Redemption

It was shortly after New Year’s Day that they moved into town. Although bigger than their former home in Savannah, the old farmhouse at Piedmont Bluff was much older, and less well cared for. Where this was not a concern for Grandma Mary and Grandpa William, it upset Ma greatly.

“I am sorry for failing you,” she told David on the night that they moved in. Looking at her, the boy winced at the sight of the tears in her eyes.

“How have you failed me?” He argued gently, “If this is the best that we can do, then I am happy.”

“But I should be able to do better,” his mother insisted, “You deserve better!”

“And what do you deserve?” He maintained, laying his hand on hers, “To punish yourself? Ma! If this is the best that we can do, then it is not your fault! You didn’t ask Dad to disappear! You didn’t ask to be left alone to raise me!” Pausing, he swept the room with a gesture. “I am happy,” he assured her, “In fact, I am excited to have a chance to start over.”

“But, this old place is a dump! It’s so drafty and broken down!” She argued, “You will miss your friends in the old neighborhood!”

“It’s still a home!” He persisted, “And I will make new friends here!” After a slight lull, he looked at her frankly, “Ma, I’ve already lost Dad. Please-you are all that I have!” This won him a tearful hug.

So, despite the drafty chill of the house, the family grinned and made the best of it. After all, come the summer, the house’s closeness to the ocean’s shore would make trips to the beach all the easier. Of course, the boy was extremely excited about that.

A week or so after moving in, the senior Winston took a job at a local warehouse, with Ma taking a job as a secretary there. With both of them busy, Mary took David down and enrolled him in the local, one roomed school.

The small-framed, sandy- haired ten year old who stood at the front of the class looked nice enough to his new classmates. All that is, except big Ricky Greesome and Cathy Planchet. For his part, the big bully hated everyone. For hers, she was painfully convinced that no one liked her.

“Okay,” Miss Mabel Thatcher instructed the new boy “So, tell us about yourself.”

“My name is David Samuel Fall,” the boy began, “I was born in Savannah. When I grow up, I want to be a sea captain, like my dad.”

“Is your dad at sea now?” The teacher asked. In the face of this, the boy dropped his gaze to the floor. “David?”

“We don’t know where my dad is,” the boy blurted, looking up at her, “His ship disappeared about a year ago.”

“He probably ran away, out of shame from having a twerpy son like you!” Greesome taunted. This immediately earned him a warning glare from Fall, Miss Thatcher, and Ewing Prentice. Of the three, the bully feared the stare from the bigger boy, as Prentice would hurt him, he knew from experience.

“I will see you after class for that,” the pretty teacher decided firmly, nodding a silent warning.

“And, no one knows where the ship is?” Jenny Tillems asked in a voice touched with sympathy.

“No,” Fall assured her, “They were last known to have ported in Barbados, en route to London, then nothing.”

“What was the name of his ship?” Little Zak Leer asked in fascination.

“The SS Osprey.”

“Like the bird?” Tina Hanover demanded excitedly.

“Yes.”

“Oh! I love birds!”

“We know,” Jenny acknowledged with a weary smile.

“Okay David,” Miss Thatcher accepted, “Go ahead and take the empty seat in the third row.”

“Right next to raggedy Cathy!” Greesome laughed.

“That will be all,” the lady informed the bully flatly, “One more word and you can plan on staying late for the rest of the week!” This furthered threat against his playtime was enough to cow him into silence.