Old Charles is more than he seems, that’s for sure.
Rake liked to follow Willy’s progress in English and Literature. They talked about the books they read, and sometimes Willy read his book reports aloud for all the men. “That’s a good story,” they’d all agree. Sometimes they wanted to hear it all again. Drum taught Willy to cook. Jack, the latest homeless man to arrive, showed Willy how to shade with his colored pencils to make fine looking geography maps. The teacher posted Willie’s maps in the front of the room for everyone to admire. Jack also taught Willy how to draw horses, cars, and landscapes with his colored pencils. Tonight, he’d show Willy how to draw bacteria.
“I never knew I could draw anything,” Willy said to Jack.
“Well, now, drawing, like anything else, is a gift, Willy. But until you unwrap a gift, you don’t know what you got, isn’t that so? We’re just unwrapping that little gift you’ve had since you were born.” Jack laughed.
I have a gift from when I was born? I don’t even know when I was born.
One night at supper Willy showed the men a greeting card he’d made at school. It was made with colored construction paper. Inside he’d written a little verse and an invitation.
Life is sweet like a Baby Ruth
Because every day
You teach me truth.
The families of the Waitnsee Junior High School are invited to recitation night Thursday at 7 pm in the school gym before Christmas holiday begins.
“It’s supposed to be for parents, but since you’re sort of mine, I’m inviting all of you to come. If you want to, that is.” The room was quiet, and Willy suddenly felt a little embarrassed but recovered quickly when the enthusiasm of his “family” overpowered the silence in the room.
“So, you’re a poet, too, huh Willy?” laughed Rake. “Well, good enough. Good e-nough!”
“I think we need to invite Elmer, too,” said Drum.
“Oh, Elmer, he’ll be there, all right. He never misses anything at the schools, you should know that!” answered Old Charles. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a piano recital, a basketball game, or graduation. Elmer will be there. His heart and soul are in that ol’ school building.”
“Why?” asked Willy. “Does he have kids?” The men stared at Willy, blinked, then smiled, and mumbled among themselves. “Well?” Willy asked loudly. “Is anybody going to tell me?”
“Well, you might say the schools are Elmer’s bailiwick. They’re all his kids. He cares about everyone,” James said. He ran his fat hand through his thick red hair. “When I was in school, I could count on seeing Elmer at every occasion. And I owe him for that. He was there for any kid who didn’t have someone there cheering for him. I had nobody to sign my report card, except Elmer.” James rarely looked serious, but Willy saw it now. “I graduated from high school because of Elmer.”
“Yes, that would be right. I owe him for my education, too, that’s for sure.” Willy stared at Rake.
Elmer’s older than Rake? How old are they?
“I was just waiting… for something to happen. And what happened was Elmer. Yep. Elmer got me a good education. Now I’m a business manager with a college education.”
A business manager? Of the Union Mission? Rake went to college?
On Thursday, Drum had their supper ready early. Some of the men had washed during the day and they all smelled like the same aftershave. After supper Willy wet his hair down with his comb and everybody at the Union Mission tucked in their shirts and tied their shoes. Old Charles shined his worn-out shoes with Vaseline.
Promptly at 6:45 they all walked out the Mission front door together. Willy carried a notebook under his arm.
This is how it feels to be in a family?
Half way to the school Willy heard the rumble of Elmer’s wheels coming up a side street to join them on Harmony Street.
All through the town people passed them and waved. It looked like everybody was going to the school. This was Willy’s route every day. He’d gotten to know a lot of people in town and several students and teachers and customers at Mr. Okei’s market.
The only bunch he didn’t know and didn’t like was the group of students from over at the Northside High School. He’d seen them stare at him from their fancy car windows. They whispered behind their hands about Willy and others. They made insulting remarks to everyone they passed by. He’d seen them insult girls who didn’t have the newest clothes, and he’d watched them try to goad the boys from town into fist fights. Sometimes they succeeded. Willy knew these types. He’d seen them in every town he’d ever waited in. They taught him to be suspicious and keep to himself. Folks from the north side only came into town when they needed to, or to cause trouble; they snubbed the town folk. Elmer had said “Don’t let them tempt you, Willy. You’re better than that.” So, Willy walked away from them, holding his anger inside.
When Willy and his mission family arrived at the school, Northsiders were draped around the entrance way. Willy slowed to a halt, sensing harassment in the air.
What are they doing at our school? They don’t have any business here.
Elmer pushed his platform on past him and up the red, white, and blue striped ramp.
“Good evening, gentlemen,” Elmer said loudly. “Could I trouble you to get the door for us, please?” The two who were barring the doorway slowly moved and stood up straight but didn’t seem inclined to open the door. They made a show of looking down on Elmer. One of them made a swimming breast stroke gesture with his arms, imitating Elmer on his platform, and the others laughed. Elmer ignored it, but Willy was incensed. He took a step forward, but Elmer held out his arm, and Willy stopped.
“Neil Young, how nice to see you. I understand you’ve been offered a scholarship for next year. Congratulations. I know your daddy and mother must be very proud of you. Tell them Elmer says Merry Christmas to y’all. You’re Scotty Sanford, aren’t you? Say hello to your father for me. Actually, I’ll probably see him myself next week at the Foundation meeting. Would you mind opening that door for me and my friends?” The tall kid with the letter sweater moved to the center and pulled the door open, looking surprised—or confused. Or was it worry?
“Regards to your parents, Neil. We go way back, you know.” Neil looked nervous. He gulped and avoided the eyes of the other Northsiders.
“Yes, sir,” he mumbled. He chewed his lip.
The Northsiders cleared away, whispering to each other, “He knows us?”
“How’s the monkey man know your old man, Neil?” They all looked a bit uncomfortable in their expensive letter jackets.
Willy’s family, led by Elmer, entered the school.
“You know their parents?” Willy stared at Elmer. He felt the Northsiders’ icy stares on the back of his neck and thought to himself, this isn’t over. If only Grandma could tell him what to do.
Willy managed to keep his anger and his fear under wraps for the rest of the year. He was a good student, his classmates and teachers liked him. But behind every smile there was worry and hurt. Elmer saw it, Rake wondered about it, and the librarian knew he would sometime, somehow, have to share his secret.
Chapter Ten