Life of Rileigh

<p>I was born a bastard at a county hospital.</p><p> </p><p>When most girls of sixteen were getting their driver licenses my mother was getting herself a baby.</p><p> </p><p>As a child I spent a lot of time in an orphanage called the Margaret Lloyd Stansel's Children's Asylum. My mother preferred to call it a boarding school or summer camp depending upon the time of year I was visiting.</p><p> </p><p>Most every child who lived there had a parent a grandparent an aunt uncle or some other family member – somewhere or other. Including me. I don't blame my mother though – she had herself a hard-knock life too.</p><p> </p><p>Let me explain when I was born in 1954 things were different. Unwed mothers were treated in a spiteful manner – including being excluded from social settings and even family circles. I guess I should count my blessings that my mother tried her best to raise me.</p><p> </p><p>I'm sure my life is different from yours. There are not many orphanages operating today. Well the long and the short of it is – that this is my story – about when things were a wee bit different.</p><p> </p><p>My name is Rileigh Ophelia Horton I think.</p><p> </p><p>This was my life – The Life of Rileigh</p>