Hello out there in the world of space and words. I am Tillie Gardner, the orphan.
Yep, I'm an orphan--a person with no parents, a loner, vulnerable and free.

Not by choice. I liked having parents and a cat and a dog and dinners at home when my parents gave me life lessons and told me to do my homework and take out the dog.

His name is Bounder and he is a 9 year old beagle.

Bounder survived the plane crash that killed my parents. My Mom actually put on his life jacket and opened the plane door for him and tossed him out into the ocean as they were crashing. But Mom couldn't get out herself or Dad or Spice, my cat.

 You can Bounder was freaked out by by the crash, because he cries now at the oddest times. He watches the door too as though Mom and Dad will come in at any minute.

They were great parents. Well, they weren't perfect and sometimes they would argue. Oh God I'm going to Altar Rock. I need a drink.