G is for generous

Sharon volunteered at the women's shelter for many years. She had a lot of experience from her cases, and she used it to help others. For example, many women didn't realize that their abusive exes could track them using their cell phones. If they had a shared plan, and their abuser owned the contract, then he could track the phone remotely, and there would be no warning sent to the woman. Women would flee, find a new "safe" place to live or stay temporarily and then be shocked to see their exes pounding on the door, sometimes coming armed. Now, the shelter would take the phones upon arrival, issuing a new phone transferring which ever numbers they needed. Their old phones would get taken back to the store where they could be sold, the proceeds being used to buy new, albeit cheaper phones, allowing more women to have a safe lifeline to their loved ones.

Thanks to Sharon, they also kept better documentation, photographing injuries, medical reports and records, witness statements. This was helpful in court when the victim couldn't or would not testify. Andrea had helped Sharon understand the exceptions to the ban on hearsay evidence, and the shelter would keep these exceptions in mind as they collected evidence, knowing that victims were often reluctant to take the stand or in the worst cases, had memory loss from the abuse and could not testify as to how they got injured.

Today, Sharon brought toys for the children who were in the shelter with their mothers. Leaving everything behind was never easy, especially for the little ones. Sharon brought bears, books that would read themselves, toy trucks, dolls. She had been collecting them at the precinct and now it was time to deliver. The shelter was facing hard times. Their budget was cut due to a bill that expired in Congress, and the state couldn't afford to make up the difference. When it came to either helping families escape or buying toys for the kids, the toys had to go first, and if things didn't get better soon, their primary function would be in jeopardy.

They needed a new way to fundraise and fast.

Alistair was playing mini-golf with his friends, drunk of course, and after one antic too many, his friends got sent to sober up. He decided to walk around for a while, whistling to himself, skipping about drunkenly as he explored this side of town. He was somewhere new, away from Beverly Hills or Hollywood or anywhere he would normally go. He saw mothers trying to gather their rowdy children, teenagers on skateboards, many people walking briskly, slowly, trying to get away or in a daze. He saw, who else, but one Sharon Raydor leaving an unmarked building. She walked to her car, unaware that she was being followed.

"Why hello Captain!" He said rather loudly, clearly intoxicated. "A lovely day for a stroll, eh?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I just got done playing mini-golf. I could ask you the same question. Do you always stumble out of unmarked buildings in the middle of the afternoon? Is that like a secret club or something?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I was volunteering at the women's shelter."

"Isn't that something like college kids do to pad their resume?" Alistair had never been a volunteer before. He just assumed it was for those who didn't have jobs waiting for them when they got out of school.

"It's also for people who care about those less fortunate than they are."

"I care about people too."

"When's the last time you helped anyone?" Sharon didn't know why she asked this. Maybe morbid curiosity.

"I threw a birthday party for my friend Chris last month. He had been in a rut since his last girlfriend dumped him, but this party was so popping..."

"There's more to life than popping parties, Mr. Callahan. Now if you'll excuse me..." Sharon walked off, annoyed as usual with Mr. Callahan. When she was irritated, she had away of walking that emphasized her behind. Alistair had taken notice."

He eventually got home, and went back to yesterday's paper. I can be generous, he thought. He called Planned Parenthood and made a donation over the phone. "Hello. I'd like to make a donation. $25,000. No this isn't a hoax. Alistair Callahan. A-L-I-S-T-A-I-R."

That'll show her. It was a couple of weeks later, when the two crossed paths again.

"Hello, my Captain."

"What do you want now?"

"Who said I wanted anything? Well, since you asked, do you want to go to dinner with me?"

"No!"

"Why not."

"Haven't I already told you?"

"I'm a changed man."

"How have you changed? The last time I saw you, you were plastered."

"I was not, a little tipsy, but most certainly not plastered. After I talked to you, I went home and made a donation to Planned Parenthood. I can be generous too."

"That's lovely, Mr. Callahan. Now, if you don't mind..."

"That's it. You said I didn't know anything about helping people."

"You do know how to throw money at things."

"Money is helpful."

"Yes it is, but there's more to life than just throwing down a check and expecting to get what you want."

Mr. Callahan had a stunned look on his face. What was with this woman? She says he's not generous and then when he is, she says it was about the money? How else does he help people?

"I'll be going, now." Sharon went on her way. This guy didn't give up. He thinks if he keeps throwing around his money, I'll go home with him.

Alistair walked to Astor Martin and got behind the wheel; he drove around for a while, no where in particular, but he needed to clear his head. He didn't get Sharon.

He got home and started to make dinner. He poached some scallops in butter and made noodles to go with it when his phone rang.

"Hello? Hey Dad, what's going on?" His father didn't call very often. He spent most of his time at work. He was a workaholic, work, work work, as long as he had air in his lungs.

"Are you ever going to find someone before I'm dead?"

"What?"

"I'm old as all hell, and you've been messing around too long. If you don't settle down some time, you'll be all alone."

Alistair sighed. This conversation again. He didn't know what to say. "Well, actually I did meet someone." Which was true, well kind of.

"Great, what's her name?"

"Her name is Sharon." Again, not lying yet.

"When do I get to meet here?"

"There's just one catch."

"What?"

"She keeps turning me down." May as well come out with it.

"How many times have you asked?"

"Twice."

"Oh that's nothing. I had to ask your mother like six times before she'd agree to go to dinner with me. Hell I proposed to her 3 times before she finally said yes."

"Really?" Alistair had never seen anything other than affection between his parents. He didn't realize his mother had been so hard to get.

"I knew she was the one, and she was sure that I was not. I just had to be a bit patient, and hope for some good luck. Keep trying, and hopefully get it together before I die. I didn't raise no quitter now."

"No, you didn't Dad."

The fight was back in Alistair. He didn't know how to show Sharon that he could be generous without spending money, but he'd figure it out.