I met someone special tonight, only he feels invisible.

My daughter met a friend through a friend. He lives 45 minutes from us in a little town in the middle of no where. He is a junior in high school and my daughter has talked on the internet and on the phone for quite a while since they met. They are just pals, same interests type thing, but I am good with that.
My daughter asked if he could come over for the day to hang out, listen to some tunes and watch a movie. I had yet to meet him and I agreed to pick him up, if he had a ride home. He called and said that everything was good.

I drove, picked him up and could recognize immediately that he came from a poor family and a semi-hard neighborhood. He surprised me by offering me $30.00 for my time and gas. I thanked him and told him to save his money, and he tucked it back in his pocket. I was a bit astonished that he offered that much when his whole outfit was worth less than that.
On the ride home, I found he was very polite and easy to talk to. He seemed genuinely nice.



When we got to the 'apartment of girls', I sent for Pizza and wings and we hung out. My youngest had two friends over and my oldest was hanging with me while the other two talked and watched TV. After a while it was late and I felt I needed to see what time our 'boy' was being picked up. When I approached them he was white as a ghost and Ashli pulled me aside and said that his mom backed out on him.
His step dad refused to help, and he was not in contact with his real dad.
When I called his mom to see if we could at least meet half way I realized his mom was incapable of driving. She was quite intoxicated.
I hung up, she called him back and though I heard bits and pieces, it was easy to tell that she was not being nice to her son.
He asked if he could get a ride to his friend's house for the night, in his hometown. He was so embarrassed and said that his mom had really agreed to pick him up. I told them get in the car, that it was not an issue.
On the way there he explained that he is ignored at home and he feels like he is a nobody. He even apologized for being poor. I asked, "Why? Did you make you poor?" He explained that he is treated differently because of it. I agreed that it isn't fair. He then said, "You treat me like I am somebody and you are so nice to me. Most of my friend's moms can't stand me and make me feel like I am nothing."

I spent the rest of the ride telling him how special he is, how he IS loved by me and by God and that he is never to think less of himself again. That God has a plan for his life and that he can over come his current lifestyle. I explained that I didn't know what has brought his mom to the position she is in, but that she has her own issue and to not let anyone bring him to feel less or below again. I tried in that 45 minutes to instill a true sense of self worth in him, and I extended my phone number to him.
When he went to get out, he gave me a hug and said something that I shall never forget.
He told me that he sold his key board to have money to come here, he got $30.00 for it. I told him that I was sorry that he felt he needed to do that. He said "Don't feel bad, I would do it again just to meet you. I never met anyone like you." I explained that he could be just like me and that there are millions like me out there. He went on and said, "But you weren't even mad that you had to take me home."



(I was not excited when I realized I would drive an hour and a half in snow country at night, believe me, but it wasn't that boy's fault.)
I explained that I could be mad and make a miserable time of it, or I could realize that there is a reason for everything and be ready to find out what that was, and you needed to hear that you are not a no body, that you are just as important as any one else in this world and that you are loved.
On the way home I told my baby girl that she has NEVER went without a meal, NEVER been without nice clothes and has NEVER been ignored by those who should love you. She has NEVER had to sell the only thing that was of value for an evening of friendship. That she needed to understand what a blessing that was.
I think in the middle of the night, at around midnight, the 3 of us learned a lot and grew a little more.
Tonight my heart goes out to a little town in the middle of no where to a young man now trying to grasp that he is valued.

Please Lord, show him you.

Although my life insurance is more than this, I am really worth.

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I could have got a higher marking but I refuse to kill a Zombie unless I absolutely must,Zombies are people too.

51%

This one disappointed me. I must work harder on my geekiness. I pride myself on being a Geek.

65% Geek

Shocking Results!! You know I had to go there!!

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The scream was primal.

I sat straight up, my heart thudding in my chest, my feet quickly finding the floor without waiting to slide into slippers. I ran hard, towards the room. She was a baby, maybe only 4 or 5 years old.

As I ran, the door to the room flew open and her mom was there, the child wrapped in her arms, tight, trying to soothe her angel.
But that sweet little mouth was open wide, screaming as though all was ending for her, without help. Her small frail mother struggled to soothe her baby by talking to her in their native tongue.
I looked into the mother's eyes and I saw the pain and anguish of something deeper than what I had ever known and I was helpless for a moment. I did only what I could think to do, I offered my arms.
Her child still yelling, I hugged them both.

After a long while, the little girl calmed and with jagged uneven breaths, fell back to sleep.

A little later, everyone wide awake now, we shared coffee around the shelter's table,while she explained in very broken english, why her baby screamed like that.
What I heard that night opened a flood gate within me.

She was going underground, losing her identity and she was bringing her infant of 6 months and her baby girl with her.
She was running from an angry husband who wanted the girls gone.
He had wanted boys, and it was her fault they had girls.
He did not want to feed or waste his money on girls.
His anger had escalated when the second baby girl was born.
At first he ignored them all, then he became angry, pushing and shoving her every day.

Then one night he came home drunk and demanded that she was to sell them and when she refused he bundled those babies into a pillow case, with her fighting him the whole way.
They got in the car, with her begging to let her get a job and help and him. He beat her for even suggesting that she leave the house to be around other men. He said he knew where to take them. He was going to take them to a 'community' and drop them off. On the way there the mom started fighting with him. This little woman was having the fight of her life to keep her daughters. Outraged that she dared to strike against him, (and from her demeaner I think it was the first time she ever did,) he stopped on a bridge and took the girls and tossed them over. She jumped with them. He left.

With help, she managed to get the girls to shore and someone who had seen everything had called 911. Later they sent her to a shelter, and now from fear she had traveled several states, hiding, shelter to shelter.

She has no families or friends, she is alone but for her babies.
I cried, we all did. The baby was too young to have any recall of the event but the precious little girl who plays hide-and-seek with the staff and blows kisses to other victims and is first to greet new children to the house with a hug, sees her monster at night, after the lights are out. She should be sleeping and dreaming of fairies and castles. Instead, this little girl sleeps near her mother, on a pillow without a case and has nightmares from the one who should have been guarding her life with his own.

Bless you baby girl, where ever you are, I think of you, your sissy and your sweet lil momma often.

Each hour, each mile
takes me away away from you
yet brings me to them.

I will spill tears for you tonight
yet cling to them tight
rejoice and sorrow
is always my tomorrow

Like a pendulum
pain and joy in one
I swing to and fro
time is my friend and my foe.

Each hour, each mile
I miss your smile
Each day, each week
your embrace I seek

One day they will be grown
my journey be done
will I rejoice that day,
or will tears give its way?

~whispered 1/08

There is a relative of mine now.
His name is Charles and he is a gentle soul of sorts.
He is in his late 50s and he is slow, quite slow, but capable of doing much of his own living.
His daddy died when he was very young and he lived with his momma for many years. He wasn't expected to live past his teens and as Charles says, "Fooled them didn't I?"
My mother in law and his momma were sisters.

Charles's nick name around town is Nature - shortened to Nache.Probably because he is outdoors no matter what the weather is like. He doesn't seem to mind and really accepts it as his own but Mom dislikes it and calls him Charles, so out of respect for her, so do I.
Charles works odd jobs and is often hired to remove homes, he has done this for years. It takes him just a few days but he can tear a house (large two or three story ones) down with a crow bar and time to the size pieces that fit in a dumpster. He works alone and steadily on it and before you know it the house is gone.
When off duty or out of work he can be found down to Gordons, a local greasy spoon that anybody from the town goes to weild away hours and with the fisherman, between tides.
Charles lost his teeth ages ago but refuses to wear dentures. Mom will look him in the eye and say, "Charles, you are so handsome when you have your teeth in, why don't you wear them?" He just grins and says "I don't need em."
He was home when his Momma died.
They say he went to the neighbors and asked them to hurry and call when she collapsed. He now lives in a small apartment and is monitored by social services. To this day Mom has his momma's pictures for him to look at when ever he wants but he refuses to take them home with him. I believe it hurts to much to be reminded daily that his momma is gone.
Mom has to keep a 'keen eye' on him about his appointments with social services for he likes to hop on his moped and disappear before they arrive. It's not fear, he just hates to talk to anyone he doesn't know. I find these conversations funny. Charles, with his ever smile looking down at mom, who promised her sister to look after him like her own. She does with pleasure and he loves mom to pieces.

Mom: "Now Charles, You know social services is going to be here tomorrow. You need to stay home until they leave. Okay?"
Charles: *always smiling sweetly* "I donno Aunt Lois, I have lots to get done."
Mom: "What is so pressing that you have to get it down tomorrow when they are coming to see you Charles?"
Charles: "Oh lots."
Mom:*looking tight lipped* "Charles."
Charles: *Still smiling* "What Aunt Lois?"
Mom:"You need to be here."
Charles: "Okay."
Mom: "So you will be here tomorrow?"
Charles: "I donno know."

He sometimes stays and sometimes doesn't, it doesn't help to try and go there and wait with him because most times he leaves too early to catch him. Although, lately, since he is getting to know his worker, he has been better about it.
Once Charles was given a puppy by the Chief of Police. He loved that dog, but it was way too big of a responsibility for him and we had to find a new home for him. Although Charles missed him he was relieved as well. I once asked him if he could have anything he wanted what would it be. He said he would live in a big house with a big yard and have so many dogs he couldn't count them all. I like that dream!

After Dad's funeral, Charles came to mom and asked if she died, who would look after him. Mom told him we would, but she felt the need to talk to me about it. I found that mom helps him with his finances and she showed me all the ins and outs. Then we made sure he understood.
He seemed pleased but I could tell he is still scared of being all alone.
For Christmas mom and I had bought some toys to donate and Charles came to the house. He saw a soft teddy bear poking out and said he would love that himself.
We ran right out and purchased an even larger plush Teddy Bear for him. He was delighted.
Charles may be simple in some ways but his look on life inspires me and clears some cobwebs for me. I love how he weighs value and remembers any handiwork anyone did and with what equiptment.
What saddens me is that we have to keep an eye out for Charles because he gets taken advantage by cruel people. He has been tricked to purchase very expensive insurance once that wasn't useful and was short termed. He has been short changed on jobs so now he has them write out the job and price negotiated, brings it to us for review and then we keep it for verification. People like that have way less value to me than Charles, because he would go out of his way to please them.

If I had the money, I would buy Charles a big ole house with a large backyard and more dogs than he can name, because he deserves it. It would definitely need a housekeeper so I am adding that myself, for Charles's sake.