Susan Atkins-Whitehouse

“A chill gripped me. “At the store,” I said. “I found four pennies on the ground and bought the candy with those.” My father didn’t accept the story, and I eventually acknowledged that I had stolen the candy. He took me by the hand and rather roughly walked me back to the store. Inside, he said to the elderly storeowner, “My daughter here took four pieces of candy from your store a few minutes ago. Now, she wants to return three of the pieces, and here’s a penny for the fourth.” The old man looked at me. He had a white, bushy moustache and very soft, brown eyes. He didn’t smile, but his eyes twinkled. Anger showed in my father’s face and voice. “What do you say, Susan?” he asked. “I’m sorry I took your candy without paying.” I looked at his neck rather than his eyes. I was humiliated.”
― Susan Atkins-Whitehouse, Child of Satan, Child of God