Pre-SQ. Many thanks to Margaret for her thoughts and suggestions.
A Quiet Place to Think
The first week, the librarian thought it rather odd. After all, how many young boys came in to the library alone? The first time it happened, she smiled and showed him where the children's section was and then waited patiently for the adult to appear. No parents arrived and the boy slipped out unnoticed at closing time. Then he came a second time, and a third, unaccompanied each visit, with no adult in sight.
Her curiosity piqued, the librarian busied herself in the picture book area when the child came in for his fourth visit, on a rainy, cold Friday afternoon. To her surprise, he looked at the books in the Junior area, selecting four and then settled down in an overstuffed armchair. The boy looked as if he was only five or six. His blond head was bowed, as he slowly paged through the book. Extraordinary! He was reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Really reading it too, not just flipping through the pages.
Later that afternoon, the librarian was organizing book cards behind the front desk when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Bowing her head, as if occupied, she pretended to ignore the child as he made his way quietly to the front door. As he opened the door, she asked, in an off-handed manner, his name. The librarian held her breath for a minute when it appeared that he would not answer but a soft reply, "Lucas", floated through the air moments before the door slammed behind him.
It was not until two weeks later that the boy, Lucas, reappeared before the front desk. This time, she greeted him with a small smile, which was returned. Encouraged by this small victory, she introduced herself. "I'm Mrs. Richards". Lucas gave her a small nod and proceeded to the children's section again. This time, as she reshelved a handful of DVDs, she noticed he was reading Harry Potter, Book 7.
"It's usually best to start at the beginning of the series," Mrs. Richards commented, approaching the armchair where the boy had stationed himself.
"Oh, I've already read the whole series," he replied, head still down, looking at the book. "I just thought I'd take another look at my favorite parts. I like the big battle with Voldemort at the end."
Standing in front of the chair, Mrs. Richards tried for a casual, friendly pose. There was something about this boy. She couldn't help but compare it to a skittish and frightened colt. "You know you can check books out of the library and take them home with you?"
"Yeah, well, my parents.they wouldn't like that very much." A surprised look crossed his face, as if he hadn't meant to say that. Jumping up, he dropped the books on the chair and started for the stairs. "Besides, I like coming here," he added in a quick rush of words, and then he was gone.
Over the next few weeks, Lucas would come in almost every day. A friendship was starting to grow and Mrs. Richards found herself looking forward to the boy's visits. The librarian had discovered Lucas was extremely intelligent and she delighted in picking out books to share with him. Fantasy books were his favorite; his eyes would light up and he would spend hours lost in other worlds. But however much she tried, he talked very little about himself and his life. Lucas would rather talk about books, and the characters in them and all the places that the books would take him.
"Someday," he said longingly as he put a copy of Uncharted Lands: Here be Dragons back on the shelf. "Someday, I'm going to go on an adventure of my own."
"Why don't you take some books home, Lucas?" Curiosity made her ask the question. Most parents would be thrilled that their children were so interested in reading.
The boy gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "My parents don't really like when I just read for fun. They'd rather that I study or read science journals."
"Do you get to do things with your friends?" Mrs. Richards questioned him gently.
"There's a couple of kids, like me. Most of the neighborhood kids; they don't come around very much. My parents don't like them, think they're too immature for me. But I belong to a couple of study groups and they tried to get me into the chess club but I didn't like that very much, too dull. We might start a band though," he finished excitedly. Taking a quick look at his watch, Lucas added, "I have to leave. Mom'll wonder where I am. See ya!"
Shaking her head over the strange disjointed conversation, the librarian put the books away. Poor child, she thought, what a strange childhood he's living.
After that day, Lucas stopped coming to the library. The days stretched into a week without him and then a month passed with no sign of the boy. It occurred to Mrs. Richards that she should maybe check on him and several times she picked up the phone to call his house but then she put it down again. She had no real reason to call his parents; it wasn't as if there were overdue books or books that had been reserved. In fact, she might get the boy into trouble, since it had seemed that the parents hadn't known Lucas came to the library. Though his comments on his parents and his childhood were disturbing, there was no evidence of abuse and therefore, no reason to call the police or family services.
The librarian drove by his house a few times on her way home from work. It was a big house, in an affluent part of town. There was no activity there, no cars in the driveway, no toys strewn across the lawn or kids running around. Perhaps they went on vacation, she thought to herself.
A month and half later, it was a cold blustery afternoon and flurries danced in the air as Mrs. Richards parked her car and walked hastily to the library. On the step a small bundle sat, hunched down for protection against the weather. A small face with sad, red eyes peered up at her from underneath the hood of his coat.
"Lucas! How long have you been sitting here. Let's get you inside and warmed up."
Mrs. Richards unlocked the door, and Lucas followed her in. She made him sit down as she hung up his coat, hat and mittens by the heater vent, regretting the fact that she didn't have anything warm for him to drink. Then she took a seat next to him, studying his face. "I've missed you."
"I'm sorry I haven't been here for so long. My father finished his project at work and so he's been spending more time at home. Everything was going great, we went out for dinner and we played games and I thought everyone was happy. There wasn't any reason for me to come here." He turned his head to stare out the window, blinking back the sudden rush of tears that threaten to overcome him. "But it started again today, it was really bad this time, the worst it's been for awhile."
"What started again," Mrs. Richards asked, steeling herself for the answer.
"The fighting, the screaming.." He stopped when he saw the confusion in the librarian's eyes. "That's why I come here, to escape it. They yell at each other, say terrible things. I like to come here where's its quiet, peaceful. Usually, when I get home, it's all over and one of them has left. Then, it's like it's never happened, until the next time."
Mrs. Richards took one of his hands into her own and squeezed lightly. "Lucas," she started, not sure what to say. "Parents, just like anyone else, can have times that they are angry at each other. I'm just sorry that they have to involve you. You can come here any time you need to."
"My father moved out. I really think he means it this time," Lucas said dejectedly.
"Maybe it's for the best," the librarian advised. "Sometimes, when people don't get along, it's better if they are apart. You'll still get to see them, they both still love you, they just don't love each other anymore."
Lucas just nodded. "We'll all be happier," he commented but his voice betrayed him. It was full of doubt and dejection. "I wish I could grow up and go away from here."
"To new worlds?" suggested Mrs. Richards, with a small chuckle.
"Yeah," the boy replied with a small sigh. He got up and grabbing his hat and gloves, said, "I have to go. See you tomorrow."
**** 10 years later.
"Tonight's top story, the UEO flagship seaQuest, with Captain Nathan Bridger at the helm, set sail today on it's maiden voyage. One of Buffalo's own, 16 year old Lucas Wolenczak, is part of the crew."
Mrs. Richards toasted the TV newscaster with her glass of wine. "God bless you, Lucas. May you find new worlds and new adventures!"
End 2003
A Quiet Place to Think
The first week, the librarian thought it rather odd. After all, how many young boys came in to the library alone? The first time it happened, she smiled and showed him where the children's section was and then waited patiently for the adult to appear. No parents arrived and the boy slipped out unnoticed at closing time. Then he came a second time, and a third, unaccompanied each visit, with no adult in sight.
Her curiosity piqued, the librarian busied herself in the picture book area when the child came in for his fourth visit, on a rainy, cold Friday afternoon. To her surprise, he looked at the books in the Junior area, selecting four and then settled down in an overstuffed armchair. The boy looked as if he was only five or six. His blond head was bowed, as he slowly paged through the book. Extraordinary! He was reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Really reading it too, not just flipping through the pages.
Later that afternoon, the librarian was organizing book cards behind the front desk when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Bowing her head, as if occupied, she pretended to ignore the child as he made his way quietly to the front door. As he opened the door, she asked, in an off-handed manner, his name. The librarian held her breath for a minute when it appeared that he would not answer but a soft reply, "Lucas", floated through the air moments before the door slammed behind him.
It was not until two weeks later that the boy, Lucas, reappeared before the front desk. This time, she greeted him with a small smile, which was returned. Encouraged by this small victory, she introduced herself. "I'm Mrs. Richards". Lucas gave her a small nod and proceeded to the children's section again. This time, as she reshelved a handful of DVDs, she noticed he was reading Harry Potter, Book 7.
"It's usually best to start at the beginning of the series," Mrs. Richards commented, approaching the armchair where the boy had stationed himself.
"Oh, I've already read the whole series," he replied, head still down, looking at the book. "I just thought I'd take another look at my favorite parts. I like the big battle with Voldemort at the end."
Standing in front of the chair, Mrs. Richards tried for a casual, friendly pose. There was something about this boy. She couldn't help but compare it to a skittish and frightened colt. "You know you can check books out of the library and take them home with you?"
"Yeah, well, my parents.they wouldn't like that very much." A surprised look crossed his face, as if he hadn't meant to say that. Jumping up, he dropped the books on the chair and started for the stairs. "Besides, I like coming here," he added in a quick rush of words, and then he was gone.
Over the next few weeks, Lucas would come in almost every day. A friendship was starting to grow and Mrs. Richards found herself looking forward to the boy's visits. The librarian had discovered Lucas was extremely intelligent and she delighted in picking out books to share with him. Fantasy books were his favorite; his eyes would light up and he would spend hours lost in other worlds. But however much she tried, he talked very little about himself and his life. Lucas would rather talk about books, and the characters in them and all the places that the books would take him.
"Someday," he said longingly as he put a copy of Uncharted Lands: Here be Dragons back on the shelf. "Someday, I'm going to go on an adventure of my own."
"Why don't you take some books home, Lucas?" Curiosity made her ask the question. Most parents would be thrilled that their children were so interested in reading.
The boy gave a small shrug of his shoulders. "My parents don't really like when I just read for fun. They'd rather that I study or read science journals."
"Do you get to do things with your friends?" Mrs. Richards questioned him gently.
"There's a couple of kids, like me. Most of the neighborhood kids; they don't come around very much. My parents don't like them, think they're too immature for me. But I belong to a couple of study groups and they tried to get me into the chess club but I didn't like that very much, too dull. We might start a band though," he finished excitedly. Taking a quick look at his watch, Lucas added, "I have to leave. Mom'll wonder where I am. See ya!"
Shaking her head over the strange disjointed conversation, the librarian put the books away. Poor child, she thought, what a strange childhood he's living.
After that day, Lucas stopped coming to the library. The days stretched into a week without him and then a month passed with no sign of the boy. It occurred to Mrs. Richards that she should maybe check on him and several times she picked up the phone to call his house but then she put it down again. She had no real reason to call his parents; it wasn't as if there were overdue books or books that had been reserved. In fact, she might get the boy into trouble, since it had seemed that the parents hadn't known Lucas came to the library. Though his comments on his parents and his childhood were disturbing, there was no evidence of abuse and therefore, no reason to call the police or family services.
The librarian drove by his house a few times on her way home from work. It was a big house, in an affluent part of town. There was no activity there, no cars in the driveway, no toys strewn across the lawn or kids running around. Perhaps they went on vacation, she thought to herself.
A month and half later, it was a cold blustery afternoon and flurries danced in the air as Mrs. Richards parked her car and walked hastily to the library. On the step a small bundle sat, hunched down for protection against the weather. A small face with sad, red eyes peered up at her from underneath the hood of his coat.
"Lucas! How long have you been sitting here. Let's get you inside and warmed up."
Mrs. Richards unlocked the door, and Lucas followed her in. She made him sit down as she hung up his coat, hat and mittens by the heater vent, regretting the fact that she didn't have anything warm for him to drink. Then she took a seat next to him, studying his face. "I've missed you."
"I'm sorry I haven't been here for so long. My father finished his project at work and so he's been spending more time at home. Everything was going great, we went out for dinner and we played games and I thought everyone was happy. There wasn't any reason for me to come here." He turned his head to stare out the window, blinking back the sudden rush of tears that threaten to overcome him. "But it started again today, it was really bad this time, the worst it's been for awhile."
"What started again," Mrs. Richards asked, steeling herself for the answer.
"The fighting, the screaming.." He stopped when he saw the confusion in the librarian's eyes. "That's why I come here, to escape it. They yell at each other, say terrible things. I like to come here where's its quiet, peaceful. Usually, when I get home, it's all over and one of them has left. Then, it's like it's never happened, until the next time."
Mrs. Richards took one of his hands into her own and squeezed lightly. "Lucas," she started, not sure what to say. "Parents, just like anyone else, can have times that they are angry at each other. I'm just sorry that they have to involve you. You can come here any time you need to."
"My father moved out. I really think he means it this time," Lucas said dejectedly.
"Maybe it's for the best," the librarian advised. "Sometimes, when people don't get along, it's better if they are apart. You'll still get to see them, they both still love you, they just don't love each other anymore."
Lucas just nodded. "We'll all be happier," he commented but his voice betrayed him. It was full of doubt and dejection. "I wish I could grow up and go away from here."
"To new worlds?" suggested Mrs. Richards, with a small chuckle.
"Yeah," the boy replied with a small sigh. He got up and grabbing his hat and gloves, said, "I have to go. See you tomorrow."
**** 10 years later.
"Tonight's top story, the UEO flagship seaQuest, with Captain Nathan Bridger at the helm, set sail today on it's maiden voyage. One of Buffalo's own, 16 year old Lucas Wolenczak, is part of the crew."
Mrs. Richards toasted the TV newscaster with her glass of wine. "God bless you, Lucas. May you find new worlds and new adventures!"
End 2003