March 24, 2009

• Curtis

  not the children God. Why should the children suffer? let all the older people bear it. let me bear it. but not the children.

  I’ve been volunteering at the Youth Center every Tuesday. When i got back from Brasil, i wanted to work there, but they did not have the finances to hire me. so just on Tuesdays. I met a little boy named Curtis. He sucks his thumb and talks too loud. he grabs me and says, “no, help me with my work!” when i start to talk to someone else. Curtis always has a lot of homework. Every Tuesday. i do the homework table. Curtis is my star…or at least the bright light that keeps flashing in my eyes. Then he wants to play basketball. then he wants to play air hockey.

  Johnny Adams, who used to be one of my little boys that i beat at basketball, was joking with me. He is now six foot something and can dunk. i don’t play him anymore. i don’t like losing. He said “hey, i see you’ve found your new group of little guys” when Curtis and i where hooping up on some others.

  I also met Miracle. i noticed her standing outside the circle of chattering girls. That is where she normally stands. she gave me a lonely smile. i keep up with the kids i know, but haven’t really met many of the new kids. The Youth Center has a sudden burst of 8-12 year olds, who seem to be everywhere and taking over.

  Friday, Curtis and Miracle’s older brother Daniel (who’s one of the scruffy boys that’s been hanging out at the center since they were 8) who is now 15, got in a fight with a girl.

  i don’t know the whole story. i don’t want to know the whole story.

  the girl called a guy to come get him and this guy came and shot Daniel in the face. Daniel died on his front porch last Friday.

  they don’t have the money to bury him. the Youth Center is having a Daniel fund to try to raise the $1,600 needed. the funeral is this Friday. I heard about this during opening assembly at the center.

  afterwords, i asked Curtis if he had his homework. no, it was spring break. but he did want to play basketball. We shot around. dribble dribble. “did you hear about that boy?” “yeah” i said. “that was my brother.” “how are you doing?” dribble dribble shoot. we shot around some more. then we played air hockey. and then pool. he won that game.

  not the children God. Why should the children suffer? let all the older people bear it. let me bear it. but not the children.

  • 9:33 pm
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