The Collector Series: JC And Arlan

It was JC's turn to cook breakfast. He was a surprisingly good cook and had whipped up pecan pancakes, sausage and pure maple syrup for their breakfast. JC had worked the last two summers and had just purchased a used Ford Ranger Pickup truck. As he ran out the door he hollered, "Grandpop, I will be a little late, the team is going for pizza after practice!" Carl waved his hand at his Great Grandson, enjoying his second cup of coffee and looking forward to puttering in his yard before it got too hot. He heard the truck roar out the driveway, he smiled and thought, "Sure glad I don't pay for his tires!"

The judge had ordered the boy's father to make monthly payments for his upkeep. It was a source of contention and hate on the father's side, Carl had needed an "Order of Protection" issued by Judge Maloney to keep the man away from them! He knew that JC was a good driver and wasn't about to bring a ticket home with him, nor a scratch on that new truck! As he picked up the breakfast dishes, he mentally listed the things he wanted to do in his yard. Even though it was desert, Carl insisted on a tiny patch of green grass and flowers, just to keep things "civilized", he always claimed. As he walked down the hallway, he glanced into the mirror hanging on the wall, "Hmmmm", he thought, "I need a haircut, too!"

Carl puttered around in his yard for several hours. He mowed the little patch of grass and trimmed the bushes back a bit. When he finished, he dashed through the shower and changed his clothes, he had a lunch date with Joe Maloney, the Superior Court Judge. The two had been friends since their school days, sixty years ago! They had even gone to the University together and had remained close all these years.

Carl met Joe Maloney at the door of the Red Robin Diner. They had been eating lunch there, once a week, for as long as anyone could remember. Gloria Sutton owned the diner now, at one time she had hopes of snagging Carl, right after his wife, Martha, had passed away, but she soon learned it was a doomed effort. She remained, however, a good friend to both men.

Joe was congratulating Carl, as they entered the diner, "I see that boy of yours pitched a "no-hitter" against Lowell High School yesterday!"

Carl laughed, "Yeah, he has been on the team for two months now and has already taken it over!"

Joe looked at Carl and replied, "Seriously, Carl, JC is a fine ball player, in fact, he is just a fine boy, all around!" Joe continued, "You know, my Grand Daughter, Carol, just drools over JC, but she knows..."

Carl looked back at Joe and said, "I know, Joe, it breaks my heart, I pray that he will find someone for him."

The two men had a companionable lunch and Carl returned home before 2 PM. He puttered around the house for a while, and then sat in his chair to read a book he had been promising himself that he would read, someday! It began to get dark, but he remembered that JC had told him the team was stopping for pizza after practice, so he was not concerned. He fixed himself a sandwich and a bowl of soup for his supper and had just sat down to eat when he heard JC's truck come in the driveway.

Suddenly, the horn started blowing frantically and he heard JC scream, "Grandpop, I need help, come quick! HURRY!"

Carl jumped up, knocking his chair over in his rush to answer JC's frantic call. He found JC at the tailgate of his truck. As Carl looked in the truck bed, there was the crumpled form of a badly injured boy! JC was crying, "I stopped at the rest area to take a leak and I found him laying in one of the stalls!"

They carried the youth into the house. He was moaning and tossing around in pain. They laid him on the spare bed and Carl looked him over carefully. He turned to JC and said, "Go call Dr. Clyde. This is more than just first aid!" JC ran to the phone and Carl took warm cloths and wiped the boy's face.

The boy moaned and screamed, "No more! Don't hurt me anymore! Don't hit me, please!"

Carl held the boy's hand, telling him that he was safe and the doctor was coming. The boy went silent, he had passed out. Dr. Clyde Matthews, an old family friend, came in the front door, calling for JC. JC went and got the Doctor, and led him down the hall to the spare bedroom.

The Doctor gasped, "Oh my God!" and went to work tending the boys hurts. Carl helped Dr. Clyde pull off the boy's trousers and when they rolled him over, the good Doctor screamed at what he saw. He shouted to JC, "Go call Sheriff Becker, this child had been sexually assaulted!"

JC ran down the hall and in a shaky voice, told the Sheriff what had happened. John Becker lived only a few houses up the road from Carl, so he didn't bother with his car, he ran the distance as fast as he could! Carl went through the boy's pockets and found a wallet, he was Arlan Moore and had an address in the next town.

The Sheriff called information and got a phone number. When he called the boy's home, he received an angry shouted reply, "I got no son!" and the phone was slammed down. Carl held the boy while Dr. Clyde cleaned him up.

The boy woke up and started crying, "He threw me out, I got no home anymore!"

Carl stroked the boy's head and told him he would always have a home, he could stay with him and JC. JC was holding the boy's hand and just looking at him.

Carl thought to himself, "Oh my God, is this boy the one?"

Carl told Sheriff Becker that they would keep Arlan overnight and it could all be straightened out in the morning. John Becker had known Carl all his life and knew all about his Great Grandson, JC. He looked at the two boys and nodded his head to Carl, "Let's see what happens tomorrow!"

Doctor Clyde had gotten the hurt boy cleaned up and bandaged. He applied soothing salves to his bleeding rectum before administering a painkiller to let him sleep. He told Carl and JC that the boy would sleep for at least six hours, then they could feed him light broth or soup. He would be back to see him by noon the next day.

JC dragged a chair into the room and placed it beside the bed, making it plain that he was going to spend the night tending Arlan. Carl and John Becker looked at each other and smiled. Carl loved his Great Grandson, and John Becker was Carl's lifelong friend, they both understood what was happening.

After the Doctor and Sheriff had left, Carl held his Great Grandson while the boy cried on his shoulder. "Grandpop," he said, "I don't know why but I just feel something inside me screaming at me to hold Arlan and never let him go!"

Carl smoothed JC's hair and rubbed his back, "It's called love at first sight, son. And you got it bad!"

Carl left JC sitting beside the bed, holding Arlan's hand while the boy slept. He went to the kitchen and tossed his half-eaten sandwich and soup into the garbage. He ate an apple and then sat in his chair, crying for the two boys. Not for what they were, but for what they would have to endure in the future. After he had cried himself out, he looked in on the boys and then went to bed himself, tossing and turning most of the night.

He was awakened the next morning to the sound of murmured voices in the next room. He got up and dressed, then went to check on the boys. He found JC sitting upright, next to Arlan on the bed. Both were smiling until Arlan spotted Carl. He pulled back from JC in fear and hid his face in the covers. Carl went to the other side of the bed and sat beside the injured boy, "Arlan, there is no need to hide, nor need you fear me. I know about JC and love him dearly."

Arlan peeked out from under the covers, "You, yu, you don't hate us?" he stammered.

Carl rubbed his hand on the boy's forehead and replied, "I am too old to hate you or anyone else, if JC has chosen you, then you are my choice, also!"

Arlan could no longer restrain his tears, they gushed down his face and he held out his arms to the old man, desperate for a father's loving embrace. The two sat there for a long while, locked in an embrace as JC looked on, tears of relief in his own eyes.

Carl looked up, "JC, are you going to starve this boy? Get him some breakfast!"

Since it was Saturday, JC had no school, so he spent the day tending to Arlan. Doctor Clyde came by just after lunch to check on his patient. He drew a blood sample for analysis, just to be on "the safe side" and left some pills for Arlan to take if he had trouble sleeping. He shook his finger at JC, "No roughhousing for at least two weeks!"

JC looked down at the floor and replied, with a huge grin on his face, "Yes sir!"

After the good doctor left, the doorbell rang, it was Judge Joe Maloney. He handed Carl some papers and said, "This will cover you until we get the boy's case settled."

Carl looked at the papers in his hand. They were a Temporary Custody Order for Carl to keep Arlan Moore! JC ran to the Judge, "Uncle Joe, thank you." He hugged the old Judge who was not only his Great Grandfather's best friend, he also was his Honorary Uncle!

Arlan's recovery was slow, both physical and mental. He told them that his father had beaten him when someone had called his parents to tell them he was gay. His father then tossed him out onto the street and he remembered little after that until he woke up with JC sitting on the bed beside him. JC was an attentive nurse and Arlan followed him around the room with his eyes. Clearly, love was growing between the two boys.

JC's teammates stopped by regularly to check on Arlan's progress, that they were two gay boys made no difference to them. They respected JC and, since Arlan now "belonged" to JC, they respected him also!

Three weeks later, Carl brought Arlan to Judge Maloney's Court. JC refused to be left behind, threatening to cut school if Carl did not allow him to accompany Arlan! Sheriff John Becker had investigated the case and made his report to the Judge, the CPS Investigator also made her report. Both felt that Arlan should not be returned to his parents and that their rights should be severed. Judge Maloney ruled that the parents were to pay child support to Carl in the amount of $500 per month until Arlan was 18 years old. Arlan's father screamed obscenities at the Judge and was fined $5,000 or six months in county jail! Judge Maloney further ruled that Arlan's parents were to have no contact with him unless Arlan asked for them!

As soon as Dr. Clyde felt Arlan was physically recovered from his ordeal and, since his blood tests came back negative, Carl enrolled him in High School with JC. They were so much a couple, nobody had to guess, and everywhere that JC was, so also was Arlan. He was always in the front row, cheering at the ball games. The coach asked if Arlan would like to be team manager! He jumped at the chance and he managed the team's affairs far better than anyone else had ever done! Carl chuckled at the two boys. It was like they were joined at the hip!

The first grading period after Arlan had started back to school, both boys had straight A's! That would continue through their entire scholastic career! That year, the Baseball Team finished as District Champions and the team won a trip to Disneyland in Los Angeles! The team called Arlan their Good Luck Charm!

Over the summer, Arlan and JC worked at the Safeway Grocery Store as stock clerks. Putting in as much as 40 hours a week, they had a tidy nest egg as they started their Junior Year in High School. They both took Advanced Placement courses and JC was the Star Picher for the Baseball Team! Arlan was again asked to manage the team.

The two were extremely popular in school and Arlan was voted Class Vice President. JC was on the Student Council. As they entered their Senior Year, Arlan was voted Class President and JC won the election as Student Body President.

Their final ball game, every person in town attended, screaming their delight every time JC struck a batter out! The Team was State Champion that year and JC and Arlan were the town heroes! Both were accepted at State University and both were awarded full scholarships to attend. Since they both planned on majoring in Child Counseling, they spent the summer before entering the University, proctoring homeless children at the welfare camp. For both, it was a defining experience.

They would come home to Carl, emotionally drained each day, the horrors that had been visited upon the children at the camp were beyond telling. They would spend half the night clinging to each other, crying for the children they had worked with that day. They discovered their calling that summer, both men were determined to make a difference in the lives of homeless and abandoned children.

Just before their Freshman year at the University began, Carl passed away of a massive heart attack, he was 77 years old. He knew his end was near and he called both his boys to him, making them promise that they would honor his life in their own by finishing college and beginning their life's work helping others. It was with heavy hearts, Arlan and JC entered classes. They kept their grades up and spent each summer working at the Welfare Camp.

When graduation finally arrived, they both graduated Magna cum Laude! None were surprised to see them return to their small hometown, nor was anyone surprised that they opened up Carl's old home and started living there together. What did surprise everyone was that they purchased ten acres of land at the edge of town. The only persons who knew what they were about were now retired Judge Joe Maloney and Sheriff John Becker. Both had joined with Arlan and JC to form a company, Carl Bonham Boy's Home!

As foundations were poured, most thought they were building a hotel! The only person to guess what the building was to be was Gloria Sutton, who still ran the Red Robin Diner. Arlan and JC were in her diner having a light lunch when Gloria walked over to them. She said, "Boys, you are like sons to me, just as you were for Carl. Are you going to name the Boy's Home after him?"

JC and Arlan's, necks swiveled around, "Ho... How did you know?"

Gloria laughed, "When you get as old as I am, you just KNOW things!"

They laughed and told her the truth, that it would be named after Carl and that it would accommodate 200 homeless boys! When the building was completed, they asked Gloria Sutton to christen the Carl Bonham Memorial Boys Home!

Chapter 4 - CARL BONHAM MEMORIAL BOY'S HOME

The frustrating wait for all the permits and certifications drove JC and Arlan nearly to tears before it was over. But, at last, the final "t" was crossed and the last "i" was dotted, the Boy's Home was ready for occupancy! The High School Band marched down the main street, followed by the High School Junior ROTC and, of course, that year's Base Ball Team also marched!

As all the speeches were being given, JC spotted two little boys peering through the bushes. He grabbed Arlan's hand and pointed, they carefully approached the two little boys, both were dressed in rags and only one had shoes. While the Mayor was making a speech, Arlan and JC were seated on the new lawn, cuddling two frightened and crying boys, the first guests of the Carl Bonham Memorial Boy's Home!

Before the week was out, there were twenty homeless boys in residence! Gloria Sutton sold her diner and started managing the food service at the Boy's Home. All the boys called her Grandma Gloria! They hired a mentor for every ten rooms of two boys each and they contacted the County School System for tutors to help those boys who had been out of school for a while.

Arlan was updating records and JC was out on the ball field, playing baseball with HIS boys. Arlan heard someone crying in the hallway and he went to investigate. Crouched in a doorway was a small boy holding his side and sobbing, tears flooding down his dirty face. Arlan picked the boy up and cuddled him.

The boy said to him, "Can you help Bobby?"

Arlan asked, "Who is Bobby?"

The boy replied, "My big brother, he is hurt and bleeding."

Arlan screamed for JC to come quickly. JC arrived in the hallway out of breath. The little boy, now crying even harder said, "The big boys hurt Bobbie, he is laying out in the bushes over there." The boy was pointing to some bushes near the edge of the property. JC yelled for some nearby boys to come with him as Arlan tried to calm the little boy down. JC and the boys raced for the nearby clump of bushes. There they discovered a boy laying in a pool of his own blood. Someone had methodically beaten the boy to a pulp!

Arlan called Dr. Clyde's office, there was a new doctor working with old Dr. Clyde Matthews, Dr. Jimmie Todd. He told Dr. Todd what they had and he said he would be right there. Almost immediately, Dr. Jimmie's car was racing across the lawn to where the group of boys was waving to him. He jumped from his car, grabbing his bag as he flew across the grass. The boy was not breathing, he performed CPR on the boy until his breathing was restored, then he began to access the damage done to the child. Both his legs were broken as well as his right wrist. Most of his front teeth had been kicked in and there was blood coming from his left ear! The boy's condition was critical! In the distance, they could hear the siren of an approaching ambulance. Dr. Jimmie prayed that it would get there in time. The ambulance sped to where the boys were waving and the two attendants jumped out to help Dr. Jimmie.

One attendant started to say something about "Damned homeless kids," and Dr. Jimmie decked him! He picked the child up and placed him in his own car, leaving the ambulance attendant open mouthed in surprise. He raced down the highway to County Hospital and nearly drove his car in the emergency entrance door! He raced in, carrying the boy, screaming for assistance.

Within minutes, the boy was in surgery with Dr. Jimmie assisting the ER surgeon! It took nearly six hours to repair the boy and even then they were not sure he would live!

Arlan and JC got the little brother, Pauly, cleaned up and brought him to the hospital. The little boy knelt at the door to the operating room, praying to God to save his big brother, Bobbie. Nurses, doctors and staff joined the little boy. There were none with dry eyes! The Emergency Room Surgeon, Dr. Phelps, and Dr. Jimmie came out of the operating room, exhausted. They spotted little Pauly, praying, begging God for the life of his brother and they knelt beside the small boy and prayed with him.

It was two days before they even had hope that Bobbie would survive. Little Pauly refused to leave the hospital. The nurses made up a bed for him in the hallway just outside the Intensive Care Unit where Bobbie was placed.

Word flashed through the small town and people gathered at the front of the Boy's Home, waiting for word of Bobbie. A small child walked up to the front door, carrying his beloved Teddy Bear. He said, "That hurt boy needs Teddy more than I do, please give to him for me."

Gifts and cards, toys and presents accumulated in the entranceway of the Home. The automobile traffic became so great, the High School Junior ROTC volunteered to direct traffic. When, finally, Bobbie was allowed out of the hospital to come home to The Boy's Home, Pauly refused to let anyone but himself push Bobbie's wheelchair.

Bobbie Moore would never walk again, but, with Pauly's devoted help, he would become a noted therapist, specializing in the emotional problems of Homeless Children. His attackers were never identified, but suspicions rested on four delinquent high school boys. They left town immediately after graduation and were never heard from again. Pauly devoted his entire life to the care of his brother, the two lived out their lives in that town. After Bobbie graduated from Medical school, the two brothers set up a clinic adjacent to the Boy's Home and spent the rest of their lives treating hurt and disturbed boys.

The Carl Bonham Memorial Boy's Home grew rapidly, gaining first statewide recognition for excellence and then nationwide recognition. It was soon realized that space for 200 boys was not enough. Contributions poured in and the ground was broken for a second, larger building to accommodate another 1,000 boys!

Arlan and JC insisted on paying the staff top wages, the finest employees were attracted to come apply for employment! In addition to more living space, first, an elementary school was built and then a high school was needed! Several estates donated land to the original 10 acres and the campus became 150 acres. Ball fields, two swimming pools, stables and a rodeo ground were built.

Under the direction of Dr. Bobbie Moore, a nationally recognized program for the rehabilitation of critically injured children was established. It had wonderful results in treating both the physically handicapped and also the mentally traumatized boys. It also had an outpatient clinic for the treatment of girls! Dr. Bobbie and also his brother Pauly, were in constant demand as speakers and treatment advisors.

Arlan and JC made special accommodations for boys like themselves so that they never would be discriminated against for whom they loved. They fought battles against prejudice, wherever and whenever they encountered it. Their worst problems came from the United States Congress, who repeatedly passed laws against funding social treatment for gay boys and young men. Medicare was routinely denied to homeless boys who were gay. Arlan became skilled in writing scathing letters and articles denouncing these attempts to discriminate against gay children. He was asked to speak on the subject nationwide.

At one point, United States Marshals were dispatched to shut down "That Den of Deviates"! The entire town turned out to block the Marshals' progress down the highway! During a speaking engagement in another state, a man in the audience jumped up with a gun, screaming "KILL ALL THE FAGS" and shot Arlan in the chest, a wound he did not survive. A broken JC brought his love home to bury, next to his Great Grandfather.

The boys of The Home rallied around JC, giving what comfort they could. It was a small boy, new to The Carl Bonham Memorial Boy's Home that rescued JC. JC was sitting on the porch, engrossed in his sorrow, when a boy came up to him and asked, "Mr. JC, why are you crying?"

JC blubbered through his tears, "My Arlan is gone and I am alone!"

The boy patted his arm and said, "No, Mr. JC, you are not alone, you have all us boys to keep you company and Mr. Arlan is all around us."

JC looked at the boy and grabbed him up, hugging him tightly, "You are right, Arlan IS here, he is around all of us!" JC jumped up and ran to his office, frightening his secretary nearly out of her wits as he started dictating letters to be sent, news articles to be printed and posters to be made - THE ARLAN MOORE MEMORIAL FUND FOR HOMELESS CHILDREN was off and running!

Donations poured in, those who had benefited from the Home or who had been saved in some way by Arlan's speaking tours donated what they could and collected even more. Clinics were established by Dr. Bobby Moore in all of the western states. Dr. Jimmie Todd was able to open a clinic and hospital for the treatment of hurt and abused children. Pauly Moore oversaw the establishment of a rehabilitation center for handicapped children and two more Carl Bonham Memorial Homes for Boys and one for Girls were built! Truly, Arlan was all around them. That small boy, Roger Goode grew up and became President of the Carl Bonham Society that oversaw all the Homes and clinics, after the death of JC! JC lived until the age of 82, his last words were, "I'm coming Arlan, I'm coming!"

JC and Arlan are buried next to each other, together for all eternity. What they built were not buildings, they built new lives for those who had been thrown away. There stands a BRONZE TEDDY BEAR AT EACH GRAVE AS A MEMORIAL OF ALL THE LIVES THEY AFFECTED!