A Child's Haven - 18. Chapter 18

I watched the new people. It was sad to see how they were lied to and deceived. Maybe Sanctuary can help them rebuild their lives.

It was 1:30, and we had an appointment at the clinic. “Jeff, we have that appointment at the clinic. Get the patient and meet me at the car.”

While we waited for the results, “Why do men do that to a boy? If I fell in love with a boy, I’d want to see them happy, not crying, or being beaten.”

“Those men aren’t in love with the boy. They are sick and are in love with inflicting pain. They are sadists.”

That evening I spoke to my dad about the difference between the street kids and this new group. “I’m not sure that what I did today was good for Sanctuary. The new kids never had to worry about where they slept, nor did they have to worry about food. They were pampered, and their clients were wealthy men. Now they must deal with the reality that these so-called luxuries are no longer available. When I explained pitching in and doing chores, one of the boys asked if he could pay someone to do his chores. These new kids have come from a luxurious living style to Sanctuary. I just have a feeling they are going to create a problem for Sanctuary as well as themselves. Did I do the right thing by bringing them to Sanctuary?”

“Why did you establish Sanctuary? Wasn’t it to help the kids who were, for one reason or another, tossed into a lifestyle where they had to find their own solutions to be able to live? Has that purpose changed?”

“No, that purpose hasn’t changed, and the new kids were in a perverse way shared that with the street kids. I need to hire a counselor; the new kids and the street kids will have problems interacting. You wouldn’t know anyone I can approach about providing this counseling, do you?”

“I might, and there is this woman who works in a juvenile facility as a counselor. I think I can get her to consider a position at Sanctuary.”

“Thanks, Dad; I always feel better when I talk to you.”

I drove back to Sanctuary, bracing myself for the morning encounter. This will be the first morning and the first full day that the new kids will be involved in the workings of Sanctuary.

When I arrived, Mario was waiting for me. “I thought rather than fix individual plates; we could do a breakfast buffet. I could set up a station to prepare eggs, toast, and bacon. I could cook at the shack and bring them in pans as well as potatoes. What do you think?”

“I like that; I’ll get a few of the kids to keep the line moving. It’ll be a change and maybe the start of a better method of dispensing food, good idea.”

Mario came into the dining hall. Seeing a few boys, he asked them to help him. The next thing I knew, the boys were bringing in wooden horses and a couple of flat boards. One of the boys went up to 2A and brought down a couple of sheets. By this time, the hall started to fill up with kids. Mario came back with Andy carrying plates and silverware. Since we had the commercial dishwasher, they began to wash the dishes and silverware in the cook shack. By the time everyone was in the dining hall, Mario announces that there will be a breakfast buffet this morning. Andy started a few kids at the beginning of the line, and by the time they reached Mario, their plates were pretty full. Some actually went, sat down, ate enough to make room for the eggs, and then returned to have Mario make the eggs for them.

I stood back, with my coffee, watching the interaction. For the most part, the kids mixed reasonably well. Two of the boys were a bit aloof and tried to sit away from the others. I noticed an empty seat next to them, taking my coffee, sat down next to them. They looked at me as if to say, ‘what do you want.’

“After breakfast, I’d like to talk to both of you. I’ll come and get you.”

“Jeff, could you go to the clinic and find out how that kid we brought with us is doing today? Also, tell Janine we have some new kids that need to be checked in.”

“Can I go with you?”

“Sure, Pat, but take your shower first.”

I saw Beth with the new girls; we now had a total of 5 girls. Still a little unbalanced but better than just one. They seemed to be getting along; I wish the boys will get along as well.

“Sir”

I looked down, a boy with big brown eyes was looking at me. I sat down and pulled him into my lap. “How can I help you?”

“I wanted to thank you for bringing me here. At the old place, I was always picked on because I’m shorter than the others.”

“And now?”

“Last night, one of the boys tried to pick on me again, but a boy with curly blond hair told him to stop it. I think I’m going to like it here, but what’s going to happen in the future.”

“What’s your name?”

“Troy”

“Well, Troy, you’ll go to school until you pass your GED. Then if you wish and are accepted, you’ll go to college and become whatever you want.”

“But I won’t be able to go to college because I don’t have any money.”

“You’ll go to college either on a scholarship or through a private sponsor.”

“Will I have to do something to get a private scholarship?”

I knew where that question was coming from, “No, Troy, you’ll not be required to do anything except study hard. The kids here are not into that game. You don’t have to pay for anything here with your body; help out to keep the place clean and make it fun to be here.”

“Thanks, I think I’ll like it here.”

I kissed him on the head; he jumped down when he saw Curly. I watched him as he went over and began talking. Together they went downstairs; I think Curly was going to work in the laundry area this morning.

I looked around until I found Beth, “Beth, if you aren’t busy, could you get me that file on the names of the kids with their ages.”

The girls followed Beth to the small office, chatting away. Beth had a smile on her face, and she was a lot happier now that she had girlfriends.

When she returned, “Brad, here are the files. This is Amy, June, Clair, and Sally.”

“I’m glad to meet you, and I know that Beth and I are glad to see a few more girls here. For a while, I thought this was going to be an old man’s club. Beth, I’ll be outback. If Janine comes, ask her to come out and see me.”

As I was walking out the back door, I saw Jeff and Pat. I waited until they saw me and waved them over. “Janine said she’ll be over about 1. The kid’s doing better, he had a couple of broken ribs, and his face was pretty bruised. She said he’ll be ok in a couple of days; I think she’ll talk to you about him.”

“Thanks, guys. I appreciate the news. We may have a new member at Sanctuary.”

The boys went into the building; I went to check on the office construction. The first three floors were done, and it looked liked the other floors would be finished by the end of the week. The elevator will be completed in 2 weeks.

I walked into the first floor offices. Looking around, I decided that the infirmary will be on this floor with a small nurse/doctor’s office next to it. I need to discuss the infirmary with Janine when she gets here this afternoon.

Leaving the office building, I stopped at the cook shack to get another cup of coffee.

Mrs. Jenkins handed me the week’s grocery bills. “The boys have done a remarkable job with the food. I don’t see much waste. I’d thought there would be leftovers that had to be tossed out.”

“Leftovers with boys? You’re kidding. I’m surprised that the plates don’t come back licked clean. If there are any leftovers, they are recycled. One thing you learn when you are financially strapped is how to use leftovers.”

Looking over the lot, I noticed the security team had placed lights on the building that, if turned on, would appear to cover the whole area. I wonder where the sensors are to detect unwanted visitors. Looking into the two lots next to mine, I knew I had to call Tony.

Going back into the dining hall, “Brad, there’s a gentleman here to see you.”

“Are you Brad Williams?”

“Yes, I’m Brad Williams.”

“This is for you. You’re being served.”

I looked puzzled as to why I was being served. Reading the citation, it seems I was being charged with the endangerment of young children. This is ridiculous. I called Dad, “Dad, I just received a summons to court for endangerment of children. What can I do?”

“Do nothing. I’ll send a lawyer over who’ll represent you and handle the case.”

What’s next? This last month has been one thing after another? All I want to do is to help these kids.

“Tony, can you stopover? I need a friend.”

Janine came, and I showed her the space for an infirmary. “I need a rough layout of this space with equipment that a nurse and doctor would need. I’ll have a full-time nurse so can so you fit that into your layout and an office that the nurse and doctor could use when he’s here.”

“You want two offices?”

“No, I thought one should be enough. The doctor won’t be here full time, and the nurse will.”

“Are you planning on having a nurse, 24/7?”

“I hadn’t thought that. What do you think?”

“You could get by if you had a nurse who lived on-site, but you don’t have a place for that. Until you figure that one out, maybe start with one and see how it goes. There’s always the emergency room at the local hospital if needed.”

“How do you do it at the clinic? You must provide some coverage for emergencies.”

“We have a nurse full time on the night shifts, and I cover the day shift.”

“Thanks, Janine. I appreciate your insight and the layout when you’re finished.”

“Smiling, the layout is finished. This room is slightly larger than ours, so I can squeeze in a small corner office without too much trouble.”

“Well, since that task is so easy, how about a list of equipment.”

“That’s easy, too; I’ll copy our list and include our suppliers. Don’t you have something a little harder?”

“You help me get this up and running, and I’ll buy you and Doc a piece of equipment for your clinic in payment. How does that sound?”

Janine just smiled and went to find Beth.

I heard a car drive into the lot, turning it was Tony. “What’s the matter that you need a friend?”

I told him about last night and the kids I brought with me. “I’m not sure they’ll fit in and cause a problem. Already two of them began picking on one of their own. I know my kids won’t stand for it, but I don’t want fights started. I need more help in running this place so I can concentrate on the kids, and to top everything, I got this citation this morning.”

Tony took the citation and read it, “This is bull shit. Have you talked to your dad about it?”

“Yes, he’s sending over a lawyer.”

“Then, don’t worry about it. Your dad is a smart man, and I know the lawyer will be as sharp. Just focus on getting all of this construction finished.”

“Thanks, it’s nice to have someone in your corner. The office building is almost done. Now I need to order furniture.”

“A suggestion, go to an office furniture company, negotiate a price for office furniture, not like I’ll give you this desk for 50 dollars off. No, negotiate a percentage or a cost-plus number. If you want, I can come with you. Then let each person who has an office, buy from that one company.”

“Where were you last night when I needed you?”

“Bring me up to date on the construction.”

“As you know, the second story is finished. The third story is subdivided, and now it’s a matter of getting carpenters in to finish off each floor. I’ve hired a woman to supervise the education program, hoping she’ll show up this afternoon. I just finished reviewing the infirmary with Janine, and she’ll give me a list and source of the equipment I’ll need. By the end of the week, this building will be complete except for the elevator. The base of the new elevator is finished and should be operational in 1-2 weeks. I was thinking of you, Abe, and myself having dinner tonight and review where we are. How about it?”

“I’m in; I think you need some good news, right? The 501c was approved.”

“What, approved?” Tony just mouthed, ‘yes.’ I grabbed him in a hug and would have kissed him. I was so happy. “Does dad know?”

“Yes, I just told him before I came over.”

“Tony, that’s the best news you could’ve ever given me, except to say you would pay for dinner tonight.”

Yes, I got a punch on my shoulder and a smile.

We walked into the cook shack. As we were getting a cup of coffee, Mario saw us as he came out of the cooler. “How did you like breakfast this morning?”

“It’s a great idea, order what you need and maybe I’ll rearrange the dining hall to accommodate the equipment. Give me copies of the equipment so Abe can fit it all together. Mario set up a buffet this morning and cooked the eggs the way each kid preferred.”