The Lottery - 3. Chapter 3

Dropping Mom and Dad at the airport, I decided to do a little sightseeing. Actually, I wanted to check out the parks looking for a place for my food truck. I drove to a park I saw when I brought Mom and Dad to the airport. I was so intent on looking the place over for a place to park the food truck I didn’t notice the boy until he tapped on my side window. I rolled the window, “Yes, may I help you?”

“Can you give me some money? I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday morning.”

I knew then that my idea was right on, and I was going to help these kids. “How about if I go with you, and I’ll make sure you’ll have enough to eat today and tomorrow.”

I could see he was hesitant to agree, but I think hunger won out. “I thought I saw a restaurant around here. Do you know of a place where I can get something to eat as well?

“Yes, there’s a pizza place on the next street over.”

“Okay, let me lock my car, and we can walk there.”

The kid was right, I no sooner turned the corner, and there was the pizza sign. “When we go in, I’ll order the pizza, and you go and wash your hands, okay. What do you want on your pizza?”

“Just cheese.”

“What no pepperoni or sausage?”

He smiled. I went and ordered two pizzas with extra cheese and pepperoni—one for here and one to go.

I sat at a table, waiting for the kid to return. Then I thought about something to drink. I ordered a coffee for me and cola for the boy.

About 10 minutes later, the young boy slid in a chair across from me. It looked like he not only washed his hands but his face as well. “Can you tell me your name? I don’t like to call you, boy; my name is Jeff.”

“My friends call me Squirt because I’m so small. But my name is Paul.”

“Well, Paul, it is. Are there a lot of kids like you on the street here?”

“I don’t know, but there are 6 of us who hang out at the park. I’m sure there are more.”

Just then, our pizza’s arrived, “Could you please put one in a box for take out.”

I watched as Paul looked at the pizza. I took a slice, and put it on his plate, did the same for myself. “Paul, the rest is for you.”

He looked at me, smiled, and bit into his pizza. “Paul, eat slow; you don’t want it to come back up.”

Paul had eaten three pieces. There were two more on the plate. I noticed Paul looking out of the store window. “That’s my friend. Can I give him a piece of pizza?”

“It’s your pizza.” Paul got up, took a piece of pizza, and headed outside to his friend. I watched as Paul told him who I was and I had bought the pizza.

Paul came back in and sat down. I finished my coffee, “Paul this pizza is for you and your friend. But before you leave, I have a business proposition for you and your friend to think about. Let’s go and see your friend,” We walked out of the pizza place. Paul introduced me to his friend Todd. I was told it was with two D’s.”

As we walked back to my car and the park, two other boys ran up to Paul and asked for a piece of pizza. “Paul, go ahead and share your pizza. If you and your friends agree with my business proposition, you’ll have more than pizza to eat.”

Paul gave the box to the boy, and as if by magic or the smell of pizza, two more boys appear. “Paul, are these the other boys that hang out in this park?”

“Yes, sir.”

I thought six boys, I could handle that. “How would all of you like to come and work for me? I have a farm and could use some help. How about it? You can go and get your things, and we can leave right now.”

The boys looked at each other it was Paul that asked the question, “We won’t have to do any sex stuff because if we do, then we’ll stay here.”

“No sex stuff. Come with me. You can leave anytime you want, but I’m “betting you won’t want to leave.”

They huddled again. One of the boys wasn’t sure. I went and sat in the car and watched. Every once in a while, they would look at me. Reaching their decision, Paul came over to the car. “We have decided to take you up on your offer, but any attempt for sex, and we leave.”

“Deal, get your things, and let’s go.” I watched as they headed into the park. Paul’s friend, Todd, was the first one back. I opened the trunk, “Put your things in here and then go and sit in the car.” As each of the boys came back, I repeated myself. Soon I had one boy in front and five boys in the back. As soon as I entered Virginia, one of the boys from the back came and sat on the boy’s lap in the front seat.

It was a long drive, 4 hours from DC to the farm. Several of the boys fell asleep. As we drove, the lad in front said his name was Abe; I suppose it was Abraham. “How far is it to your farm?”

“About 4 hours by the interstate, it seems a long time, but you’ll hardly notice it.

As I left the interstate and took the road to the farm, the boys seemed to become awake. We just passed a Wal-mart when I stopped. “You all need some clothes, so let’s go and get a couple of changes. We can come back tomorrow and get more if we need to.”

As I stopped the car, the boys in the back woke up. Abe explained what we were going to do. I guess if you had watched us. We must have looked a little funny. I was leading with a cart followed by six boys. By coincidence, when entering the store, we entered by the shelves with toothpaste, mouth wash, and toothbrushes. I pointed, the boys went and selected their brushes, etc. Proceeding, there was a display of bath soaps, shampoos, and combs. Again I pointed, they selected. Then we moved into the clothing section.

“I watched as the boys picked out underwear, shirts, and jeans. Then shoes and socks, I watched as they looked at hats. I smiled as they each pick out a hat, same type, and same color. On the way out, I bought them some deodorant and a bunch of bananas.

Arriving at the farm, I showed the boys around. Their eyes popped when they saw the pool. “I’d like for you all to take a shower, get dressed, and then meet me in the living room. There are three bedrooms, so if it’s okay, you can determine who shares which room.

“I left them and went to make a pot of coffee. I knew they were also ready for a snack or, more likely, a dinner. I had some frozen tv dinners, not the best, but it was all I could rustle up at the last minute. I just poured a cup of coffee when Paul came into the kitchen in his new clothes. He had a big smile on his face.

“When you all are finished, bring your dirty clothes down, and I’ll show you where you can wash and dry them. I’ll have dinner ready in about 30 minutes. There’s milk in the refrigerator. Help yourself.”

“I have a question, where do you sleep?”

“I have a room over the dining room. When you are all here, I’ll give you a tour.”

“It was about 30 minutes later when all of the boys were in the living room. “I do say you all are looking a lot better. For those who don’t know, my name is Jeff, looking at Todd, that is with two F’s.” He laughed.

“I want to give you a tour while there is still light out, then we’ll have supper. There’s some information I’ll need like name, age, etc. So let’s do a tour and then come back for supper.” I led them outside, showed them the pool, the chicken coop, “I’ll be getting some chickens soon, and I would like you boys to be responsible for them, feeding and gathering the eggs.”

“This barn will be torn down, and a dormitory will be built to provide a place for you boys and others. I’ll be meeting with my architect sometime next week. I’d like your input at that time. I have already told Paul about washing your dirty clothes, so follow me, and I’ll show you where the washer and dryer are.”

“Sir, what is that truck for?”

“That’s a food wagon, it’s a part of my plan that you all will help with. I’ll explain over supper."

“I showed them where the washer and dryer were. Then we headed back into the house for supper.

I’m not sure if they were on their best behavior or not, but they were polite to each other and certainly to me. While we were eating, I explained about the food truck. As I talked, their smiles grew bigger. I think they began to believe me when I said no sex.

After supper, the boys decided they would clean up, if that were alright by me. Tomorrow I’d start the interviews, purchase more clothes for them. I would like for them to have at least five sets.”

“With supper finished, kitchen clean, I turned on the television, and I noticed a few heads dropping, the boys were tired, soon I heard goodnights as they went upstairs. I went to my office and checked for forms for the boys to fill out. Besides names, I needed a Social Security number, a copy of their birth certificate, and the name of the school they last attended. I didn’t care what their previous address was. For me, that wasn’t important.