Winter Rescue

By: John Bowling
(© 2013 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

It was winter, mid-December, and I was doing my job as a regional Game Warden. In the winter I traveled through the countryside, avoiding the farmers' fields, but skirting them, on a well muffled snowmobile. I did not want someone who was violating the game laws to hear me coming and get away. Often, I shut it off to listen and walk around. With the crop fields, there was a long sightline when the weather was too cold for crops to grow. This was a modified one, with a platform on the back that I could put injured animals in rather than an extended seat for a second person.

Traveling along an old logging trail to get to the next set of fields, I heard muffled cries and screams, and hurried through the trees towards the sounds. Just before I arrived, I heard fast, heavy footfalls rapidly heading away, and just the receding bulk of someone in heavy winter clothes, and some faint moans in front of me. Lying there, face down, and his pants pulled down to expose his buttocks to whatever he was whipped with, now bloody and showing stripes, was a young boy who appeared to be about five. I checked him over for other damage as well as I could and finding his bones appeared to not be broken, and he was only bleeding slightly now on his bottom. I took a picture, then noticed a bloody, sapling stick lying next to him, and took a picture of it also and of the footprints around him. I triggered the GPS in my phone to record where we were and the time, and then called the rural doctor and said I was bringing him in, and to let the sheriff's office know.

Gently, I placed a blanket over him, and picked the boy up, turning him over. Holding him in such a way nothing was pressing on his back side and the blanket covered him other than his face, I then picked up the sapling with my winter gloves and he cried out: "NO!" I quickly put the bloody stick into a plastic bag.

"I'm sorry, son. I will not hit you. The Sheriff will need this stick for evidence. We will not let anyone hurt you again. Now, let me get you to warmth and safety so the Doc can get you fixed up. My name is Jason Conrad, and I'm the game warden." I did not tell him then that I am married to the Sheriff, as co-husbands. I started back the way I came to my well muffled snow mobile, carrying him. I kept speaking softly and gently to him. About ten minutes later, we were back to my snow mobile, and I then placed him gently in the large, foam and blanket lined basket I kept strapped to the floor of the snow mobile. I often found injured animals that I took to a vet. I wrapped the blanket over him, and strapped him down lightly so he would not bounce out, and then went cross-country to the doctor's. We had to go over mounds of snow and through or across valleys. I kept the bouncing to a minimum, while still making good time.

"Doc Landry, I'm here with the injured boy!" I yelled as soon as I entered the property, and shut off the snow mobile. I picked him up and walked quickly to the door. A woman dressed as a nurse, the Doctor's wife, Margaret, flung the door open and ushered me in. They were good friends who helped when I had a wounded animal to nurse back to health. As the Game Warden in the region, I have had to use them occasionally for minor problems, at least until the animal could be taken to the next county to see a Veterinarian. They also kept their working spaces very sterile.

"There, on the table!." It had a clean paper cover, and I laid him down. The doctor took a good look, and they gently took the blanket off, then cleaned and treated his wounds. She took his vitals and then took several pictures. Gently lifting him, she took him into another room for x-rays.

The deputy, Conrad McShane, came in about that time and wanted to know everything that happened. I told him everything I knew. I transferred the pictures by way of the good Doc's laptop to the Deputy's phone, and then the Doc transferred his pictures, including the x rays as a .jpg image. "There are no broken bones, but there is scar evidence that he has been beaten multiple other times on his back, butt, and legs. He has no identification on him. The location from GPS is close, about a quarter mile from the Frempsey farm, and there are very few other homes around there."

I then made a call with my cell phone.

"Sheriff's office."

"Is that all I get? No, 'Hi, babe'?"

"Just in case you didn't notice, I am working and I'm never alone in the office. How is the boy?"

"That's why I'm calling. Looks like the kid will be all right, but we don't know who he is yet. I was near the Frempsey farm when I found him, on that logging road they quit using several years back. Come pick me up and let's go over there, and stop by Judge Henshaw's spread and pick up a warrant. I'll let her know you are coming. Oh, and bring another deputy to guard Doc's place while Conrad takes my snow mobile to the scene and follows the tracks from there. He has the GPS co-ordinates. And your hunk of a secretary knows about us."

"Jeremy? Yea, can't keep things quiet around here. Think about foster care for the boy."

"Us? Two dads for him? It would be nice having a youngster around; see you soon. And no playing with the hunky sexytary."

"I can't have any fun?" Sheriff Kelly Majors hung the phone up and prepared to head out.

Jason then spoke to the matronly nurse. "Margaret, can you please care for the boy for a few hours this afternoon while we track down what happened?"

"Why shore, honey. I just love caring for the little ones. Anytime you want me to babysit this 'un, I'm ready. And for any kids you and the Sheriff take in to foster."

"Thanks, Margaret, you are really great. Conrad, take some more pictures of the tracks around those co-ordinates when you get out there. See if you can get a defined foot print or two. And a picture of where that sapling was broken off from if you find it."

I then called Judge Mabel Henshaw. "Hi, Judge, this is Jason Conrad. I just found a roughly beaten kid, about five years old, and brought him into Doc Landry's. The Sheriff is stopping by your place to get a search warrant for the Frempsey farm. I was just off the old country logging road back of their place when I found the kid, and the only tracks leaving the scene were leading back towards their farm. The Sheriff and I are going to talk with them while Conrad follows those tracks."

"Got any evidence for a search warrant?"

"How about someone beating a young boy. We have that evidence in hand here at the Doc's, along with the stick they used. If he is theirs they probably have clothes and other things of the kid's. And we will ask permission before we do anything and base using the warrant on their responses. Oh, the large person who rushed away as I approached was wearing a dark navy blue jacket with a light blue stripe on the back from his right shoulder to the opposite waist line, with a Celtic stylized animal, rampant lion or something, in each of the other corners, done in a faded and worn gold color. Make that jacket a search item, also."

"Sort of circumstantial. What if they are the parents or foster parents?"

"That jacket is not circumstantial. I saw the person who was beating the boy rush away wearing that jacket. Parents or other guardians committing that kind of damage are violating the law. And the feds do things all the time with no evidence including indefinite incarceration without a trial! They gave themselves a lot of power with their so-called Patriot Act. So quote that for now, but only if you need to. I don't want to be that arrogant! Only this time it's for the good of the kid. We don't need to be as demanding as the feds unless they refuse to co-operate!"

"Just stay within the local laws!"

When Sheriff Majors arrived, Judge Mabel handed him the signed warrant.

"Thank you. None of us like child abuse."

Sheriff Majors brought the warrant with him and looked at the abuse the kid had incurred. He muttered to himself about evil people. Even as we were heading out to the Frempsey farm, he was muttering.

"OK, Jason, I'm sorry about the side talk, but people who do things like this are lower than dirt. How about we get things off our chests now. Just in case the Frempseys are not the cause of this, we want to handle it with kid gloves. Sorry, that didn't come out right. I meant let's use soft, gentle cloth gloves, preferably cotton and not kid or animal, hide. 'Sides, they are warmer in the winter than leather."

"I understand, and 'kid gloves' is like calling all tissues 'Kleenex'. Even though we both would like to strangle the perp, that isn't appropriate action. Jail time will take care of him or her, whomever it is."

"If this kid has parents who did this to him, it's sufficient reason to put him under the care of the CPA. He would go into a foster home."

"Some of those are not much better than what this boy has been subjected to. You got a better offer for him?"

"With us, two loving foster dads."

"I could kiss you right here, but we better keep it private for now. You know how neighbors gossip."

"Yea, they manage even living miles apart."

We drove over to the Frempsey's spread, and pulled into the drive, parked, walked to the front door and knocked.

A young adult woman opened the door. She looked rather haggard, hair not done up and no makeup, with plain clothes. Almost what I would expect from an 1850s plains woman. "What do you men want?"

"I'm Sheriff Majors, and this is Jason Conrad, the game warden." He showed his badge. "Do you have a young boy living with you."

"Yea, my son, who is normally here in the house when he isn't out playing in the barn."

"Is he here now?"

"Yea, he should be. Oh, I sent him out to play just after lunch."

"What is his name?"

"Norman Frempsey."

"And he is your son?"

"Yes, I'm Mildred Frempsey."

"And your husband?"

"Arthur Frempsey, who is deceased."

"Does anyone else live here with you?"

"I do have a hired man to help out here."

"Do you know where he is?"

"He was here just an hour ago for lunch. They both were."

"Would he be out around the barn?"

"Is he in trouble?"

"We don't know yet, we are just checking things out. Do you mind if we go and find him?"

"I suppose it would be OK. Yea, sure. Can you keep the boy afterwards and protect him?"

"Are you saying you don't want him here?"

"No, but I can't care for him properly, and he should not be around the kind of men I need here to do the work I can't do."

"Where is his room?"

"There are only two bedrooms here, both down the hall. His is on the right. I'm sorry about the mess." They were both empty of people, though there were adult male clothes in one, and ladies clothes in the other. A few boy's clothes were in with the adult male's clothes.

"He isn't in the house, so we will go check the barn if that is OK with you. Before we do, though, do you recognize the boy in these pictures?" He showed her one with at the scene and one at the Doc's showing his face.

"Oh. Yea, that is him. What happened to him?"

"We are not sure yet, but he is safe now."

"Yea, go ahead. Since my husband died a couple of years ago, it's been rough here."

We walked out to the barn, and found a man inside, still wearing the jacket Jason described. Again, Kelly showed his badge.

"Sir, could we see some identification."

He took out his wallet and let us see his drivers license.

"So, Mr. Dilman, were you out by the old logging road in the last few hours?"

"Not today, why?"

"Just curious. When were you last out that way?"

"Yesterday."

Just then Deputy Conrad came into the barn. He nodded.

"The tracks lead right here." He whispered to Kelly.

"Mr. Dilman. Where have you been in the last two hours?"

"Working right here in the barn."

"Was anyone with you."

"No."

"Did you go in the house and eat lunch?"

"Ya."

"Where is Norman right now?"

"How would I know?"

"Well, Mildred says that if he is not in the house, he would be in the barn. We don't see him anywhere."

"I am not his keeper. I'm just a handy man here."

He showed him a picture taken of Norman's face at the Doc's. "Is this the boy?"

"Might be, I don't really know him well."

"How about this one?" He showed the one in the snow with his back bloody.

"No, I don't know him."

"OK, let's go to the house and talk with Mrs. Frempsey."

"I have work to do."

"It'll wait."

"NO."

"Then you are under arrest."

"For what?"

"Child abuse for starters."

They put handcuffs on Mr. Dilman and while they were taking him up to the house, Jason called the county CPS agent.

"Child Protective Services, Helen Winters here. What can I do for you?"

He explained what they had found, and she asked if they could all wait at the Doc's until she arrived. They agreed.

At the Doc's, Norman was recovered enough to talk, and was playing with a toy car. Whenever he sat, he got up soon after, his butt still sore. They had brought Mildred and Graff Dilman, still in handcuffs, with them. Immediately, Norman ran into a corner. "No! No!"

"What is it, son?" Jason asked.

"Hurt me!"

"Who did it?"

"Hhh…hhi…Him." pointing to Dilman. Kelly looked at the man, and then told Conrad to take him out to the patrol car and lock him in the back. After they went out of the house, Kelly asked: "Is she your mother?" The boy nodded.

"Did she hurt you?"

"No."

"Did she ever hug you?"

"Some, when I was little, but not now."

Mildred spoke up and said. "He is my son, but since his dad got killed, I can't take care of him, and some of the men I got to keep things working were mean to him."

"Are you willing to have someone else take care of him, and raise him as their own child? Some one, or a couple who will love him, and provide a good home for him?"

"That's a lot better than I can do. I don't have any money, just the farm, and it doesn't make much money. Would I be able to visit with him?"

Just then Mrs. Winters pulled up. They filled her in on things, and she asked several more questions of both mother and son.

"I can see that Norman needs to live with people who can provide good care for him. And, while Mr. Conrad and Mr. Majors both would make good foster parents, I do have some concern that a gay male couple cannot provide some of the care a woman would provide. Likewise, Mrs. Frempsey, as a single woman, does not make the ideal parent either, especially when she does not have much of an income, and an obligation with the farm.

"Mrs. Frempsey, would you be willing to live in town, watch your son during the day while these two men are working, and be available in the evenings if need be?"

"I could do that, but what do I do with the farm?"

"I have a suggestion that could work. Both Mildred and Norman live with us. We have a three bedroom house, so there is one for each of them. We could pay Mildred as we would a nanny, with free room and board, and the farm could be rented out to someone. That way, Norm has a mother and two responsible fathers present, and someone always available to care for him. And she could have some evenings free if she wanted to do something," Kelly suggested.

"Yes, that would really provide several solutions to my problems. If it is not a problem for CPS." Mildred was smiling.

"I think that could work, but Judge Henshaw would have to approve it. And I need to check the house and make sure it is suitable."

"The Judge will also have to determine what is done with Dilman. I am going to recommend that he spend 30 days in jail and then be required to leave the county, never to return." Kelly, as Sheriff spoke up.

"Doc, are you ready to release Norm?"

"Yes, his wounds will heal in a few days, but I want to be sure he will be well cared for. I've known Mildred for a few years, and she is not a bad mother, the farm is too much for her alone. A change will be good for her. And knowing you two, the boy could never get better care without abuse of any kind."

Mrs. Winters gave her opinions. "OK, while my religious upbringing argues against allowing two men in the kind of relationship they have to care for children, even married, I know both of them well, and know there will be no problem out of them being foster parents. That religion's got other problems with their integrity, and their 'holy' book is, well, like someone who told a lie and forgot what they said so the next time they said it, it was way different. I go to church only to socialize. The preacher agrees with me, but can't do without the money.

"So I will temporarily approve of the boy being placed with Jason and Kelly, provided Mildred moves in with them. I will check the house out tomorrow, and will have background checks started on the three prospective parental adults. It was fortunate that Jason was patrolling that area, or we might have had a boy frozen out there in this weather. And I feel that Mr. Dilman deserves more punishment for what he did, leaving the boy to die."

Jason spoke with Norm. "How do you feel, son?"

"Hurts some."

"That is expected with what was done with you. What about moving into town with your mother and the two of us?"

"Will anyone hit me?"

"No, son, we will not. Nor will we use psychological games with you. That does not mean you can misbehave without some correction, but it will not be physical like that. We want you to grow up to be a smart, good, and loving person. We will be the same for you." That got a smile out of the boy, and his face lit up. Everybody present smiled.

Mrs. Winters left to get things started. They left the boy with the good Doc and his wife until the preliminaries were complete. The next day, after Helen approved the house with some minor corrections to be done, they drove out towards Mrs. Frempsey's farm to move her personal belongings into her new home and bedroom, along with Norm's clothes and what few toys he had. The winter storm the night before left several inches of snow everywhere, and drifts up to a couple of feet high. The temperatures had dropped to ten below the night before during the storm. It certainly was not a good night for a young lad trapped out in it. Finally, they made it through, and then went to Doc Landry's and as soon as they stepped into the room, Norm came running up to them and jumped into Jason's arms first, for a few minutes, then reached for his mother and finally Kelly. He is really feeling a lot better today.

"Well, son, are you ready to go to your new home?"

He was smiling and nodding his head up and down, happy. "Yes, Dad, Daddy, and Mom. I want to live with all of you. Wow, I got me two Dads!"

Here are two you tube videos:

Kinderen voor Kinderen song - Two Fathers (subtitled in English)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qf0puHJ-KM

Two Dads Our Adoption Story

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKKsIu9oUrI

Editor's Notes: 

I am quite impressed with this heartwarming story. I kinda wish it were longer, but it got the point across, and Norm got some good, loving parents.

Please let John know what you thought of it.

I am eager to see more stories from John.

Darryl AKA The Radio Rancher

Posted: 08/02/13