Saturday morning was breaking with clear skies and a warm Tennessee sun.
Andrea drove Kitt down street after street. She drove with a steady hand
being careful not to make any sudden moves for the fear of scaring Kitt.
Not much was said between them nor had Kitt been able to give an answer to
her question of why he had driven himself down that highway where she had
found him but now had decided he couldn't drive. Andrea had quickly grown
used to thinking of Kitt as someone recovering from shock and not just a
computer on wheels. Turning just off the highway she parked Kitt across the
road from a small town church. "We're here."
Kitt scanned the church. Even though it was Saturday morning and no the more usual Sunday the church was quickly filling up. But the people who were coming to this service were very special. Almost everyone relied on a wheelchair or crutches. Most walked with a limp and some used a cane. And on top of that, most of the participates were children. Kitt was confused as to why they had come here. Andrea tapped his dash. "You see that man greeting the children? Over there, by the doors." Kitt focused his attention on a priest who was greeting a young girl in a motorized wheelchair. The child's eyes sparkled as the Father said something to her. The girl and her mother moved inside the church. Kitt watched as a group of young boys were shepherded towards the church by two women. Even though the boys relied on crutches and canes to walk they kept pushing each other playfully completely ignoring the commands of the two adults. The priest walked up to the boys, said something and the boys all started to laugh. Then they filed calmly into the church. More and more children continued to arrive and by nine the church was packed. As the last child was ushered inside the middle-aged priest closed the doors taking a few strands of sunshine inside the old church. Kitt turned his attention back to Andrea who seemed to be lost in thought. "Andrea." the Boston accent "Andrea. Why are we here?"
Andrea awoke from her memories. She hadn't seen Father Johnson in ages. She had checked up on him about a year after the accident and had nearly leapt for joy to have found how he had coped. She hadn't approached him for the fear of opening old scars. But she did know that he had indeed regained his faith and now was back to helping others. "We're here because I wanted to show you something, or should I say someone. The priest you saw was Father David Johnson. My first case. I wanted to let you see that he did get over the death of that little boy. Not only did he get over it, but also he managed to make something good come out of the tragedy. All those children in the church have fallen victim to some form of accident that has left them permanently crippled. A couple of months after his own accident Father Johnson set up a trust fund: The Jeffery Hill Trust. The money come from charity and is used to help children who have been in some kind of accident. The trust will help with medical expenses but also some money is used to take the children on trips to help take their minds off their disabilities. Two times a month, on Saturdays like this one, Father Johnson holds a special service for the children and their families. He really spends time with the kids, getting to know them, talking with them. More then the money that the charity donates, it's Father Johnson that the kids come out to see over and over again."
Kitt listened to Andrea. Listened and processed her words. "Do the children know that Father Johnson has been responsible for the death of a child?" At Andrea's nod Kitt continued quietly. "Don't they fear him?"
Fear, resentment. She had been waiting for that question. "No, Kitt. Not anymore. In the first sermon that he held, he told the congregation his story. He knew that there were children in the pews who had been run over and who might consider him the enemy. I don't know how the sermon went, but after that he's taken to healing the emotional wounds of the children perhaps without realizing that they are doing the same for him."
Kitt was silent for a long time. He was beginning to see why Andrea had brought him here. He was even starting to heal, even to forgive himself. The opening of the church's twin doors caught Kitt's attention. Children and their parents filed out with smiles on their faces. Each and every one stopped to exchange a word or two with Father Johnson. Most of the children hugged him, even some of the teenagers. Andrea opened the door. "I'll be back in a bit Kitt. I think it's time I went to give that man a hug myself." Kitt tracked Andrea as she walked the steps to Father Johnson. "Hey! You're cool!" Kitt focused his attention on his new admirer. The little girl in the motorized wheelchair that he had seen enter the church earlier had come up un-noticed right in front of him. She leaned down to touch the scanner. Kitt had almost gotten used to being surprised like that. He scanned the child. Injury to the spinal column. Paralysed. She was running her had in sync with his scanner. "Thank you." Kitt stated. Expecting the child to be scared he continued. "You seem to like my scanner." The child wasn't the least bit surprised by the black car talking. "Yeah, I sure do! My name's Carrie and this..." She patted the arm of her wheelchair, ".is Silver. As in Roy Roger's horse." Kitt was surprised that she had named her chair. "I am called Kitt." Carrie tested the name. "Kitt. Why are you here? Have you come to see Father Johnson too? Why do you need wheels? Do you have a broken back like me?" Kitt was surprised. She sounded just like any other child asking questions. She didn't seem to regret being tied to a wheelchair but had introduced the chair almost as a friend. "In a way I am here to see Father Johnson. I don't have a broken back, because as a car I have no back to break. I need my wheels, just as you do, to get around." She giggled at that. "I wish Silver could talk. And have a cool light like you do!" "Carrie, honey! Come on, it's time to go home." Carrie glanced behind her. "Alright mom. Just a sec." Turning to back to Kitt, she smiled. "I gotta go. But go see Father Johnson. He's a great guy. Mom says he taught me how not to be angry anymore. I'm not sure what she means, but I guess she's right." With that she turned her chair and joined her mom at their van. Kitt turned his attention towards Andrea and Father Johnson just in time to see Andrea give the priest a hug.
"Father Johnson has really made a difference with these children. He really has turned his experience around. In a way he knows how these children feel. He has a unique perspective on things. Now I see why Andrea wanted me to see this!" For the first time in two days Kitt was happy. He allowed Andrea entry into the drivers seat. She was smiling as well. Before Andrea had a chance to speak, Kitt spoke up. "Thank you." Andrea glanced down at the voice box. "For what?" With a roar Kitt brought the engine online. "For showing me that this isn't the end of the world and I still have a duty to do." Auto-cruise lit up and Andrea threw up her arms and gave a whoop of excitement as Kitt pulled from the curb, just in time to see the FLAG semi roar past.
Kitt scanned the church. Even though it was Saturday morning and no the more usual Sunday the church was quickly filling up. But the people who were coming to this service were very special. Almost everyone relied on a wheelchair or crutches. Most walked with a limp and some used a cane. And on top of that, most of the participates were children. Kitt was confused as to why they had come here. Andrea tapped his dash. "You see that man greeting the children? Over there, by the doors." Kitt focused his attention on a priest who was greeting a young girl in a motorized wheelchair. The child's eyes sparkled as the Father said something to her. The girl and her mother moved inside the church. Kitt watched as a group of young boys were shepherded towards the church by two women. Even though the boys relied on crutches and canes to walk they kept pushing each other playfully completely ignoring the commands of the two adults. The priest walked up to the boys, said something and the boys all started to laugh. Then they filed calmly into the church. More and more children continued to arrive and by nine the church was packed. As the last child was ushered inside the middle-aged priest closed the doors taking a few strands of sunshine inside the old church. Kitt turned his attention back to Andrea who seemed to be lost in thought. "Andrea." the Boston accent "Andrea. Why are we here?"
Andrea awoke from her memories. She hadn't seen Father Johnson in ages. She had checked up on him about a year after the accident and had nearly leapt for joy to have found how he had coped. She hadn't approached him for the fear of opening old scars. But she did know that he had indeed regained his faith and now was back to helping others. "We're here because I wanted to show you something, or should I say someone. The priest you saw was Father David Johnson. My first case. I wanted to let you see that he did get over the death of that little boy. Not only did he get over it, but also he managed to make something good come out of the tragedy. All those children in the church have fallen victim to some form of accident that has left them permanently crippled. A couple of months after his own accident Father Johnson set up a trust fund: The Jeffery Hill Trust. The money come from charity and is used to help children who have been in some kind of accident. The trust will help with medical expenses but also some money is used to take the children on trips to help take their minds off their disabilities. Two times a month, on Saturdays like this one, Father Johnson holds a special service for the children and their families. He really spends time with the kids, getting to know them, talking with them. More then the money that the charity donates, it's Father Johnson that the kids come out to see over and over again."
Kitt listened to Andrea. Listened and processed her words. "Do the children know that Father Johnson has been responsible for the death of a child?" At Andrea's nod Kitt continued quietly. "Don't they fear him?"
Fear, resentment. She had been waiting for that question. "No, Kitt. Not anymore. In the first sermon that he held, he told the congregation his story. He knew that there were children in the pews who had been run over and who might consider him the enemy. I don't know how the sermon went, but after that he's taken to healing the emotional wounds of the children perhaps without realizing that they are doing the same for him."
Kitt was silent for a long time. He was beginning to see why Andrea had brought him here. He was even starting to heal, even to forgive himself. The opening of the church's twin doors caught Kitt's attention. Children and their parents filed out with smiles on their faces. Each and every one stopped to exchange a word or two with Father Johnson. Most of the children hugged him, even some of the teenagers. Andrea opened the door. "I'll be back in a bit Kitt. I think it's time I went to give that man a hug myself." Kitt tracked Andrea as she walked the steps to Father Johnson. "Hey! You're cool!" Kitt focused his attention on his new admirer. The little girl in the motorized wheelchair that he had seen enter the church earlier had come up un-noticed right in front of him. She leaned down to touch the scanner. Kitt had almost gotten used to being surprised like that. He scanned the child. Injury to the spinal column. Paralysed. She was running her had in sync with his scanner. "Thank you." Kitt stated. Expecting the child to be scared he continued. "You seem to like my scanner." The child wasn't the least bit surprised by the black car talking. "Yeah, I sure do! My name's Carrie and this..." She patted the arm of her wheelchair, ".is Silver. As in Roy Roger's horse." Kitt was surprised that she had named her chair. "I am called Kitt." Carrie tested the name. "Kitt. Why are you here? Have you come to see Father Johnson too? Why do you need wheels? Do you have a broken back like me?" Kitt was surprised. She sounded just like any other child asking questions. She didn't seem to regret being tied to a wheelchair but had introduced the chair almost as a friend. "In a way I am here to see Father Johnson. I don't have a broken back, because as a car I have no back to break. I need my wheels, just as you do, to get around." She giggled at that. "I wish Silver could talk. And have a cool light like you do!" "Carrie, honey! Come on, it's time to go home." Carrie glanced behind her. "Alright mom. Just a sec." Turning to back to Kitt, she smiled. "I gotta go. But go see Father Johnson. He's a great guy. Mom says he taught me how not to be angry anymore. I'm not sure what she means, but I guess she's right." With that she turned her chair and joined her mom at their van. Kitt turned his attention towards Andrea and Father Johnson just in time to see Andrea give the priest a hug.
"Father Johnson has really made a difference with these children. He really has turned his experience around. In a way he knows how these children feel. He has a unique perspective on things. Now I see why Andrea wanted me to see this!" For the first time in two days Kitt was happy. He allowed Andrea entry into the drivers seat. She was smiling as well. Before Andrea had a chance to speak, Kitt spoke up. "Thank you." Andrea glanced down at the voice box. "For what?" With a roar Kitt brought the engine online. "For showing me that this isn't the end of the world and I still have a duty to do." Auto-cruise lit up and Andrea threw up her arms and gave a whoop of excitement as Kitt pulled from the curb, just in time to see the FLAG semi roar past.