Stray Anythings...

About eleven years ago, I was sitting at home in the projects, cleaning house. It was very early afternoon. A neighbor in another building knocked on my door with a little baby, only six months old, in her arms. "He won't stop crying, and I need to run an errand. I'm babysitting him right now. Can you watch him while I run the errand? His mom should be back in an hour or two."

Sure. No problem. She tossed his bag at me, told me his name, and ran as fast as she could.

I didn't know who his mom was, and I didn't know the child. In less than five minutes, the little one had stopped crying. I only had one diaper for him. By the time his mother arrived, I had used several of my daughters for him. We didn't have enough formula, so I hand made him some baby food.

His mom finally arrived at 2 a.m. She had no clue where her child was either as the babysitter didn't tell her. She left a note on the door that she left the baby with a neighbor and would be back soon. But when the babysitter returned, she was too drunk and high to remember where she left the baby.

Baby's mom, C, knocked on every door in the project until she came to mine. Little A and I were asleep on the couch. She told me who she was, and I asked for some information to identify her to me. She told me his shot records were in the diaper bag. I compared the mom's name from that to her ID, and we were good to go.

They showed up at my door the next day. Little A spent more time at my place for the next couple of years than he did his own. There were times he'd be at my place for a couple of weeks at a time. His mom would drop by for a couple of hours to visit, or he'd go home for a few hours, just to come right back.

I worked closely with the family to get the parents clean and dry. We also worked a lot on anger management and stress management. This wasn't a situation like with our most recent human strays. They wanted to be good parents. They were just lost, confused, and didn't have the family support they needed.

Eventually, they were flying right. The baby was spending more time with them, and less time with me. One day, the strays left the nest so to speak. It was a happy parting.

About six months later, I saw C at the store. Just weeks before, she had OD'd on ecstasy and had a heart attack. She had dropped over 100 pounds on that crap. She was so thin, even a skeleton has more fat on it's bones. Her face was so pale, and there was no light in her eyes at all. I cried. And, I took a moment to remind her what was at stake: her child's future.

That was the last time I saw C, little A, or the dad.

Today, I saw C again. (the mom) And again, I cried. This time, they were tears of pure joy.

Mom cleaned up her act. Dad did too. But they did split up. She is married again, and she says this time he is a very good, good, good man. (Her words) Little A has a little sister. He looks so happy and healthy in the pictures she showed me. He's an honor roll student as well! She was a good healthy weight, wonderful coloring to her skin, and bright shiny eyes (but NOT glassy!) She's got a great job, and is receiving a promotion in just a couple of weeks.

And, best of all, for the first time in her adult life, she's a happy wife, mother, and woman.

Even now, it brings tears to my eyes. I'd like to say I had a part in that. I can remember what an uphill battle it was with both of the parents. Sometimes, they were just saying the words without going through the actions. Other times, they were going through the motion, with no meaning behind it. And now...

This is what I fought so hard for, for V and Little Man. It would bring me great joy to see them in the spot of C and Little A now. I am so proud of C and E (dad). They fought hard to make it out of the other side, and they actually made it.

I don't think I'll stop taking in my stray anythings, even when they break my heart. Sometimes, in order to make a good omelette, you gotta break a few hearts along the way.