CJ Leaves Home

A Dog's Journey

After repeated conflict with Gloria, CJ moves from friends’ houses to a dangerous flight west, then returns to rebuild her life.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Kicked Out Kicked Out from "A Dog's Journey". No Stable Home Household Conflict Gloria tells CJ to get rid of Molly and threatens to take away her car and financial access. CJ refuses to abandon the dog.

Kicked Out from "A Dog's Journey". No Stable Home Household Conflict Gloria tells CJ to get rid of Molly and threatens to take away her car and financial access. CJ refuses to abandon the dog.

No Stable Home Household Conflict Gloria tells CJ to get rid of Molly and threatens to take away her car and financial access. CJ refuses to abandon the dog. A Forced Departure CJ leaves the family home and stays with friends. Molly accompanies her as she moves through temporary households.

Friends’ Houses Friends’ Houses from "A Dog's Journey". Temporary Shelter A Welcome with Limits CJ stays with friends who care about her but cannot offer a permanent home.

Friends’ Houses from "A Dog's Journey". Temporary Shelter A Welcome with Limits CJ stays with friends who care about her but cannot offer a permanent home.

Temporary Shelter A Welcome with Limits CJ stays with friends who care about her but cannot offer a permanent home. Their families worry about her truancy, eating disorder, and relationship with Shane. Molly as Constant Molly follows CJ between homes, providing affection and continuity. The dog cannot solve the housing problem, but she remains the one companion CJ refuses to leave behind.

Planning California Planning California from "A Dog's Journey". A Risky Plan Escape as Possibility After finding Molly at the shelter and discovering Shane in the house, CJ decides to drive to California.

Planning California from "A Dog's Journey". A Risky Plan Escape as Possibility After finding Molly at the shelter and discovering Shane in the house, CJ decides to drive to California.

A Risky Plan Escape as Possibility After finding Molly at the shelter and discovering Shane in the house, CJ decides to drive to California. She imagines work and a fresh start. Trent’s Warning Trent questions the plan but offers money and support. CJ leaves anyway, driven by the need to escape an unsafe home.

Life in the Car Life in the Car from "A Dog's Journey". Freedom and Risk A Temporary Shelter CJ sleeps in her Ford with Molly and searches for work.

Freedom and Risk A Temporary Shelter CJ sleeps in her Ford with Molly and searches for work. The ocean and simple outings give them pleasure, but neither has stable housing. Danger at Night A stranger approaches and strikes the car window with a stick. Molly’s defense gives CJ a moment of safety, not a durable solution.

Return and Recovery Return and Recovery from "A Dog's Journey". A Way Back Separation and Reunion Police take CJ to a women’s shelter and send Molly to Animal Control. CJ retrieves her before the reclaim period expires.

Return and Recovery from "A Dog's Journey". A Way Back Separation and Reunion Police take CJ to a women’s shelter and send Molly to Animal Control. CJ retrieves her before the reclaim period expires.

A Way Back Separation and Reunion Police take CJ to a women’s shelter and send Molly to Animal Control. CJ retrieves her before the reclaim period expires. A Difficult Homecoming Gloria brings CJ back and sells the car, but CJ later builds a life of her own. Escape is not the end of her struggle; it is a first break from it.

After CJ’s art-department case

The weeks after Gloria makes CJ leave

After Gloria abandons Molly

CJ’s first days in Santa Monica

After police find CJ in California