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 32

Monday in school Billy caught up with Becky. “Hey, how ya doin’?”

“Good, what’s up Billy?”

“Well, I kinda wanted to ask you a question about Ty.”

“I think, you would be better off talking to him.”

“I will but I need to know what you think.”

“I heard you were making out with some new kid, at the Grand Opening of the homeless building.”

“If you want to call dancing and 1 kiss making out; I’m guilty.”

“Well, you are honest, I’ll say that, Billy. What do you want to know about TY?”

“Do you know if he is seeing other guys?”

“I’m not sure, maybe, but you better ask him.”

“Do you think, he thinks of us as a couple, like going steady or as friends with benefits kind of thing. We never said anything about being steady.”

“I guess more friends with benefits kind of thing. Where is this going?”

“Well, don’t talk to him until I do. Ty has always been kind of distant, maybe a little indifferent. I mean, I think he likes being my friend, but not as a real steady or committed thing. I feel completely different about the guy I was dancing with. So, I wanted to try to be sure about Ty. I still want to be his friend, but I think I want to save the benefits. If I thought Ty was really serious about me, but had a hard time showing it, I’d try dealing with it some other way, so I didn’t hurt him.”

“I should have known better, thinking you would want to be hurting my brother.”

“Oh no, not at all; he’s really a swell guy and a good friend but just not well … right for me. I don’t know how to explain it better, Becky. If he had your heart in his body, I’d want to marry him in an instant.”

“Really.”

“Without a doubt; you are the sweetest person I know. I knew I could talk to you about this and you would be honest. You know Ty better, how do you think I should handle telling him about Jeff?”

“Just be yourself Billy. Be your sweet, honest self, like you always are. Tell him about Jeff and the different feeling you have for him. He’ll get the message real fast. I don’t think, he’ll be upset because he would have told you if he wanted a steady thing.”

“Thanks, Becky, I owe ya one.”

“No, you owe me two. Someday, I’ll need your help and I know you’ll be there.”

“How’s it going with Bobby.”

“Ohh, the world doesn’t know it yet, but I’m gonna marry him.”

“Really, I’m glad for you. That’s the way I feel about Jeff. Then I remember how young we are but the dream is there.”

“Yeah, I dream about Bobby all the time. Hey I’m late for class.”

“Sorry, go on. I’m gonna find Ty.”

Billy did find Ty after school. He pulled him aside. “I don’t know how to tell you this, but I met another guy. He is super nice and I don’t know, umhh, I feel so much different when I’m with him.”

“Really, wow that is news and here I was scared of telling you I met someone too. We never talked about a steady thing, so I thought I could go out with him. Billy, you are a great friend, a better one I’ll never find and we’ve had some great sex. But Ryan, I think I love him.”

“Good for you. I’m so happy for you and you are right; we never had a steady thing.“ Billy leaned in and hugged Ty and Ty hugged back. Just then tall dark-haired kid approached Ty.

“Ryan, this is my good friend Billy. He was just telling me about his new boyfriend and I was telling him about you. We went out a couple of times, we will always be friends but we want to keep other stuff where it belongs.”

Ryan gave Billy a big smile and said “Hi, glad to meet you, any friend of Ty’ is a friend of mine.”

“Same here Ryan. Say I gotta go. I got work to do for Mr. Jenkins. Nice meeting ya.”

Josh was all over the news. The mayor was steaming but what could he do. Josh made the homeless into regular people who were abused by powers bigger than them. Josh’s whole speech was on YouTube and Face book,  all over the social media. The media was saying those kids converted a dilapidated useless building into homes for 20 people. The mayor was pictured as running away. How could he go on the attack against a 14-year-old boy who was called a Crusader against Homelessness? It was a time to hunker down, lick his wounds and move on.

‘Homes for the Homeless’ became a topic all over the city. Josh and Jesse were in demand to speak in front of all sorts of groups. Sure, the Catholic Churches picked up on what Father Rick had done, but also Protestant groups, Jewish temples, Hindu and Muslim organizations, as well. Derrick was shocked when he was asked to help out with the talks. His mom told him if he helped out, she would make him chicken a la king for life. Derrick had already said yes, but he sure did like his mom’s chicken a la king. The speaking demand was putting a large dent in Pops’ transportation budget so it was decided they had to ask for transportation money. Once explained, everyone provided money for transportation. Some of the more well-to-do protestant groups sent a limo for them. Jenny and Val always accompanied them on their trips and helped out setting up posters they made, showing the progress of the buildings and the completed apartments. At each meeting, they gave out the Crusaders against Homelessness buttons. The demand spread out of the city, throughout the major cities of New Jersey down to Philadelphia and up to Boston and many stops in between. Every Friday and Saturday night they had to be someplace. They even, sometimes, squeezed in meeting on Sunday afternoon. The schedule was demanding but they kept at it. They believed they were Crusaders. Finally, just before basketball season, Jack Harvey and Pops said they had to make a decision - either basketball or the crusaders, but not both. Jack said he could tell groups they were booked out ‘til spring. Pops agreed. So, they played basketball. But the groups the Crusaders started had established 100 buildings. 2000 people were out of the shelters and in their own homes. Josh and Jesse were to be nominated for ‘Men of the Year’, by Time magazine. but Josh demanded and got the entire original Crusader group pictured on the cover as the organization of the year. After basketball the boys with the girls were back at it doing work for the crusaders. The entire town of Hopewell was behind the Crusaders. The sleepy little town in New Jersey even put up a sign “Home of the Crusaders against Homelessness.”  Josh, Jesse,  and all of the Crusaders had become the face of the fight against homelessness. Come spring, the demand for them to speak was there all the more. It was decided two weekends a month would be allocated to the Crusaders and the other two for the kids to be kids.

Billy and Jeff had gotten their own notoriety. A picture was snapped of their dance and kiss at the grand opening. It became the poster, for a love is love campaign, sponsored by a gay organization to stomp out bigotry and discrimination of gay teens. They were asked to speak at gay groups.

Billy’s talk went like this: “I didn’t tell my mom I was gay, I just showed her. Really, she already knew. It was the same with Jeff and his dad. But it was easier that way to come out. A good friend told me ‘Don’t put labels on yourself but be yourself’. Be what your instincts tell you. Be who you are, then love and accept that person. My instincts told me to dance with Jeff that day; they told me to kiss him that day. Not because of a label, but because he is cute and handsome and kind and courageous and most of all I love kissing him. It excites me.“ The last part always grew smiles and light laughter. It was simple straight from the heart advice. It helped a lot of teens and gave them courage to go on in the face of discrimination.

To be continued...

Posted: 03/04/2022