At Light's Edge - Chapter 25: Breakfast is Served

Twenty-Five

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Breakfast is Served

The dining table featured bacon, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, fresh baked bread, sliced and fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and all the trimmings any hungry teen could ever desire. Feeling far less of an anomic loner than she had during her long agonizing night, Jenny sat down to eat with Amir who was seated to her left.

Mr. Grant entered the dining area and announced, “As both our teens here and staff present can plainly see,” he took a discouraged breath, “Paco Gonzales and Barry King are absent. Both boys were apprehended during the night by local police for undisclosed reasons. I must head over to the juvenile detention facility in town to discuss the matter with the authorities there. To top the morning off, someone has slashed the tires to the FHG center’s vehicle.”

Jenny felt like laughing, but restrained herself.

As Mr. Grant scurried off, Miss Lafferty apologized to the teens, “I’m sorry you two, but Mr. Grant has a lot on his mind this morning.”

Terry Grant apparently forgot to introduce FHG’s newest staff member, Mary Walker, to Jenny and Amir. For His Glory recently lost a number of employees due to various circumstances and the center was just completing the process of, which included extensive personal background checks, restoring its staffing needs.

“Hello everyone,” Mary said.

“Yo,” from Amir was the only response that greeted the new employee.

“Mangas will be here shortly,” Cynthia continued, “He is arranging for new tires for the center’s car.”

The group said a quick prayer and began to eat.

“I’ve got a question,” Jenny blurted out, “Isn’t this place like a private center or somthin’? How come you get us teens, at least me, from a public prison?”

Mary had no idea on how to answer the question and Cynthia’s mouth was full of food.

“I’ll answer that for you, Jenny,” replied Mangas Coloradas as he entered the room.

The attentive ears of Jenny and the new staff member, Mary, begged for the answer.

“Due to the extensive overcrowding in state and federal institutions, FHG volunteered to take a variety of special circumstance cases in an effort to rehabilitate youthful offenders. We do not receive any government funds or favors.”

“Ok,” Jenny replied while making her bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.

Mangas informed Jenny that she would be starting school. Jenny looked disgusted with the proposition but soon relaxed when Mr. Coloradas explained a bit more about the school, “Due to your rather high ranking on your prison testing scores you will be part of a special educational prototype. It involves a mixture of artistic endeavors coupled with the necessary courses for you to prepare for your General Educational Development testing in the near future.”

“GED,” Jenny liked the idea.

“Your personal school counselor is a Miss Barbara Orlando,” Mr. Coloradas informed the teen. “We’ll head over to the institute once you are finished with breakfast and ready to go. Today is just an orientation day, so you won’t be attending any classes, just observing and getting a feel for the place.”

“Ok.” Jenny replied.

“I’ve got to work today if anybody is interested,” Amir said abruptly.

Mary asked the youth what work he was involved in and was embarrassed once she discovered that his job was one he was compelled to do for time off of his criminal sentence.

Next, Mary addressed Jenny, “I understand you were just released early from the Y-MAX girl’s prison.”

“Yep.”

“I heard that the new Super Y-MAX International built up in the Arctic Ocean at Svalbard is completed. Sounds like a tough place if you ask me.”

Jenny wanted to say, Nobody did ask you! but she restrained her comment.

Miss Walker continued, “I understand that Caucasian Mountain Shepherds will be used as guard dogs. And the prison will serve only two meals per day and offers only a few hours of exercise outside of an inmate’s cell per week.”

Mary Walker was not one adept to the art of initiating uplifting small-talk with emotionally challenged behavioral problematic criminal teens.

Jenny jumped in with hopes of ending the dismal conversation, “Yeah, and that cannibal kid, you know, the one who ate her mom… well, I hear she’s gonna be placed up there.”

Amir tried to hide his smile by wiping his face with his napkin, but failed miserably in his attempt. Mr. Coloradas also concealed his smile rather well.

“You’re joking with me, right?” questioned Mary, “Right?”

The two teens remained silent.

Miss Lafferty changed the topic abruptly, “Ok everyone, I guess we’d better get this day rolling.”

Jenny and Amir exited the dining room feeling somewhat victorious.

Amir whispered to Jenny at the bottom of the stairs before heading to his room, “You should be hoping that Nash and El Pino don’t come back. They’re trouble and could mess a lot of stuff up for us.”

Jenny stared at Amir briefly as he walked away. She started to climb the stairway toward her room, but a knock coming from the large entrance door behind her gained her curiosity. Jenny went to answer the door.

“Hello, young lady,” greeted the slightly balding man wearing glasses, “My name is Elmer Dibwell and I have the opportunity of a lifetime right here on your magnificent porch.”

Jenny looked down at a large looking monstrosity of a vacuum cleaner sitting ungracefully on the ceramic tiles before her.

The salesman continued, “If I could just have one moment of your—”

Jenny slammed the door and proceeded to her room to prepare for the school tour and orientation. I hope this school stuff is gonna be alright.

The drive to Jenny’s new school with Mangas Coloradas offered time for some conversation. Jenny decided to open up and converse with the counselor.

“Tell me a bit about your family history, Mr. Coloradas,” requested Jenny.

The counselor explained that his name, Mangas Cochise Coloradas, was derived from a pair of his ancestral Native American family names. Mangas delivered a brief oral history of the Apaches for Jenny prior to their arrival at the school. After parking, the two entered the building and went to meet with Jenny’s counselor, Barbara Orlando.

“Good morning,” greeted Miss Orlando. “Please, have a seat.”

Jenny did not know why, but while the teacher explained the details of the educational and artistic avenues the school offered, she did not have her normal inner feeling of rage and hostility. Maybe God is helping to change me? she contemplated the possibility.

“We take things easy here, Jenny, but we do hold high standards just the same. We will be glad to help you with your learning process should you encounter difficulties with any aspect of our program here, you just need to bring the matter to our attention,” Miss Orlando encouraged.

Mangas added, “And we at FHG will also act as tutors any time you need us. Our center’s, and this school’s, collective goals are to enable you to face the world when you return to your private life in society. We wish to give you the tools to be successful out there in the real world.”

“I look forward to seeing you next Monday,” Miss Orlando said to Jenny.

Jenny replied, “Thank you.”

Next Chapter: Night Light