What a message: and early Christmas Present: It was a few years ago, about this time when we lost our home. I did all I could to keep the kids upbeat and positive. Then the six of us moved into a small three bedroom house with only a couch and a few matresses. Katie had just taken a job waitressing to try and help us out. The first month at our new location Katie came home from work and told us this story. Dad while I was working today a 17 year old kid came in and was asking customers for money and handouts. A few of us decided to talk to him & gave him some of our tips and asked what was wrong. He told us he was a run-away from Mississippi and in the months before came up to New York and somehow ended up in Warren and then Erie. Now that it was getting very cold, he wanted to go home and try to work things out! He was trying to get enough money together for a Greyhound Ticket and Some food for the trip. Eventually he left and one of the customers gave him a ride to the Bus Station down on the bay where he would try to beg for the rest of the money. As we sat around the dinner table Katie and all of my kids said dad lets take a ride down there just to see if he was able to get on the bus. Well Jack, Katie and I drove to the bus station and when we pulled up, it was about 11pm on Sunday night and the bus terminal was closed, but there was the kid sitting on a bench next to the building. We parked walked up to him and asked if he was okay. In order to stay warm he was wearing every piece of clothes he owned and traveled with and was lighting packs of matches to warm his hands. At that time katie and Jack said we cant leave him here. So with hesitation I asked him to come stay the night with us. He accepted our offer and came to our house. He stayed up half the night talking with the kids telling us his story about running away and how it was a mistake. Other than the clothes on his back, he had a small sketch pad and a hammer in his bag. He said you learn when your on the run to carry some form of a protection, he said if you carry a knife and the police stop you they arrest you with a knife. With a hammer they dont question you as much. When I asked about the sketch pad he said, drawing was how he passed the time while on the streets. For the next few hours he stayed up with the boys teaching them to draw. I stayed up all night just to be sure he was not a threat to us… When I looked at the drawings he was teaching Jack and Duffy how to draw eyes. He told us the eye is the most important feature you can draw because when you look into the eyes of a person you can see their soul. The next morning the kids went to school and we packed him up two bags of food for his trip and we bought him a bus ticket home, and put a little spending cash in his pocket. As he and I hung around in the morning before he had to be at the Greyhound Station, I bored him with my life story. How we just lost our house, I lost my TV job, and that I now was in kidney failure. But I also told him we were working as a family to make the most out of life. He was fascinated that I used to be on TV. When he noticed some of my suits hanging in the hall closet he said if I ever run away again I will get one of those to wear. I asked why? he told me I have learned that people look at you and treat you different if you are dressed like you matter. If I ask someone for money dressed like a run away they see a person who is trouble, If I am dressed in a suit they assume I lost my wallet and just hit a bit of bad luck. At that moment I asked him if he would like one of my suits? I said it might be a bit big on you but I am no longer on TV and I have gotten to fat to wear them anyway. He said thank you, and put on one of my suits. I gave him a few shirts and a handfull of ties. I told him my 8 year old Jack was so impressed you put all your clothes on in order to stay warm. Jack wanted to put all his clothes on for the week so all he would have to do is take them off one layer at a time and never have to take a shower… Honestly he did! After we stopped at Takis for breakfast I took him to the bus station. I watched him get on the bus and we never heard from him again. Actually that is not totally true. Two years later when we moved from that house, when we were packing up our kitchen pots and pans I found a letter in an envelope that he had written to us. In it he thanked us, and then he said I know you were once a story teller on TV, maybe someday I will be able to have you tell my story and it will have a happy ending. Tell they boys I loved teaching them to draw and always remember the eyes are the window to the soul. I looked in their eyes and even though I am just a kid myself I know their sould are good ones. Take care and Thank you for helping me go home. He signed it Mississippi, because that is where he wanted to be.. We believe his real first name is Ron. For years this is where this story ends. Well today I got a text, did not recognize the number, and it took a few minutes to figure out what the person was saying to me… Instead of trying to put it in my own words I thought I would close this post with what was written: To the family who got me home, I finally made it. In fact I live a few miles from my family and all is well. BTW I took your advice I became an art teacher, this week I got my first gig as a substitute in a Jr. High. On my first day I wore the suit you gave me. A couple of the kids made fun of your tie but I told them, you cant laugh at this tie! This tie was on TV in Erie, PA. By the way, Jack keeps the drawing of the eye, he taught him to draw in his dresser next to a pair of his James Conner, game worn gloves! I went into Country Fair today to check if I won the Powerball, just as their computer said sorry your ticket is not a winner, I got that text. We may be a bit behind in the rent and not have all we want, but we sure have what we need good people in our lives, and a great community to call home! #ajo
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 01:25:02 +0000
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