Okay, to continue on with my story…
I needed to get my EPF uniform. Well here there was as light problem. I was so young and so little that there were no uniforms that fit me. I was under 5’ and under 100lbs. I had not yet achieved my current Amazonian build. After a long while of digging through a smelly box of used, worn out and stained uniforms, I finally found a few sets of shorts and shirts that would fit me. I looked rather like a clown in it because I was swimming in the clothes. I forgot to mention the smelly old used boots that I had to wear too. Those were super gross!
I routed into the courseroom and began my studies. 5 hours a day. Studying the glorious history of the Sea Org and such. I even did a course about Scientology Ethics. I was a very good and quick student. I was acing my tests and blowing through my courses super fast. That was back when I had a good memory… Anyways, when it was not course time (which took place in a semi-underground super spooky building that had flickering florescent lights – old CTO anyone?) it was MEST work time.
If I recall correctly, it was about 12 hours a day of MEST work we were supposed to do. I got stuck washing pots and pans. That was cool with me, I had always done the dishes at home and it was no sweat for me to scrub some pots and pans. Funny thing was, I happily did any MEST work that I was assigned to. It never fazed me. The EPF I/C – Jim Garrett was his name – LOVED me because I never talked back (I know, me never talking back haha
) and I always got the job done right the first time. Plus I was a pocket size little cutie with hair down to my butt. Everyone on the EPF loved me – I was a mascot of sorts. I was a model EPFer. Just like I had been a model student at school. I have to say though, after working in the kitchen and seeing what things looked like behind the scenes, I could never bring myself to eat the meals anymore. Without my mom telling me what to eat, I just had toast 3 times a day. Where was my guardian? Well she was at the HGB busy recruiting more kids like me so she never checked up on me.
The holiday season was upon us. It was Christmas time. I was super homesick. I was into the EPF about 3 weeks. I wanted to go home for Christmas. So I wrote my CSW like a good girl and showed my student points graph and how it was on an uptrend. I wheedled and begged Jim and my recruiters to allow me to go home for the holidays. They were reluctant because I was so close to done and I was going to be one of the few EPFers in history to finish close to the recommended time. I finally got approved and they shipped me back to my parents. 
I went home for the holidays. It was awesome to eat real food and get to be a kid again. I did chores around the house with a gusto I had never before had. I mean hell, if you can wash pots and pans for 500+ people, what’re a few dishes from a family of 4? I was having so much fun, I had a newfound appreciation for my home, my family and mom’s cooking. Even my little brother wasn’t so annoying. Unfortunately there was a bit of a cloud hanging over me. Alas, I would have to go back in a week. I got REALLY sick 24 hours before I was supposed to head back. My mom and dad called my recruiters and told them they would drive me back to LA once I was better. I stayed sick for a looooong time. I really did not want to go back. I did not dare tell my parents though. They thought I was their little star EPFer with a brilliant career ahead of her auditing people in the Sea Org.
Finally the time came, I got better and they loaded me up into the car and we began the 6 hour drive down to LA. We arrived around dinner time. My recruiters met us at CLO. They told me to go put on my uniform and get back to my group (the EPF). I ran off in tears and changed into my uniform. I came back as quickly as I could. I could tell that the recruiters had been talking about me with my parents. They took us all into the Mess Hall to eat dinner. Wow, how generous, they offered to let my family eat their wonderful Sea Org food! I begged the EPF I/C to let my family sit with me. So they did. They made small talk with the EPFers around me. Everyone kept telling them how great and cute I was. They were beaming. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. I was choking back tears. Dinner was over. It was time for my family to leave. I cried as though the world were coming to an end. I had to really watch what I said because my recruiters were hovering like hawks, ready to snatch me away at the slightest mention of wanting to go home. I had to tell my parents I was just going to really really miss them. I had to try to be convincing when I said it too. They pulled away and I ran after them waving, trying not trip in my huge ugly boots while trying to see though the tears pouring down my face.
Ok enough for now. I am making myself cry.
To be continued…