The Cards Dealt: A New Hope

Since my previous writing "The Cards Dealt" so much has happened.  True to my word, I mustered my patience and organizational skills to make good my promise to help Johnny.  I head-honchoed the effort and delivered.  Yes, we were able to:

1. Get a new set of teeth for Johnny
2. Buy him a tricycle together with all the permits, franchise and lines to operate
3. Endorse his kid for future employment
4. Endorse his sister to be a guard at a classmate's condo office

After my last post I shouted out Johnny's plea to batch mates.  More than enough came forward to offer their monetary, emotional and moral support.  After months of planning we were able to swing all requirements for Johnny to have a new and more permanent day job of being a trike driver in his neighborhood.

I was actually more amazed at the support readily given by our class.  I even had to constrain one classmate because he was going overboard with his donations.  Some never even knew Johnny from school but dished it out.  Some just doled out, no compunction whatsoever.  Some wives pitched in as well.  Amazing that of all the people that generously supported this endeavor, not one asked to be credited to Johnny.  Not a single one.

I was also amazed at Johnnny.  He agreed to all our conditions.  He took the drug tests, arranged all that was needed of him and never once complained.  We believe that he is sincere in his effort to make that change.   Johnny looks better now.  More confident with a "Close up" smile courtesy of a dentist classmate.  His "aura" seems more positive.

We broke in his new motorcycle and when it was fitted with a sidecar, we had a blessing and dinner.   By coincidence, the priest that blessed the vehicle was a close relative of our classmates.  Coincidence?  Maybe not.

I took the chance to say some prayers at the church before the blessing.  It has been a while since I was in His house.  I gave thanks, asked for forgiveness and guidance.

Some of the donors attended the dinner, some just came to offer support.  Johnny will never know who gave what.  He will only remember us, his classmates were there.  

The classmates and a couple of wives chatted with Johnny's wife, sister and child.    Almost automatically, another classmate endorsed Johnny's sister Mary to a guard job at a condo.  It seemed as if she was hired on the spot.  Another assured his son, the full scholar of a job upon graduation.  All of this over a simple but delicious meal of steak and cold drinks.  The mood was festive.  Toasts were made to wish our classmate well.  Johnny looked like he was an eight year old at his own birthday party-simply overjoyed.  

The evening echoed with laughter, joy and good vibrations.  The cold December breeze seemed to make its way inside the place.  It was a good gentle breeze. 

The classmates present stuck some stickers of our Alumni Homecoming that we are hosting as well as our batch crest.  This act symbolized the culmination of our major effort help to Johnny.   I was so touched as the cameras clicked.  Everyone was so happy.  We did it.  We did something right.

One thing I can say is that I am glad that my parents sent me to the Green School.  Despite most of my closest kin being on the Blue side, I was the only sent there.  Now this is where the hand of God comes in.

As Johnny left with his family on the shiny spanking new tricycle, I glimpsed that they were all were smiling.  They were all happy.  They all had new hope. 


This is not a happy ending.  This is a beginning.  A new hope.  The journey continues....