Shelter Kid
By: Jon Stewart
(© 2021 by the author)

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

jstewart@tickiestories.us

Chapter 31

Saturday dawned. It was a beautiful Indian summer day, bright and sun shining, leaves just beginning to turn. The contingent from Hopewell High was such that Mrs. Martin decided to rent a luxury bus. Jack Harvey did the same thing out at PHS. It was a big day for his company, as well. It was their design and engineering that brought all the pieces together for the first “Homes for the Homeless” building. They didn’t make any money on it but they created a ton of goodwill. Goodwill that was paying off in other municipal projects throughout the Northeast. Annie and Billy, along with Nat Stewart and Jeff Stewart were on this bus. Annie and Nat sat together, of course, so Billy and Jeff had to buddy up.

As the bus got going Jeff asked Billy, “I heard you’re out, you know the gay thing.”

“Well, I guess I am, I’m not hiding it, but I didn’t make an announcement to the whole school or have a big discussion with my mom. It’s just kind of happened and I’m glad it did. Why do you ask?”

“Ahh, just curious, I guess.”

“Well, I know if you are curious there must be a reason. You can be honest with me, Jeff. I don’t go to your school, and even if I did, I’d never say something that might hurt or embarrass you.”

“Gee, I guess there is no hiding stuff from you.”

“It’s up to you buddy; you don’t have to say it. I know it’s a hard thing to say.”

Jeff looked directly at Billy. There were tears in his eyes, but all that looked back were eyes of compassion and caring.

Billy went on, “You know one of my best friends told me you have to love and accept who you are, no matter what. You know, there are benefits to being gay. A real big one is not worrying about getting a girl pregnant if you have sex. When you are boy on boy no babies come out.”

Jeff smiled at that. “I want to tell my dad, but I’m afraid.”

“Of what?? Your dad is a great guy. He was with my mom when she and I had a little talk. It was an easy talk. She said she saw me dancing with another boy and she’s kind of known for some time. She said it was ok. I am what God made me. She said I was special to her just the way I was and that she loved me, maybe a little more; because of me being gay. There are some out there that can be mean about it. That was the whole deal. Your dad shook my hand and gave me a hug too. My guess is that he already knows but doesn’t want to say anything to upset you. He’ll be there for you Jeff, I know it.”

Jeff smiled again and a sigh of like the biggest relief came out of him. “You really think so?”

“Yeah, if you want some help coming out without a big production; we can say we’re going out on a date with each other.”

“You’d do that?”

“Hell yeah, you are hot dude.”

Jeff blushed like crazy, his face was red as a beat.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I just meant that you are very good looking and very cute. I would love to go out with you. We could tell our parents that we have a date together or I could tell them I was meeting you for a date with your dad there. Whatever, way you want. No big discussion, but it tells them you like a gay boy. And usually, boys who date gay boys are gay.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“It will be. Your dad will probably ask how your date went. I hope you would say it was real nice. I really like Billy.” Then you can say, “Can we save the G word for another time, Dad. I just want to be me without any labels.”

“Wow Billy, you are great at explaining this. Thanks so much. Do you really mean it; would you go out with me?”

“For the second time, Jeff, I really mean it. I would love to get to know you better. Do you want me to shout it out to the whole bus? Can I kiss you now?”

Jeff started to turn red again. “Ok, Ok I think my dad has something planned for tomorrow with your mom. Are you free?”

“Yeah, I don’t charge anything. What do you think I am, one of those rent boys?” Billy said laughing.

Jeff laughed too. “You know what I mean.”

“No plans for me tomorrow, do I have date.” Billy slipped his hand onto Jeff’s thigh.

“Yes, you have a date.” Jeff put his hand on top of Billy’s. It felt so good to do what his instincts told him to do. Both boys raised their eyes and kind of pointed to their growing crotches. Then they smiled at each other and stopped holding hands. The rest of the way, Billy told about his friend, Josh and praised Jeff for standing up to his coach in the title game. That took guts.

Whenever the Mayor went out there was always a bunch of TV people to follow him and today was no exception. The buses from Jersey arrived and the Crusaders gathered. Pops, Jack Harvey, and Mrs. Martin had pins made up with a crusader emblem and the slogan Crusaders against Homelessness. Enough were made up for the youth group, too. Jenny and the girls were fast to hand them out and help the clumsy high school boys pin them on their shirts. It was a fine group of about 40 teenagers that stood behind the podium as they waited for the mayor. To start Father Rick blessed the building with holy water, everyone fell silent and bowed their heads. Then the mayor stepped to the podium and praised Father Rick and the youth group aptly named Crusaders against Homelessness. He praised the homeless folks who put so much sweat equity into their new home. Then he asked the crowd, which was about 400 and standing out in the street, if they want to hear from one of the crusaders. They all cheered, the Hopewell folks yelled “Josh, Josh, Josh.”

“Mr. Mayor, Father Rick, we have a lot of people to thank today, not the least of which is Jack Harvey, his son Jesse, and Jack’s firm PHS who designed, engineered and contracted for the construction. They did it for ZERO profit, so I think they deserve a big thank you.“ Josh started clapping and the whole assembly cheered widely lead by the crusaders. “Of course, we have to thank the tradesmen from St. Francis Church who made sure the crusader laborers like myself didn’t electrocute themselves or take an unscheduled bath doing the plumbing. The tradesmen got a round of applause as well. Then there is Mr. Tully, Mrs. Banks, and my good friend Luke Calahan who did all the bureaucratic leg work to get the property. Josh stopped his speech and again applause rang out. People from Hopewell, NJ and all across your city, Mr. Mayor came together to fight against homelessness. As of today, there will be 20 less people in the shelters. It is a start, but it is a drop in the bucket, and it is a band-aid on the symptom, and not attacking the many causes and devastation of homelessness.”

“I’d like to say something about what I think are the real causes of homelessness. Not the stereotyped stuff that you hear on the TV. Homeless folks are not all drug addicts or drunks. I’m not an addict nor a drunk and I was homeless; neither is my friend Billy, and he was homeless. Both of us just got out of the shelter this year. Billy waved from behind the podium. Most homeless folks are honest, good people who got a bad break in life.”

“My grandma was sold a bad mortgage on her house with a balloon payment 3 years later. The bankster evicted her and me, 3 years after she took out the mortgage. They said it was all legal and proper. It may have been legal but it sure wasn’t proper and the laws that made it legal need to be changed. They stole her house. My grandma died in the shelter.”

 “Billy’s dad was a Marine. He got called overseas. His leave got cut short before he could marry Annie, Billy’s mom. He sent money back for Annie and his son every pay day. Until one day when an IDE went off killing him. The Marines said there was no documentation that Billy was his son and Annie got nothing but memories of a good man taken from her. And a boy that she didn’t know how to support. She tried but got only low paying jobs. She turned to selling drugs and then over time tried using them. Yes, she was an addict. But today she works at PHS and has an apartment in Hopewell because she struggled through the drugs and completed a computer training course. Why couldn’t a DNA test have been done for Billy and Annie?”

“My friend Jesse Gordon, wave Jesse, (Josh paused) walked just about 10 miles in freezing snow to my Grandma’s funeral. He was in the service, got wounded and can’t work. He has a disability pension, but it is so small he can’t get a place to rent. Now, he is going to share an apartment with 4 other fellows like himself in our new building. But why couldn’t the government give him a pension that would have allowed him to live with some dignity? He served his country, got wounded, and returns home to become homeless.”

“There are a lot of stories just like these of my friends, but there are more terrible abuses in our system. Why is there a credit check on a person seeking a new job? Hey, if they were working, they would have good credit but if a person is out of work, how does he get money to pay his bills. Won’t food and shelter come first? Followed all too swiftly by homelessness and no chance for a decent well-paying job.”

“What about healthcare? How many people go bankrupt because of serious illness or injury? Well, I’ll tell you more people become bankrupt because of healthcare than any other reason combined. Why in the United States of America is our system a healthcare for profit system when in every other developed country healthcare is considered a right and is basically free. In all of Europe, it’s free; in England, it’s free, in Canada, it’s free, in Japan, it’s free, in Australia, it’s free. Hey, even in Cuba with a supposed tyrannical dictator, it’s Free”

“Mr. Mayor, you are a politician, can you use your office to promote defenses against the real causes of homelessness?” Josh turned to look at the mayor. The assembly looked at the Mayor, as well. He wasn’t a bad man but he was entrenched in party politics and corporate donations. He fumbled a bit. He was being put on the spot by a 14-year-old in front of the TV cameras and a good-sized assembly.

“You’ve fielded some very, very complex questions, my young friend. I am running late for my next appointment, but my secretary will invite you to my office to discuss these issues.”

As the Mayor was walking to his car; Josh pressed the issue. “The question to you, Mr. Mayor, is pretty simple; Yes or No. Can you use your office to promote defenses against the root causes for homelessness. If you are committed to ending homelessness and not just put band-aids on the issue, you should stand up for universal healthcare, jobs for folks without credit checks, DNA testing for undocumented children of service men and jailing Wall St. Banksters; can you name me one bankster who has been jailed for making fraudulent loans?“

The mayor got in his limousine without answering and drove away. He couldn’t offend the Wall St. Bankers or the Health Insurance industry. The assembly jeered at him and cheered Josh.

Father Rick got up and calmed the crowd. Josh had stirred up a hornets’ nest just as he promised he would. “Josh, I hope you tell us when your meeting with the mayor is so we understand the very, very complex questions.” The crowd chuckled. “If it turns into a debate, my money is on you.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“Now, let’s cut this ribbon and get these people in their new homes.”

Josh, Father Rick, Jack Harvey, Mr. Tully, Mrs. Banks, and Luke all got a hand on the big oversize scissors while newspaper pictures were taken. The homeless folks got moved into their new units. The TV reporters toured the apartments. Interviews were asked of Father Rick, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Tully, Mrs. Banks, Luke, and Josh. While the interviews were going on, the Ladies Auxiliary of St. Francis, with the help of the youth group, pulled up the barbeque pits and the big stereo and a block party was in full swing. The teens and the adults were dancing in the street. Jack Harvey said he would pay the bus drivers overtime and asked them to join in the celebration, which they gladly did. Mrs. Martin was observed dancing with Coach Mathews.

Billy caught up with Jeff and asked if he wanted to dance with him. Jeff’s hand shook a little, but as soon as Billy had him, he was fine. Billy whispered, “It’ll be easier this way. These are all good people, no one will bother or embarrass you.” Billy led Jeff into the street. Jeff’s head fell onto Billy’s chest. Jeff glanced up. He said “Hold me Billy, I’m scared.” Billy cradled both hands around Jeff’s head holding him tight to his chest. “I gotcha buddy, it’s gonna be fine.” Holding Jeff was different than being with Ty. Ty had an air of indifference some times. Billy sensed Jeff needed him and that was a special different kind of a feeling.

Annie saw her boy dancing with Jeff and quickly grabbed Nat hand. “Look”, she whispered. “Look at Billy and Jeff.”

Nat saw his suspicions were confirmed and he was happy that Jeff was facing who he was. “They are the sweetest couple out there, don’t you think, Annie?”

“Yes, they are. Except for you and me. Let’s go dance by them, old man.”

“Who you calling old, lady?”

Nat and Annie danced real close to Billy and Jeff. Nat reached out and ruffled Jeff’s hair. Jeff looked up, his dad smiled and mouthed the words, “I love you, son,” Annie whispered into Billy ear the same. “I love you, Billy.”

Jeff was smiling ear to ear as was Billy. He hugged Billy really, really tight and said “Thank you, thank you, thank you. You made today the best day of my life. I couldn’t have done it without you.” Jeff Kissed Billy of the cheek. Billy said “Come here, boy“ and kissed Jeff full on the mouth. His tongue probed Jeff’s and they dueled until Billy sucked the air out of Jeff and his tongue into his mouth. Jeff went weak in Billy’s arms. Jeff broke the kiss as he needed air. “Wow.”

Nat said “Calm down now, boys. Remember this is a church affair.” Billy and Jeff heeded, Nat’s words. Annie was impressed by the way Nat handled the situation and looked on him with loving eyes.

Come 7:00 the bus drivers told Jack they had to get back to their families. Jack understood and gathered the Hopewell folks for the return trip. The block party was a huge success and the St. Francis folks stayed on with the now ex-homeless folks.

To be continued...

Posted: 02/25/2022