!", he added. "I face reality, she don't. She still thinks I'm 28 years old and will start right where I left off when she had the stroke. My biological clock is low on battery power and I admit it. This was my choice to stay with her and I don't regret it. I'm sorry. I'm sure you don't want to hear my woes.", said Darlene. "I have to ask you something, Darlene. You don't have to answer if you don't want, but do you work at the diner at 13th and Forrest"? "Why, yes, how did you know?", stammered Darlene, not knowing where this was heading. "I bring clients there all the time for ham and cheese omelets. They all say they are the best in the country. Friday morning, when I was paying the tab, I could see in the kitchen and saw this cook with a long braid hanging down. You turned around and I could swear it was you!", said Gerald. "You must have come during a busy time. When I get so many orders, my hair falls out of the hair net, or sometimes it breaks and my braid falls out.", said Darlene. "Thanks for the compliment on my omelets!", she added. "You cook those! Oh my goodness, you are probably the best kept secret of the culinary world, at least at breakfast!", said Gerald. "It's a good thing you were not the health inspector! She wanted to take away our Grade A rating because of me.", said Darlene. "You're kidding. My ex...", said Gerald, as he was interrupted by the nurse calling him in for his appointment. "Same time, same place, Darlene." said Gerald. He then stood in front of Geraldine and said in a loud voice, "You have an amazing and beautiful daughter! She makes the best ham and cheese omelets in the country"! "See, I told you he liked you. You can always get to a man's heart through his stomach. You don't cook for just anybody, you know!", said Geraldine in her loud scratchy voice. Darlene could only look down in embarrassment. Gerald chuckled and went in for his appointment.

     The next week was more of the same at the diner, until the end of the Sunday Brunch crowd. Sunday was one of those days that Darlene's braid escaped the confines of the hair net and broke free. In the carry out line, was Marcia, the health inspector. Marcia noticed all the waitresses hiding their long hair, just as she demanded. She then positioned herself for a quick look in the kitchen, where she expected to see a shorn Darleen. But, in the kitchen, instead of seeing Darlene with a short haircut, there she was with her long braid trailing behind. "I dare her keep that long hair against my orders! I specifically asked that she cut it off to maintain a Grade A rating!", she ranted in her mind. She immediately got out of line and demanded to see either Vince or Mary Lou. Vince was working the front register and invited Marcia into his office. "I want that grill cook in here right now, or I will pull your Grade A rating. Mary Lou went out and got Darlene and they all went inside. "I gave a recommendation for you to keep your rating and you chose to ignore it.!", said Marcia. "I've tried, but I can't seem to keep my long hair in the hair net. I'm still working on a style that will hold.", pleaded Darlene. "I don't remember giving you an option, Rapunzel! My report stated that the grill cook will CUT her hair, not try to hide it!" Darlene started to cry. "It was my idea to let her wear her hair any way she wants. Isn't there some way we can work this out and leave my best employee out of it?", said Vince. "It isn't right for her to have to cut her beautiful hair off when the rest of my long hair waitresses don't have to.", said Mary Lou. "You made that rule, honey. So, if you want to be completely fair, then tell all of them to cut their hair!", said Marcia. "Now, tell me, do you want to enforce an order from the health department and order your cook to cut her hair short, or would you like to open for business Tuesday?", asked Marcia. "How short does she have to cut it?", asked Mary Lou. "To the jawbone, preferably above the ears is better.", scolded Marcia looking right at Darlene, still crying. "I'm sorry Darlene, there's nothing I can do now. I can't let you work Tuesday unless you cut your hair like Marcia here wants. I'll pay for the haircut if you need it.", said Vince. Mary Lou started crying too. "If she has to cut her hair, I will go with her and cut mine off, too.", she quipped. "I'll have my mother do it tonight. She's been taking care of my hair for years, I want her to be the one to cut it. Mary Lou, don't do anything drastic. I will do as she asks.", cried Darlene. "Here, in order to keep me from pulling your rating, I need one of the owners and Darlene to sign this paper stating she will not work in the kitchen until she cuts her hair.", stated Marcia. "Can I go back to work, now? The orders must be piling up by now.", asked Darlene. "Can it, Rapunzel. Unless you cut that thing off now, you're not going anywhere but home!", yelled Marcia as she picked up a pair of scissors from Vince's desk. "Why don't you go on home, Darlene. We will pay you the full day. I'm so sorry this had to happen. I know how long you worked on your hair and how it was good therapy for your mother to work with it. There's nothing we can do. Our hands are tied!", said Mary Lou. Darlene left and went home to deal with her beautiful, but doomed hair. Marcia left feeling good about how she beat Darlene.

     When Darlene came in early, Her mother asked why. "This health inspector is threatening us with a B rating. I'm the cause of it, so I had to leave.", answered Darlene. "What's wrong?", asked Geraldine. "I'll tell you when I get out of the shower. We are going to do my hair early tonight because I just want to go to bed when we are done.", said Darlene. "We must take special care tonight!". You know tomorrow's Monday and we get to see that nice young man that likes you.", added her Mom. "Forget it, Mom. Tomorrow is his last day and I don't think he is going to like my hair when he sees it.", said Darlene. When she was done with the shower and washing her hair, She sat on the stool in front of her mother's wheelchair and Geraldine proceeded to detangle as usual. Then it was on to brushing it out until it laid like a carpet over her shoulders, down her back , then on towards the floor. "My beautiful daughter and her priceless hair", she said once again. Her Mom went to apply the natural homemade conditioner when Darlene stopped her. "Tonight my hair is not priceless. It can cause two of my best friends to lose everything they worked for. Tonight, my hair will become worthless.", said Darlene as tears fell down her cheeks. "What do you mean? Your hair IS priceless. Let no one tell you different! Now let's get on with the conditioning.", scolded Geraldine. "No. My hair will be worthless AFTER you do THIS to it tonight.!", cried Darlene as she produced a pair of scissors. "Right here, at the jawbone!", she added. "There is no way I will destroy all these years of brushing and conditioning just because of some rating. Call them now and tell that you are NOT cutting your hair, so we can proceed with the conditioning before you lose too much moisture.", scolded Geraldine again. "Mom, you don't understand. If I don't cut my hair, I can't work at the diner. If I don't work, we don't eat. If I don't work, we can't meet the co-payment on your therapy! If I show up with my long hair, the whole diner will get a bad reputation by getting a B rating. I have to think about my friends at work, not about myself! Now let's get this over with!", yelled Darlene. She looked back at her mother and noticed a blank stare. "What's wrong?", asked Darlene. "You do so much for me. The only thing I can do for you is to make you beautiful. You take this away from me and I have no reason to live.", said Geraldine, shaking. "Take the scissors so I don't have to do this myself!", said Darlene, just wanting to get this torture over with. With that, Geraldine took the shears and lifted them to the beautiful carpet of hair in front of her. But, before she started cutting, there was a gasping sound, followed by a groan. Darlene looked back and saw her mother grasping her chest and fall to the floor. Darlene called 911 and the ambulance was there in a short time. Before the ambulance arrived, Geraldine slipped into a coma. Before she did, there was only one utterance, "Don't do it! It's so beautiful!". Darlene called her sisters and they spent the night at the hospital while Geraldine lie in a coma in intensive care.

     The next morning, Gerald sat in the therapy waiting room waiting for Darlene to arrive. He wanted to tell her he was bringing the CEO in town just for some of her famous ham and cheese omelets. He also wanted her to come out and meet him. He waited and they didn't come. When his name was called, he asked the nurse if Geraldine and Darlene were not scheduled today. "I don't think they will be here today, if ever.", said the nurse. "Did something happen?", asked Gerald. "Unless you are family, we can't give any information.", said the nurse. Gerald slyly looked at the appointment book and saw Geraldine's last name, Dunn. After therapy, he went over to the hospital nearest to the clinic to try and find Darlene. Something was burning in his heart, he didn't know why. He just felt he had to see if Darlene was alright. There was something behind all this, something very interesting.  Figuring she would be in the intensive care, he went to the third floor and into the ICU waiting room. He looked around, but didn't see Darlene. There were two women in there, one had a baby. "Do either of you ladies know if there's a Geraldine Dunn here and her daughter, Darlene?", asked Gerald. "Why, who are you?', asked one. "I'm a friend of Darlene. I understand something has happened and I want to see if I can help.", he returned. "Darlene is my sister, My mother had another stroke last night. Darlene is with her now, she will be back in five minutes.", added the other. Gerald took a seat and waited. When Darlene came back, she said, "OK, Eileen, your time is next". "There's a guy asking about you over there. Do you know him"? "Yes! Gerald! What are you doing here?", asked Darlene. "I didn't see you at the clinic and got worried. Is everything OK? Is there anything I can do?", he asked. "Yes, stay with me. I'm so confused.  Mom liked you. Please stay until I get to go in with her again.", she cried as she gave him a hug. Gerald noticed her hair draped across her shoulders and down her back as he hugged her. "Sure, I'll do anything you want. Just name it.", he said. They sat together in the waiting room in silence.

     The doctor came into the waiting room. Darlene, her sisters, and Gerald all walked over to him. "She took a turn for the worst. The nurse was in checking her IV and heard her mumble something like, Don't do it. Then her EKG went dead. It's now very weak.", he said. "I have to go in there! There's something I have to tell her while I still think she can hear me.", said Darlene. "I don't think she's going to hear you, Miss Dunn.", said the doctor. "You don't know my mother. I think she wants to hear something from me.", said Darlene. "What makes you think that, Darlene?", asked the doctor. "By what she mumbled. None of you will understand, I was with her when this happened! I am the cause! I have to see her!", she cried. "Let me go with you!", demanded Gerald. "I can only let one of you go in at a time, and it's family only.", said the doctor. "Get out of my way!", cried Darlene and she pushed the doctor out of the way and ran to the room. Gerald followed , rushing behind. The doctor composed himself and told Darlene's sisters he didn't think Geraldine had much time left,. "I'll give her this opportunity, if it makes her feel better.", he said. "I'll give her about five minutes.", he continued.

     In the room, Darlene picked up her mother's hand. Gerald came in and stood behind her. "It's me, Mom. Your daughter with the priceless hair. If you come back, I won't cut it. You can go back to spending hours on your homemade conditioners. You can brush it again. Don't worry I will leave it alone! We'll get by, I will find another job. I'm sorry I told you to cut it! Please come back! Please come back to me!!!", she cried, then fell to her knees on the floor. Gerald was in shock over what he heard. "Darlene, I can't believe what I just heard. She had this stroke because you told her you wanted to cut your hair? What's this about getting another job? And this homemade conditioner?", he said, kneeling with her on the floor. Why on earth were you going to cut your beautiful hair?", he continued. "It's not my choice. This health inspector is threatening to pull the Grade A rating from the diner because she feels my hair is too long to be around food. She made all the waitresses put their long hair up. Mary Lou and Vince are my best friends as well as my bosses. I agreed yesterday to cut my hair so they can keep their rating. Now, if Mom recovers, I think I will just quit and find another job, so Mom can continue doing my hair. If she leaves me tonight, I am going to go home tonight and cut it all off myself.", she cried more. "What's this about spending hours on this homemade conditioner?", asked Gerald. Darlene stood back up and looked at her mother. "Mom spends hours on these old recipes that make hair stronger and healthy. I let her use them on me, because it made her have a porpoise in life after her stroke. Actually her recipes worked, and my hair did get healthier.", she said. "Come back to me, Mother. I don't know how you make these conditioners. If you leave me, how will I be your daughter with the priceless hair?", she said, starting to cry again.

     Gerald was taken back by these events. He had known many women with long hair, but none the likes of Darlene. The secret behind the beauty lie on the bed slipping away. He had not told Darlene that he was a vice president of a venture capitalist firm, always searching for new products to market. Gerald loved long hair on women, and this conditioner Geraldine made in her kitchen produced the finest long hair he had ever seen. Darlene took a brush out of her purse and started to brush out her hair, which by now was quite messy. "May I?", asked Gerald. "What?", asked Darlene. "May I have this opportunity to brush the most magnificent hair ever to grace this planet?", he pleaded. "Here, sit sideways on the bed and hold your Mom's hand, and look to her.", he said. Gerald sat behind and stroked Darlene's long, beautiful hair. As he stroked, he realized it wasn't Geraldine's conditioner he wanted, it was Darlene and  he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Darlene closed her eyes, caught in the moment. "Mrs. Dunn, this is Gerald here, the one from the therapy waiting room who stared at your daughter. I am here with her, brushing her priceless hair you made possible with all your hard work.", he said breaking the silence. A smile seemed to appear on Geraldine's face, unknown to Darlene, because she had her eyes closed. The doctor was on his way to the room, but was stopped by the nurse. "Dr. Gass, there are some stronger readings coming from the monitor for Mrs. Dunn!", she said.

      "Darlene, was the inspectors name Marcia?", he asked. Darlene nodded her head, yes. ""Don't worry. That's my ex wife forcing her beliefs on others again. She is known for going into a restraunt and making the long haired waitresses hide their hair. However, I never heard until now her actually making someone actually cut it. I have no idea why she has this thing against long hair, but I will phone her superiors today and stop this nonsense. You go on back to making the best ham and cheese omelets in the country and KEEP your priceless hair.", he said. "Mrs. Dunn you have the most beautiful girl in the world and her hair is truly priceless!", he said, facing Geraldine. "Darlene, don't go home alone tonight, please come home with me. You should not be alone right now.", he said, now facing Darlene. All of a sudden Gerald looked over and saw Geraline's eyes open. She was trying to speak. Gerald held his finger to his mouth as to tell her not to try and speak. "Darlene, look at your Mom.", he whispered. Darlene looked over and saw her Mom smiling back at her. Immediately, she called for the doctor.

     Meanwhile, the doctor was witnessing this miracle comeback on the monitor. He, along with Darlene's sisters were on their way to the room when she came out. "She's Back!!! She's Back!!", yelled Darlene. "I don't believe it! It's a miracle!", said the nurse. "Darlene, what did you say to her in there?", she asked. "That's between Darlene and her Mom", interrupted Gerald.

     As time passed on, Gerald's company financed a startup to market Geraldine's home made hair conditioner. He also financed an expansion of Vince and Mary Lou's diner into a franchise, featuring the best omelets in the country. Last , but not least, he took Darlene out of the kitchen and into his home as his wife.

   Darleen and her life are fictional. Any resemblance to an actual person or situation is accidental.