Chapter 7 Father Ed's Dream

"That's where you were all day yesterday?" Jeff asked the next morning as he gazed up at the tall ladder leaned precariously against the steeply sloped roof. They stood in front of the building with Father Ed.

"Yeah," Bogg answered Jeffrey and then turned to the priest, "so who needs to approve this project?"

"Bishop Harty."

Bogg stared at him, "what is there about an orphanage that he doesn't approve of?"

"My basic idea. You see, I've worked with men whose lives are miserable." He became more animated as he spoke, "do you know what they tell me they need?"

"What?" Bogg asked as Jeff looked on.

"Nothing," he paused. "What they tell me is that if I had helped them when they were boys, to find a home, their lives would have been different." He took a deep breath. "So, I dreamed of a new kind of orphanage. One where a boy could find a home, and people like parents who wanted him. Boys should grow up in a home, with a family, like I did." He paused, "orphanages today are places where children eat and sleep until they're old enough to leave and make room for the next child. A training ground for the criminals of tomorrow."

"You want to change that?" Bogg asked in a quiet voice.

"I think that there must be another way... the way of love and kindness... of training and teaching... of learning to do by doing. I'm convinced that erring and neglected boys could be trained by a system other than by bars and the cat o'nine tails, and developed into worthwhile citizens, and I want to create that other way."1 He spoke with such a passion that neither Jeff nor Phineas could take their eyes off him. "I have no financial backing, not even much sympathy, and certainly not much interest on the part of local citizens. Our soldier boys are over in the trenches of France, and mothers' hearts are with them."2

He paused and looked up at the building for a moment and when Phineas and Jeffrey kept silent, he continued. "I decided I wanted to spend my life in saving boys from becoming misfits and recruits to the army of crime. I've studied the program of our courts dealing with delinquents, and as far as I could see the only results were the constantly growing number of boys sent to the reform schools, and the additional expense of making reform schools larger. If you talk to adult criminals, they'll tell you that they started their careers as children. I just feel that there is something radically wrong with a system that produces so many criminals. The economic and social loss to society is abhorrent."3

There was a long pause before Jeffrey spoke. "We'll help you," he said with conviction.

Bogg sighed. "But, changing society is tough, Father."

"Society has changed through the ages, there just needs to be someone to start the change. And all I really want to do is help a couple of boys. That doesn't seem like too much, does it?"

"Okay, let's get to work," Phineas said. As Father Ed walked around the corner of the building to get some materials, Jeff turned to Bogg, "listen," he paused, "it looks kind of dangerous up there, just be careful, okay?"

Phineas was touched, as he was every time Jeff expressed concern for his safety.

"I'll be careful," he whispered giving Jeff's shoulder a squeeze. "There's painting you can help with inside, while we finish the roof. Just stay off that leg, okay?"

So they worked all morning, and then went back to Martha's kitchen for lunch. By mid afternoon the roof was finished and Phineas and Father Ed joined Jeffrey inside to finish up the painting before the evening meal.

Back in the rectory, just as supper was served, there was a quiet knocking on the back door and Tony entered slowly. His expression was angry.

"Wash up," Martha greeted him as though he belonged there, but Jeffrey knew he didn't.

Tony scowled and moved quietly to the sink to wash his hands. The evening was a repeat of the previous evening, except there was no talk of Thanksgiving and Jeffrey was glad about that. After the meal, the boys were again left to play cards in the kitchen while the adults moved to the living room. As Jeffrey started to shuffle the cards, Tony reached across the table and grabbed the deck out of his hands.

"I'll deal first," he said nastily.

Quick as a flash, Jeffrey snatched it back, "not when you grab em like that," he said hotly.

Tony reached across the table and grabbed Jeff's shirt in his fist. He pulled Jeff toward him, pushing back his own chair so forcefully that it tipped over and hit the floor loudly.

Jeff grabbed Tony's shirt with one hand and tried to pry open his fist with the other. As they struggled, Jeff felt a firm hand on his arm and Father Ed's voice.

"That's enough! Both of you!" the priest said forcefully.

Bogg got to the kitchen a second after Father Ed and pulled Jeffrey away from Tony, whose grip had loosened.

"What're you doing?" he whispered to Jeff in a stern voice.

"He started it," Jeff explained angrily.

"Into my office," Father Ed's commanding voice could be heard, and Jeff and Bogg saw Tony walk out of the kitchen and into the hall without argument. Father Ed followed him. He glanced at Phineas as he left the room and mouthed the words "sorry."

Suddenly Phineas and Jeffrey were standing alone in the small kitchen. Jeff stared at the floor as an uncomfortable silence stretched out between them. Phineas stood beside him, staring at him and thinking. He wished he knew what to say.

"Did you hurt your leg again?" he finally asked, but despite the content of the question, Jeff could hear the anger in the tone, it was businesslike and cold.

"No," Jeff answered in a small voice.

"Tell me what happened."

"He grabbed cards out of my hand."

"That's it? You got into a fight over that?"

"I grabbed em back, then he grabbed me."

"Does this strike you like something a Voyager would do?" Bogg lectured in that still angry voice.

Jeff stood mutely, continuing to stare at the floor.

"Sit," Phineas ordered, and then righted the chair that had been knocked over and pulled it around beside Jeffrey. His next words were in a much kinder tone, "what's going on with you?"
"I'm sorry," Jeff said, but he didn't look up.

"That's fine, but I want to know what's wrong. Why did this happen? This isn't like you."

"I don't know," Jeff said softly, and he knew it wasn't a good enough answer, but it was the truth. The silence continued and Jeff realized that Bogg wouldn't let this go. He looked up and their eyes met.

"You can tell me," Phineas whispered, "I might be able to help."

"I said I didn't know!" Jeff shouted angrily as tears sprang to his eyes.

Bogg paused, his mind in a turmoil. He felt frustrated and upset and unsure of how to respond.

Jeff was in shock. He had yelled at Bogg before, but never like this. He tone had been hateful and it had come out so fast, without warning.

After a long pause, Bogg answered in a soft, caring voice, "you're not alone you know."

Jeffrey swallowed hard, "I know."

"And sometimes I'm pretty smart," he paused, "well about some things anyway," Phineas finished and they both half smiled.

A noise in the hall made them both look up. Tony walked into the kitchen, followed by Father Ed.

"I'm sorry I grabbed the cards," he said in a stiff voice.

"I'm sorry I grabbed em back," Jeff answered, and watched as he left through the back door and the priest retired to his study.

Jeff sniffed and Phineas leaned in, "come here," he whispered as he pulled him into a hug. Jeff put his arms around Bogg and closed his eyes as two tears leaked out.

"All I want to do is help," Bogg said as they separated.

"I know," Jeff said, wiping his eyes.

After a short silence, Bogg took a deep breath and sighed, "well, how 'bout we try to get some sleep, I'm exhausted from working on that roof all day."

"Yeah, me too," answered Jeff, and he meant it.

Author's Note: References 1, 2 and 3 were direct quotes taken out of a letter written by Father Ed. He was very passionate about his project and I wanted to use his words. I will explain more about him at the end of the story.