Norma writes in her diary about living with Grace after her mother fell ill. She enjoys activities like makeup, hair curling, reading and writing poetry. Grace gets married to a man named Doc who Norma does not like. In a later entry, Norma writes that Doc tries to do bad things to her and she is scared living there. She hopes to live with her great aunt Olive instead. In her final entry, Norma writes that she did move in with her aunt but one of the sons attacked her, so she moved back in with Grace and Doc. She is now attending high school and dating a boy named Jim who lives next door.

1. January 8, 1935
Dear diary I just started living with my mother’s friend, Grace. She’s wonderful
women. She lets me wear makeup and curl my hair. I love to do those things. My
mother is ill right now. Grace loves Jean Harlow. She always tells me that one day
I will be a big movie star. In my spare time I love to read and write poetry. I think
I’m really good at it. I sort of miss playing ball with the children in the orphanage, I
enjoyed that. People said I was quite good for my age. Grace is getting married
soon. His name is Ervin Silliman, but everyone calls him Doc. I don’t really like
him.
Love, Norma.
March 11, 1937
Dear diary, I haven’t written in this diary in a while. I am 11 years old now and
currently still living with Grace and Doc. I’m living with them and his daughters
from his previous marriage. He tries to do bad things to me and tells me not to
tell. I’m very scared I hate living here. I wish it was still just me and Mrs. Grace. Or
I would rather be in the orphanage. Grace will not listen to me when I try to tell. I
wish someone would listen to me. Last night I think I heard Grace say she was
thinking about sending me to live with my great aunt Olive. I hope so, anything is
better than this.
Love, Norma
June 12, 1942
Dear diary, I’m 16 now, the last time I wrote I said I was going to move in with my
great aunt, I did. Things weren’t much better than they were with Grace and Doc.
One of Olive’s sons attacked me. I didn’t stay there long. It seem like everywhere I
go I can’t be happy, unless I’m with my mother. I wish she was well. I moved back

2. in with Grace and Doc. I am attending Van Nuys high school. I met this boy he
lives next to me, his name is James but everyone calls him Jim. We are in a
relationship and I really like him
Love, Norma