title: Acts of Kindness
author: Adams, John W., Jr.
description: April 1971. Eleven-year-old John Arenia moves to Romanov, Indiana and starts fourth grade in his new school. That's where he meets the beautiful Diane Meschberg, the crown jewel of the clique of cheerleader-quality girls known as the Legion of Exceptional Girls. She senses something is amiss with the shy and chubby boy and her heart goes out to him as her attraction builds. He senses her concern and is attracted to her for it. But neither believes they can step forward and announce themselves-Diane would jeopardize her standing within the LEG. More ominously, John would risk exposing his dark secret of emotional abuse by his domineering mother and passive father. The only peace he has in his life are Diane's small acts of kindness. He repays them with his own acts when the opportunity arises. They separate in November 1976 when John's family moves again. Life goes on, but neither John nor Diane can forget the other. They train for careers, marry others, have kids and live their lives secretly wondering what it might've been like had their histories played out differently. "Acts of Kindness" spans three decades in the lives of two unwillingly separated soulmates.