List of Characters

For the summer of 2011 I had an internship at a non-profit organization called The Next Door. A 6-month transitional shelter in the heart of Nashville, The Next Door is a ministry that works with women who struggle with addiction as well as a (or several) co-occurring mental disorder(s). Many are coming from the prison system, homeless shelters or other crisis situations. A family on the board for The Next Door was gracious enough to open their home to me for the summer as a place to stay. This wonderful family is absolutely incredible, however I did not think I would be honoring their kindness to me in any way by blasting their names all over my blog for the internet-world to see. That being said, I created a “list of characters”–a list of ‘other names’ I bestowed on each family member based on character traits I saw in them. Since they are the subject of several posts, this page will remain as a permanent fixture for my blog.

SURNAME:
Hill: When referring to the family in the collective, I will simply call them, “the Hills,” because I find this surname pleasant.

MAJOR CHARACTERS
Mr. Gentle Hill: the father. A helpful man, Gentle has a quiet demeanor, but is not shy, closed-off, or disconnected. He is attentive, kind, and thoughtful, and when he laughs it is usually indicated by a slight smile to one side of his mouth, and, sometimes, a soft, soundless chuckle. Gentle never complains.

Mrs. Lovely Hill: the mother. Lovely is cheerful, welcoming, and warm. She is engaging in conversation, and everything about her demeanor is motherly. Lovely is a provider, and like her husband she is thoughtful and kind, making sure that I felt at home the moment I arrived, and wasting no time in making me feel comfortable. Lovely also makes incredible desserts.

Bear: the family dog. Bear is a giant, long-haired golden retriever at the ripe age of 11. He smells like dog, looks like a bear, and finds me most fascinating when I have food. Bear is sweet, but admittedly has some of the worst dog-breath I have ever encountered.

MINOR CHARACTERS:
Ms. Lively, Ms. Amiable, and Mr. Youngin’ Hill: the three children. While it may seem strange that I have listed the three children under MINOR CHARACTERS, and listed the dog under MAJOR CHARACTERS, all three children will be gone for the summer. Thus I only spent a day or two with each before they all left this week.

Lively, the eldest daughter, has moved to Illinois. I find it a happy coincidence that not only does “lively” sound like “lovely,” Lively also looks like Lovely.

Amiable, the middle daughter, left the country to teach English; and

Youngin’, the youngest child and only son, left several days ago to return to college for summer classes.