Dee was coming in with a wagon being pulled by an old horse. She was walking beside the wagon filled with food from her farm. There was a tarp over the load and she was headed to the central market. This was her first load for sale as the last two went to pay her commonwealth taxes. She had insisted on paying it first.
Mike had just come out of the commons and saw her. He was proud of her and gave her a half wave salute.
She tipped her big brimmed hat at him. He had given her the best advice that anyone had ever given her and here she was a year later. A farmer. She looked forward again and pulled up on the reigns, “Wow Boy.” She commanded.
She walked up to the horse and patted his neck.
Mike walked up to her. He looked up as she was well over a head taller than he was. “Good morning.” he said.
“Good morning to you.” She responded.
“Headed down to the market.” Mike asked. It was down the hill at the next left turn.
“Nope. Tis one and six oters is headed to da cannery.”
“Six?” Mike was surprised.
“Yep.” Dee said proudly. “Den I’m going to buy two new horses and send tis old boy out to pasture.” She patted the old horse on the neck.
“You could probably shell him to the cannery for dog food.” Mike said.
“I know, but dat can wait. He’s worked hard for me and deserves some peace and quiet for now.” She patted him again.
Mike looked up, “I’m proud of you.”
Dee didn’t know quite how to take that. She knew he meant it as a complement, but who was he to make such a statement. Not her father or even a friend. He was still very much a stranger. But she did feel respected. For that she was grateful. She just nodded her head and said, “Kay, we gotta go.”
Mike then asked, “How’d you do it?”
Dee hesitated. She wanted to say that she did it by hard work and determination, but that wasn’t the whole story. She looked East to where the cannery was, but then looked down. She didn’t say anything at first, then, “You.” She paused then picking the right words, “You said get a partner and to find a family tat would help me.”
Mike was trying to recall this sage advise, but with so much happening around them, he just didn’t quite remember the conversation that happened over a year ago. Mike just shook his head no.
Dee then said, “You told me to get a partner and make my own family.”
“Sounds like me.” Mike said.
“I did. I went to my brotter and asked for him to be my partner. He agreed. “He went to old man Stromp and paid him. It was going to be his farm, but ten we went to Alan and he signed it over to me. I had given my brotter the money and he and Alan made it mine.”
“Good for you.” Mike said.
Again Dee felt a little uncomfortable. Her father never approved of her. She was different from the start. So much bigger than her brothers and she didn’t like boys. They were mean and teased her for being so big. They taunted her and called her names. Then she found sports. She played on the boys team as she was taller than most in school. Still they teased her. So she worked harder. Even so, her father did not approve. She was an oddity.
So when Mike, a father figure to this community, complimented her, it felt strange. “Tank you.”
She started to walk back to her position beside the wagon then looked back to Mike, “Sir.”
Mike turned, “Just Mike.” he said to her.
“Okay, Mike, sir.” She said, then continued, “You know of any kids tat need a place to call home?”
Mike looked puzzled. “You mean the orphans?”
“Ya.”
“You’ll have to talk to Allison, but they’re not slave labor you know.” Mike said then regretted the comment.
“I know dat, but you know…” She said, lowering her voice at the end.
Then Mike remembered the conversation, “Oh. Shit. Sorry!” He looked away. He strived to make everyone welcomed and boy did he just put his foot in his mouth., “Oh God, I didn’t mean it that way.” he took two steps in her direction so he didn’t have to speak so loud, “Yes, there are about a dozen kids that were brought in and most are being fostered until a permanent arrangement can be made.” He looked up to her, “Please….”
“Don’t worry. You a honest man and speak your mind. But, as you said, I need a family and…” Dee didn’t need to finish.
“Yes. You need to talk to Allison and she will put you in contact with the right people.” Mike said.
Dee slapped the reigns against the butt of the old horse then said, “I’ll do tat. Tanks.”
The horse cart and Dee walked on.
Mike just stood there. He knew she was going to make it. Just what that might look like may not be what others would do, but she was going to make a way in this community and be productive. Now he had other places to be.
Dee finished her business at the cannery and the workers quickly off-loaded her wagon. The old horse just stood there waiting. Dee felt strange having someone else off-load the wagon. She had put so much effort in farming the land and harvesting what she had. Now it was being handed off. Dee looked up the hill thankful that her horse didn’t have to pull a loaded wagon up it. She thought about the kids that may be available. All abandoned by their parents, some by choice and some by circumstances. Now she was going to find one or two and try to make them her’s.
A man approached her, “Mam. You’re good to go.”
She thanked him and then climbed up on the wagon’s seat. Without the load the old boy could accommodate her. She pointed him towards the school.
Once she arrived she walked up to the school. The front door was glass and due to the dark interior of the building, was very much a mirror. Dee looked at the dirty tall black woman that Stared back at her. How could she ask for a child looking like this?
She turned to leave, but the door opened, “Dee?” said a woman.
Dee turned around, wiped her hand off on her overalls and put it out. The woman shook it without hesitation. She was older and had dark brown hair.
The woman said, “I’m Allison. I heard you might be stopping by.”
“Yes mam.” Dee said. “I’m…”
Allison stood there waiting for the rest of the sentence.
“I’m sorry.. I” Dee stammered. Her feelings of inadequacy and shame just kept coming to the surface.
“It’s okay. Come sit. Let’s just talk about possibilities, needs and what you can offer a child.” Allison said.
“Well.. I can offer.. Food.”
Allison cut her off. “No, That’s not what I mean. These kids have been through so much trauma and rejection. They are going to need someone to help them through that and more.”
“Oh, mam. I can do tat. I’m no stranger to tat.” Dee reassured her.
“I know.” Allison said.
Dee looked at her. There was no judgment in her face. This was a woman that tried to see the whole picture, not just the surface. Dee found it very disarming. She was able to open up and talk about her life and how she managed to bring herself to this place.
Finally Allison said, “Okay. Well this is going to take some paperwork and some time to get to know the children. I want to bring you in as a helper. Get to know the kids before they are told that you are looking to adopt. It helps them be more real.
“Oh, tat will take some time. I have a harvest to get to da canary. But ten I’m good for a bit.” Dee said.
“Perfect. We don’t rush these things and we want both you and the child to thrive. There will also be some classes.” Allison stated, she looked up, “This is.. A difficult thing you are doing and we want to make sure you have some tools that will help you. Not to mention those that can help support you. You’re not in this alone. As a matter of fact, please don’t try to do this alone. It takes a community to help kids like this. Trying to do this alone will only make you and the child angry and further the damage.” Allison then said softly, “We are here to support you as much as the child.”
Dee felt a little scolded, but understood that this woman took her responsibility to these children very seriously and that meant she would need to be coached and taught how to do that. That actually made her feel better about doing this. “Tank you mam.”
“Please, just call me Allison.”
“I will. Tanks.” Dee stood, “I need to get myself home and finish my work. Tanks for see-n me.”
“Dee. When were you born?” Allison asked.
“99” Dee responded.
“Oh.” Allison said.
“Why?” Dee asked.
“We need to know, for the records and to tailor some classes for you.” Allison stated.
“Okay.” Dee started to walk away, but the way Allison said tailor classes for her just stuck out. So she turned back, “What does tat mean…exactly?”
Allison looked away for a moment, then looked Dee in the eyes, “Your generation…grew up with social media and smartphones that literally rewired the brain during puberty. Social skills became less necessary and certain anxieties became…problematic. Personally, I think that your sports activities and teammates may have spared you, but there are so many that went down the rabbit hole and never came back.”
“So, what do you teach dem.” Dee asked.
“Social skills, conflict resolution, play, risk management and much more.” Allison rattle off the list.
Dee just looked at her then finally said, “Really?”
Allison shook her head yes. “These kids are growing up in a different world and if the parents aren’t able to teach them relevant skills to survive, well this world will…kill them off.”
“You smart woman, but I know how to survive.” Dee said.
“But can you teach that to your child?” Allison asked.
“I tink so.” Dee said.
“Not good enough, we need to make sure you can.” Allison said firmly.
“I see.” Dee drew herself up to her full six foot four and a half inches and then took a step forward, “You not want to challenge me. I survived tis already.” and she swung her hands out.
“On the contrary, that’s exactly what I’m doing.” Allison stood her ground, “As I said earlier. Think of me as your coach and I’m going to give you a new game plan that I expect you to follow.”
These words struck a chord in Dee and it was written all over her face. This was just another game, another challenge and she needed to know how to play it. Dee took a deep breath and finally said, “You smart woman.” then turned to leave. “I see you in two weeks.”
“Looking forward to it.” Allison said.
