9780982307403 by Gregrhi Arawn Love Read Free Book Online

brother?”
    “He’s in prison.”
    “What’d he do?”
    “That’s not something I’m willing to talk about.”
    “Was it bad?”
    “Yes Sir, but it doesn’t involve me, so it’s not my
    place to talk about it.”
    “Have you ever been to prison Sir?” he asked
    nervously.
    “Yes Sir,” I said, pausing to let the answer sink in.
    His face became more intense and I continued,
    “to visit my brother and my biological mother.”
    He smiled, “Sir, that wasn’t funny. I thought you
    were serious.”

    74

    “I was serious, I’ve been in several prisons to visit
    people, but no Sir I’ve never been incarcerated.
    How about you? You ever been to prison?” I
    joked.
    With a chuckle and a smile he answered, “No
    Sir.”
    We talked for close to an hour, as I stalled until
    Michelle and Renee could come back with his
    new shoes, so as not to make a big deal of it in
    front of the other kids who I knew were in the
    library. The librarian and I were friendly as we
    shared an immense love of books and respect for
    the library as a sacred place. She allowed me to
    use the library as a sanctuary when I had to clear
    the room for one reason or another.
    I pulled a copy of Kurt Baumann’s The Hungry
    One from the bookshelf behind me and asked
    Garek to read it out loud. He was an excellent
    reader with a tremendous vocabulary. He read
    the book with the ease and timbre of a much
    older reader.

    75

    “What do you think?” I asked as he closed the
    book.
    “Is this supposed to be me? Do you think I’m
    Rum Tum Tum? Am I the hungry one?” his
    questions rang with annoyance but I was
    expecting his reaction.
    “What if I’m the hungry one?” I pondered with
    him.
    “Then I’m in trouble,” he said, his smile
    returning.
    “When I was your age, fairy tales were very
    important to me because somehow, some way,
    the kids and the mothers always seemed to work
    it out - one way or another. My life was always so
    far from a fairy tale, and I always felt so alone
    that I clung to these stories for hope. Do you ever
    feel like that?”
    “Sometimes,” he paused, “but it’s more about my
    dad. I don’t see him much and I wonder if he
    misses me like I miss him.” His smile faded, but
    he maintained his eye contact.

    76

    “I know how you feel. I never really knew my
    dad, and I used to wonder the same thing.” He
    kept talking about his dad until tears soaked his
    face. He wiped his face on his dirty sleeve several
    times but never stopped his endearing speech
    about his absent father. I sat and listened without
    taking my eyes from his. He needed to talk, and I
    needed to listen if we were going to get anywhere.
    He was giving me the details about swimming
    with his father in the pool beneath a waterfall
    when Michelle and Renee walked in loudly, their
    arms full of bags. He noticed them immediately. I
    spoke before he had a chance.
    “Hey man, I had them get you some new sandals.
    Hope that’s cool.” I said with some hesitation.
    “Yeah, I mean, yes Sir. I’ve been wearing my
    mom’s boyfriend’s sandals. He said he doesn’t
    need them anymore.” His smile stretched across
    his face, as the ladies approached with the bags.
    “Look what we got,” Renee sang, placing her
    bags at Garek’s feet.

    77

    “We went a little crazy, but you haven’t spent any
    money all year, so we spent it for you,” Michelle
    said to me while looking at Garek, “This is all for
    you. If any of it doesn’t fit, your mom can return
    it, or we’ll do it. We don’t mind.” She put her
    bags next to the others.
    “Thanks. Can I try them on now?” he asked
    while digging through the bags, pulling out an
    assortment of clothes and shoes.
    “Go ahead Sir; it’s all yours.” I replied
    contentedly.
    He went to the restroom with a bag of clothes he
    had chosen from his new wardrobe and came
    back looking like a showroom model, tags
    dangling from his outstretched limbs.
    “You look great. Do you like