A Child's Haven - 29. Chapter 29

“How many are going.”

“We have 188 kids and six adults.”

No sooner had I close my mouth, Pat came running up to me. “Dad, there’s a kid at the door.”

I jumped up, followed by Murray, and ran to the door. There was a small Afro-American kid who was crying and bleeding. “Pat, get Jeff. I picked up the kid. Come on, son, we’ll get you cleaned up and fed, then you can tell me your story.”

I looked at Murray and saw him and O’Shea head out the door. Jeff came running in the hall, “Jeff, take this child and get him to the shower and dressed in clean clothes. Pat head to the cook shack, tell Mario I need food for the child.” When everyone went into action, I sat down and started to cry. “Why do kids have to suffer so much?”

Mom pulled me into her arms and just held me as she did when I was a kid. I pulled myself together as Murray and O’Shea came back, and Adam brought over some food for the kid. It wasn’t long before Jeff came up with the kid. Again I could see he was angry. He brought the kid over to me. I picked him up and sat him on my lap. Adam brought a tray of food for him. “Adam, would you please get him an apple juice and a carton of milk. Can you tell me your name?”

Whispering, “Marvin”

“Well, Marvin, this food is for you. Do you want me to help you, or can you do it yourself?”

“I can do it.”

I watched as he took his first bite. I smiled; it was always the same. He looked at me, and for the first time, he smiled. I kept him on my lap as he finished eating. “Do you want more, or is that enough till dinner.”

“This is enough.”

I mentioned for Beth to come over, “Marvin, this is Beth, she’s going to take you to enroll you in Sanctuary, and then I need you to come back here, ok?”

He looked at me with big eyes, “You mean I can stay here?”

“You bet, champ. Go with Beth and hurry back.”

When he was gone, I noted tears in my mom, Mrs. Colby, and Mrs. Warren’s eyes for the first time. “I’ll need a seamstress to take his size.”

I looked at Tony, “No, I’ll just reserve the whole balcony.”

I laughed, and so did everyone else. That seemed to lighten up the mood. Tony got up and left. A few minutes, he came back, “The balcony is ours, and it seats 300, and I hope I don’t have to go back again.”

“You’re a great guy, Tony, and I’m so glad you’re my best friend. I still think you should come to work for Sanctuary.”

Marvin came back with Beth holding his hand. “Marvin, the kids are going to see the Lion King on Monday, and I need to have you measure for pants and shirt. This kind lady is going to take your measurements.”

Beth whispered, “What about shoes.”

“Pat, go down to the shower room and bring up some small sizes so we can try them on. Marvin are those shoes you’re wearing comfortable, or do they pinch your toes?”

It looked like he didn’t want to answer. “Do you mind if I look to see what size they are?” He nodded, so I removed the shoe. It was a child-size 6, but it was definitely too small when I held it against his foot. Pat, get me a 7, 7 ½, 8, and 8 ½.”

Pat left, and a few minutes later, he came back with the shoes I asked for. “Marvin, I want you to try these shoes on and tell me which fits.”

I gave the shoes to Marvin, and he tried each one on. The seven was too small, but the 7 ½ fits, so I told him to wear the size 8. The other shoes Pat took back, Marvin’s old shoes went into the rubbish bin.

With his new shoes, Beth took him to his assigned cocoon.

“So he’ll stay here.”

“Yes, the kids eat and sleep here. Soon they’ll be going to school here.”

“Pat, would you like to show these ladies where you sleep.”

He nodded his head, yes, “Ladies, if you’ll follow Pat, I’m sure what he’ll show you and will answer your questions.” Pat took the four ladies and headed to 2A.

“Brad, I don’t know how you do it. Are all the kids like that poor boy?”

“More or less, Mom, we have a boy in the infirmary that would’ve died if Pat didn’t see him lying on the side of the road. His name is Amir, and he has been a great help in squashing a slave auction. Besides Amir, we saved 43 boys at the auction site and one boy who was with the guy who bought him. I expect more as time goes on.”

“But don’t you get depressed?”

“Sometimes, then a kid comes and hugs me, or Tony gets on my case. There’s a lot of love here ready to be given, so I guess I’m lucky. I can’t do enough for them, I know I cannot erase what has happened, but if I can fill their hearts with love, maybe they’ll push the bad stuff out. I want to get this place finished to begin to help the boys grow and become what they want to be in this world. Perhaps they, too, will help some kid. Two hundred kids helping one kid or two and then those kids helping one of two, the world may change. But someone has to start it, and I’ve chosen that to be my goal, heartaches, and everything.”

We all turned toward the stairs as we saw the ladies coming toward us with Pat smiling. I thought something had to happen when that devil smiles.” Brad, I never saw such a creative sleeping arrangement. I now understand when you mentioned cocoon to Beth. Pat showed us how they operated, and I must say his was very clean and the bed was made. I’m amazed.”

“I guess if you had to sleep in the streets, having a place to call your own is very important. The design of the cubicles is from Japan. They use the concept a lot. I can sleep 300 children here in the cocoons. On the 3rd floor, I’ll have an arrangement that marries dorm living with apartment living, a stepping stone to college or independent living.”

“What happens if there’re more children than what you can accommodate here?”

“Sanctuary has just bought the two lots that border us. If I need more space, I’ll build more rooms. I’ll never turn away a kid.”

“How many kids do you think that need a place like this?”

“I don’t know. We need to get the word out but not publically. I don’t want to tip off the people who threw the kids out, nor the sick people who forced them into lives that you or I never would’ve thought possible. I want to give you cards. When you see a kid begging for food, or being threatened by someone with the intent of being molested, give the kid a card along with enough money so he can buy something to eat on his way here. A couple of dollars means a lot. Write your name on the back of the cards; give the cards to your friends. Word of mouth is the safest way for us.”

I gave Mom my credit card and told her to charge the clothes to my credit card. She took it, but I don’t think she’ll use it. I told the boys I had an errand to run, “Jeff, call me if anything comes up?”

My first stop was to pick-up a wheelchair. I decided to buy it, as I may need it in the future. I checked my phone and found a handicap supply store close to my intended first stop. Entering the store, I told the clerk I was looking for a wheelchair for a child between the ages of 10 and 16. He showed me several types; I picked one that seemed to be very stable and easy to push. He showed me how to collapse it, and he helped me put it in the trunk of the car. Entering the store next door, I looked around at the various types of banks; of course, they had the traditional piggy banks. I didn’t see what I wanted, going to the cash register,” I’m looking for a particular type of saving bank that looks like a cash register.”

“We don’t have that kind in stock, but I may be able to order it for you. Take a look at this catalog and see if you can find the one you like.”

I leafed through the catalog thinking as I turned page after page, I couldn’t find the kind I wanted until the very last page, and there they had them.” I like this style. How soon can you have them?”

“In a couple of days.”

“Great! I need 200 by Monday.”

I thought the guy was going to have a heart attack. “200, I’m not sure I can get that many.”

“Is there a way you can check or call someone?”

The clerk took the magazine, noted the phone number, and made a call.” I’d liked to speak to a salesperson for savings banks.” We waited a few moments. “Hello, I’m calling from Home Gadgets, and I have a customer who wants to buy 200 of model S-4781 saving bank. He’s checking. He said he could give you a 20 percent discount if you take his entire stock of 223. They are closing out this model.”

“Tell him if he could deliver them by Monday, he has a deal.”

“Yes, the address is Home Gadgets, 643 North 6th street, Spring Mall, area code is 32948. Yes, that’s correct, we’ve bought from your firm before. He’ll have them here on Monday.”

“Thanks. Let me know when they come in. You can call me at this number.”

Now I need to see dad.