As children we make many idle threats and angry promises, never realizing the impact they could bestow upon our lives. At the age of fifteen I learned that lesson the hard way. The words my mother and I had exchanged during common adolescent--parent confrontations were now my reality. I had no parent figure in my life, and I was on my own. I remember sitting in the living room as she packed her things. I only remember bits and pieces of our conversation. I am not even really sure it would be considered a conversation, I think it wa ....