office.
“Well, Mr. Brogan,
what can I help you with today?”
Robert sat in the
large leather chair and looked across at the
principal.
“Well sir, I think
something happened to my mom and Roy.”
Instantly the man’s
face showed concern. “What do you mean?”
“I haven’t seen my
mom since last week and Roy took off, too. It’s not like my mom to
leave this long. Her work called and left a message, saying she was
fired. Roy, well, Roy doesn’t work and his truck has been gone for
a few days.”
“Who’s been
watching you?”
“No one, sir. I’ve
been on my own since the day after my birthday.” Robert hadn’t
realized tears were escaping his eyes and when a fat drop landed on
his hand, he jumped and looked down at it like it had fallen from
out of nowhere.
Mr. Kent picked up
his phone, “Mary, can you call Child Protective Services, please.
Tell them it’s an emergency.”
Robert can’t really
remember what took place in the days that followed, but less than a
week later, he was on a plane to someplace called Oregon. He was
going to live with his great-aunt by the ocean. He’d never seen the
ocean and the excitement almost won out over the
fear.
When they told him
that they thought his mother had abandoned him, he screamed and
kicked until they finally agreed that maybe something had happened
to her. They hadn’t found Roy or his mother’s car or Roy’s truck.
Since he’d never known Roy’s last name, something young kids don’t
think of remembering, and since the man wasn’t on the lease, they
didn’t even know where to start looking.
Stepping off the
plane, the first thing he noticed was that it was cold. New Mexico
was always warm. Then he saw snow on the ground and his fear turned
into excitement.
There was an older
woman sitting in a wheel chair with a handmade sign that had his
name on it in bright red and blue letters. Red and blue were his
favorite colors. He saw this as a good sign.
Walking up to her,
he dropped the hand of the stewardess who’d accompanied him on his
flight. “I’m Robert Brogan. Are you my aunt
Daisy?”
She leaned over and
smiled at him. “Yes, sir, I am. I’d recognize you anywhere. You
look just like your daddy.”
The drive from the
Portland airport to the town of Pride seemed to take forever. He
didn’t quite know what to say to his aunt. He found her car totally
fascinating, though. He found her car totally fascinating She had
it fitted with special controls so she could use her hands to work
the gas and brake pedals. At first he’d been afraid of how she was going to get in the
car. He’d wanted to ask if she needed any help, but she’d quickly
hopped into her seat like she was a professional. What took her the
longest was getting her wheelchair folded up and put in the seat
behind her. He could have helped, but he was afraid he’d upset
her.
“Well, Robert, I
don’t know what they told you, but I was your father’s aunt. We
were very close when he was younger, but when he moved down south,
I guess we lost track of each other. I hadn’t heard any news about
him until he passed away.” She looked over at him as she drove. “I
hope you don’t mind cats. I have a few of them. They make me feel
better. I bet you’re dying to ask me what happened to my legs,
huh?”
He nodded his head
in agreement and she laughed. She looked younger when she laughed
and he couldn’t help but smile back at her.
“Well, a while
back, I had a stroke, and since then, my legs just won’t follow
what my brain tells them to do. Don’t worry, the rest of me seems
to be working just fine and since the doctor started giving me some
new medicine, I’ve never felt better.” She smiled at him
again.
“Let’s see, you’re
in the second grade?”
He nodded his head
in agreement, again.
“Good, I think I’ve
gotten everything set up for you to start school next week. I
“Well, Mr. Brogan,
what can I help you with today?”
Robert sat in the
large leather chair and looked across at the
principal.
“Well sir, I think
something happened to my mom and Roy.”
Instantly the man’s
face showed concern. “What do you mean?”
“I haven’t seen my
mom since last week and Roy took off, too. It’s not like my mom to
leave this long. Her work called and left a message, saying she was
fired. Roy, well, Roy doesn’t work and his truck has been gone for
a few days.”
“Who’s been
watching you?”
“No one, sir. I’ve
been on my own since the day after my birthday.” Robert hadn’t
realized tears were escaping his eyes and when a fat drop landed on
his hand, he jumped and looked down at it like it had fallen from
out of nowhere.
Mr. Kent picked up
his phone, “Mary, can you call Child Protective Services, please.
Tell them it’s an emergency.”
Robert can’t really
remember what took place in the days that followed, but less than a
week later, he was on a plane to someplace called Oregon. He was
going to live with his great-aunt by the ocean. He’d never seen the
ocean and the excitement almost won out over the
fear.
When they told him
that they thought his mother had abandoned him, he screamed and
kicked until they finally agreed that maybe something had happened
to her. They hadn’t found Roy or his mother’s car or Roy’s truck.
Since he’d never known Roy’s last name, something young kids don’t
think of remembering, and since the man wasn’t on the lease, they
didn’t even know where to start looking.
Stepping off the
plane, the first thing he noticed was that it was cold. New Mexico
was always warm. Then he saw snow on the ground and his fear turned
into excitement.
There was an older
woman sitting in a wheel chair with a handmade sign that had his
name on it in bright red and blue letters. Red and blue were his
favorite colors. He saw this as a good sign.
Walking up to her,
he dropped the hand of the stewardess who’d accompanied him on his
flight. “I’m Robert Brogan. Are you my aunt
Daisy?”
She leaned over and
smiled at him. “Yes, sir, I am. I’d recognize you anywhere. You
look just like your daddy.”
The drive from the
Portland airport to the town of Pride seemed to take forever. He
didn’t quite know what to say to his aunt. He found her car totally
fascinating, though. He found her car totally fascinating She had
it fitted with special controls so she could use her hands to work
the gas and brake pedals. At first he’d been afraid of how she was going to get in the
car. He’d wanted to ask if she needed any help, but she’d quickly
hopped into her seat like she was a professional. What took her the
longest was getting her wheelchair folded up and put in the seat
behind her. He could have helped, but he was afraid he’d upset
her.
“Well, Robert, I
don’t know what they told you, but I was your father’s aunt. We
were very close when he was younger, but when he moved down south,
I guess we lost track of each other. I hadn’t heard any news about
him until he passed away.” She looked over at him as she drove. “I
hope you don’t mind cats. I have a few of them. They make me feel
better. I bet you’re dying to ask me what happened to my legs,
huh?”
He nodded his head
in agreement and she laughed. She looked younger when she laughed
and he couldn’t help but smile back at her.
“Well, a while
back, I had a stroke, and since then, my legs just won’t follow
what my brain tells them to do. Don’t worry, the rest of me seems
to be working just fine and since the doctor started giving me some
new medicine, I’ve never felt better.” She smiled at him
again.
“Let’s see, you’re
in the second grade?”
He nodded his head
in agreement, again.
“Good, I think I’ve
gotten everything set up for you to start school next week. I
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