Manhattan Mission Read online

Don’t wait up for me Bobby.” She gave him a stern look.

  “It was so nice to see you again Mrs. Grant, please drop by.”

  “I’ll do that Trudy, and you do the same.”

  They retired to the living room with the freshly ground coffee Bobby had made a special trip to the store to buy.

  “Oh, I’m stuffed and this coffee tastes heavenly Bobby.”

  “Ma went over to Mrs. Rodman’s in the hopes I would climb your bones.”

  “Would that be so bad Bobby? At least a kiss?”

  “Are you asking me to kiss you?”

  “Maybe.”

  He walked over, and sat down on the arm of her chair, “Like this?” He kissed her very slowly.

  “It would be better if you would shed the beard, but yes, like that.”

  “Give me a few minutes.”

  He walked into the bathroom, and quickly clipped his beard as close as he could with the hair clippers, then as quickly scraped the beard off with a razor. His face was a little red, and raw, but the after shave lotion helped. He walked back into the room, “Now that’s my Bobby.” She said. She got up and came to him, and he knew he was forever lost in his love for her.

  The night went all to quickly, and it was time for her to go. He kissed her at the door, then opened it and walked with her down the steps to her car.

  “I’m so floored I don’t know what to say to you.”

  “No need to say anything Bobby, you’ve already said what I needed to hear. I’ll call you tomorrow after the meeting if that’s ok.” She backed the car out, and drove away, and he stood for a few minutes looking as her tail lights disappeared around a turn.

  As he pulled up to the mission the next day, Snake pulled in behind him. He knew who it was without looking around as he would know Snake's pipes anywhere. He killed the ignition then turned around as Snake walked up, “What do you want Snake?”

  “I thought maybe someone stole your bike when I seen that hairless face Preacher.” Snake walked closer. Bobby looked for a knife, but Snake's hands were empty. Snake reached into his vest, and Bobby stiffened, “Don’t do it Snake.”

  “Do what? I’m just taking some money out of my pocket Preacher. You’re getting antsy in your old age.” He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and held it out to Bobby.

  “Whats that?”

  “Its…uh…well…its for you Preacher, the club sent it.”

  “I told you I don’t want blood money Snake. How many times I gotta tell you?”

  “It ain’t blood money preacher, it’s out of the money the club had before we started running drugs…the club wanted you to have it to…uh…help out here, you know?”

  “In that case I’ll take it Snake, tell them thanks.”

  “Its ok Bobby, good luck huh?”

  “Yeah Snake, thanks, I know you approved this, or it wouldn’t have happened.”

  “Don’t make a big deal out of it Preacher.”

  “No big deal Snake.” Snake cranked up his bike and roared off. Bobby counted the money when he got inside the door of the mission, and counted out two thousand dollars.

  “Ok, that’s a voice in my head thing!” He exclaimed.

  “What did you say Bobby?” Greta Donaldson called from the kitchen.

  “Never mind Greta, I’ll be in there in a minute to help.”

  He walked in Pastor Bill’s office, and sat down, “I’ll be dam…darned.” He corrected himself.

  The next evening Trudy called him and asked him to have dinner at her house, and as he opened the door, he saw that she was in an evening gown, “Are you ready to eat?” She smiled at him.

  “I’m starved.”

  Over dinner, she told him what had transpired, “Global has backed down, and Mr. Ballard gave me a special office that will handle the homeless legal problems for free. A special grant has been set up to keep the mission running for a long time.”

  He sat staring at her open mouthed as he tried to take it all in.

  “She looked at him, and said, “I know you will hem haw around for months, so I’m asking you Bobby, are you willing to get married?”

  Things were moving a little to fast for Bobby, “Uh; you mean like man and wife kind of married? With you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why on earth would you want to marry the likes of me Trudy?”

  “Don’t you have real feeling for me Bobby?”

  “Of course I do…I love you…but that doesn’t answer my question! Where would we live? What would I do?”

  “We could live here; I have the house paid off, and Pastor Bill is getting too old to handle the mission by himself. He told me so himself. He wants you to run the mission Bobby.”

  “Is this another voice in my head thing?”

  “Why don’t you just call it what it is? God has a mission for both of us.”

  He reached across the table, and took her hand, “I’d be honored to marry you Trudy; you've been in my head all my waking hours. I love you so much.”

  The end

  A note from the author:

  This is of course, an imaginary story, but the plight of the homeless is real, and becoming more acute every day.

  This story fails to convey many of the social and economic causes behind homelessness, and in no way reflects the realities of those experiencing homelessness in America. Even the employed and families are at risk for poverty and loss of a home. On average, 3.5 million people in the United States experience homelessness each year (National Coalition for the Homeless, 2009).

  The nation’s homeless population increased by approximately 20,000 people from 2008 to 2009 . There were also increased numbers of people experiencing homelessness in each of the subpopulations examined in this report: families, individuals, chronic, unsheltered.

  Among subpopulations, the largest percentage increase was in the number of family households.

  On a single night in January 2013, there were 610,042 people experiencing

  homelessness in the United States, including 394,698 people who were homeless in

  sheltered locations and 215,344 people who were living in unsheltered locations, according to The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

  The numbers of homeless will vary depending on who you ask, but the need is real. This author became homeless for about a week in the 70’s, and there are no words to describe how it felt to have to beg for a little food, and have no place to shelter for the night. There is complete loss of dignity, and it only takes hours to become broken inside.

  If each person who has a home does just a little we can make a difference to those who are in dire need.