Chapter 2

Sunday afternoon, I had caught up my work before starting another project. Nola came into the living room after putting the dishes in the washer. "Dad, tell me all about Mary and Rick. You said you stayed at their house when you went to college. Oh, how did you get to go to college if you were divorced from Mom and had to pay child support? Mom said you didn't make much money."

"This is going to take a long time to tell. I'll bet there is something else your mother didn't share with you. You have a grandmother and a grandfather. They moved away after your mother and I divorced when they found they couldn't be part of your life. We will visit them later this summer. I must say they were terribly disappointed in me when I got your mother pregnant.

"They were willing to help us, but your mother took a dislike to them, saying they were too controlling. Sometimes she wouldn't even let my mother in the door. If I wanted to see my parents, I would stop there after work, or just go over on a weekend. This made your mother mad and she called me a mama's boy. At the time we were living with her folks, so I didn't have much say at all.

"About the time that Vida and I divorced, money came to my folks from my grandmother. Mom sent me to college with it. It was only enough for tuition and books. Most of the money I earned working odd jobs went to Vida for your support. I took one job to house sit for a professor and his wife. He was going on a three-month sabbatical at the time."

I paused here to catch up on the Hansons. "You can't tell, but right now Rick is fifty. Mary is forty. It wasn't long after Rick went to England on his sabbatical that Mary came home, because her mother, who lived down the street from her house, became ill."

Again I paused before saying to Nola, "You may not like what I'm going to share with you about your Dad, but you will have to accept it. The Hansons had a pool and I suppose you could say I was the pool boy while Rick was in England.

"Mary is only seven years older than me. Anyway, without imparting details, we became intimate. Before she could confess to Rick when he came home, he confessed he had had a hot encounter with one of the teachers where he was studying.

"Needless to say, this ended my intimacies with Mary. But the Hansons knew what kind of straits my life was in. They took pity on me and let me stay in their home all the while I was in school."

"I can't believe they would do that."

"They did. They forgave each other and they forgave me at the same time. They didn't even ask for a promise from me not to chase after Mary. I did make a promise to myself that I wouldn't--and I didn't. I can tell you, you don't know what love is until you have received love from Rick and Mary. I'm not talking physical love. I'm talking love of your fellow man. The kind that poets write about.

"So Rick and Mary have always been my friends. They helped me do well in my classes. I have honored their trust by being a good teacher while I was teaching, although I soon came to wish I had chosen another profession. But then when I started to concentrate on my hobby, it has had some benefits. When terrible tragedy came to them, I am glad to say I was there for them. The Morse code idea came from me, and when Rick thinks Mary needs an outing or an escort, it is Forrest that fulfills it."

"Dad, do you and... ?" I held up my hand, stopping the question.

"Nola, you were about to ask a question. Think carefully. Do you really need to know the answer? I will answer it truthfully, but it is up to you to ask if you think it necessary. I don't think it is."

Nola sat several long moments thinking, and then she gave me a blinding smile. "Geez, I forgot what I was going to say?"

I laughed out loud at her. "Oh, you're so, so, you, you're so, so adult!"

Nola remembered saying those exact words to me. We both broke up and that finished our little discussion about the Hansons.

I don't think Nola got much sleep Monday night, for tomorrow was to be her day in court. She did try to look bright and cheery. "What should I wear?"

"Slacks, white crisp blouse and flats. Comb your hair away from your face. Show as little skin as possible. Maybe just a little of that pink lip gloss you had on the other night to show you care about your appearance. Act like you are paying attention to what is going on. Especially when the prosecutor presents the charges. This is family court so the protocol will be somewhat relaxed. The judge will ask you some questions. Answer truthfully and try to use full sentences.

"He will know you are guilty from the pictures that were taken at the party at the time it was raided. You will have to accept the sentence even if you don't think it fair. Please don't cry--that won't help at all. I'm hoping he will put you into my custody. There may be some question about that as I don't know if your mother has started getting the family court to name me as custodian. I'll fight that battle if it is brought up. He may ask who you want to live with. I won't coerce you, but I would like to have you with me."

"Dad, I want to live with you. I think I could go back and live with Mom if I am ordered to, but given the choice, I pick you."

"Okay, we'll leave in an hour. Don't worry too much. You did wrong and will have to take your medicine. Remember in one year this will be over and then you can put it behind you." I received a wan smile.

We entered the court through a side door and were directed to a room that held some of the other miscreants that were at the same party. Nola knew only two kids of the seven that were there. They just said hi to each other. There were several parents, three who had retained counsel.

The attorney handling the case read the charges. The judge, a female, had the seven teenagers standing in front of her and asked each one if they were guilty. Nola was the only one who said that she was. The judge peered at her. "Step forward young lady. Are you being smart with me?"

"No your honor, I was at the party. I had been drinking, but I wasn't drunk."

"Why were you there?"

"I foolishly was there because I was mad at my mother. She gave up on me when I was found at the party. I am now living with my father."

"Does he have custody?"

"Not yet, but my mother said she would turn custody of me over to him."

"Okay step back. We will check into that later."

All of the teenagers were sentenced to thirty-five hours of community service. They also had to visit the state prison and listen to a lecture on what it was like to be incarcerated. The girls would be going to the women's prison for this and the boys to the men's prison. This was going to take place on Thursday. Tomorrow the youths would face the staff and be interviewed as to what and where they would be working while doing the community service.

At the interview they would be issued orange jumpsuits to wear while working the required hours. It was proposed that both the father and mother be present at this interview. This was all laid out by a clerk who handled this chore in the judicial system. I volunteered to contact Vida, rather than have the clerk of the court do it.

Later on in the late afternoon, I called my ex-wife. "Vida, can you be in court tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock with Nola? It was strongly suggested that you and I both be there with her."

"Do I have to be? She is in your hands now."

"The question was asked who had custody. I only have your say-so that you are giving me custody. We haven't discussed this yet. Did you want to turn over full custody to me or did you intend that we share it? If we share it, then she could live with either one of us."

"I would share custody, but I thought you would be so angry at me you wouldn't want to."

"Vida, we are talking about what is best for Nola. The issues that you and I had haven't gone away, but this isn't about us."

"Will she be wanting to come back and live with me?"

"That will be her choice. I have asked her to live with me, but you are her mother. She is a mature young lady who has made some immature choices lately. I would like to compliment you on the way you have raised her. That is until this last year when things went south between you two."

"She probably blamed it all on me, didn't she?"

"Let's just say I know you and I don't know her yet. It doesn't really matter if we can get her out of this mess she has created."

"How did it go in court today?"

"What happened is about as I figured. She has to do thirty-five hours of community service. She has to visit the women's prison, and she has to wear an orange suit while performing her chores. This interview is to determine what those chores are to be. I think the court clerk will be interviewing you and me, more than Nola."

"Are you going to trash me?"

"Not if you don't trash me."

"Nine o'clock you say is the appointment at the courthouse?"

"Yes. Would you like to have us pick you up?"

"Yes you could. Forrest, Nola was so beautiful Saturday. Did that cost you a lot?"

"No more than I could afford. She acted very grown-up. We dined in the Regency Room with some friends of mine."

There was a long pause. "I have heard of that place, but never expected to eat there. You must know some great people."

"Not really. I was a teacher and these were some people I was associated with for awhile. We get together sometimes. Her presence with me was unexpected, but welcomed."

"I guess that is my fault. I was just so mad at her, I had to get her away from me." There was another pause. "You probably think I haven't changed since we were married, don't you? I was doing okay until Nola started going bad, and then it seems as if I lost it every time I looked at her. Why did I do that?"

"I can't say. Maybe you didn't realize she was becoming an adult and should be treated as one."

"Well, what did you do about it?"

"I just told her she was intelligent and I was going to treat her as an adult and she was to act like one. So far it is working. Hey, Nola has just signaled that supper is ready. I have to go."

"She cooks?"

"She better if she wants to eat. I'll probably lose a few pounds before she gets good at it." I'm sure Vida could hear Nola laughing in the background. "I'll see you in the morning. Vida, this was a good conversation. We should have more of them. Bye, now."

"You were kind of nice to Mom. Should I read anything into that?"

"No. The issues that your mother and I had are still there. It took me years to let them not bother me. Now she is just someone who is in the past. However, we do have you and this holds us closer than we would be otherwise."

"Dad, answer a question for me. How come you have never remarried? You're a nice guy. I saw how the women we went to dinner with respected and warmed to you. The guy did too. The older single woman who was there would jump into bed with you in a minute, even if you didn't offer marriage."

"Maybe I have. My love life is something I won't discuss, so this conversation won't continue."

"Oh ho, a little mystery here. I bet I can figure it out. Let's see, there is nothing in your day planner that indicates you are seeing a woman. That is except Mary Hanson."

"Nola, I don't want to get angry with you. Would you please let it go?"

I tried to keep as neutral a look on my face as possible. Maybe I succeeded and maybe not. "Okay Dad, I guess that is reasonable. It is just that some woman out there is missing a chance to be with a wonderful person. I haven't known you very long, but I think you're special. By way of apologizing, you don't have to do dishes." That quirky little grin appeared. We did the supper dishes together.

I watched Vida come down the walk when I pulled up to her house in the morning. I smiled, for both mother and daughter were dressed in the same style. Slacks and a white blouse. Nola was in the back seat, sitting behind me. She leaned, moved across and forward, kissing Vida on the cheek. "Hi, Mom. Are you all set to see your daughter go to jail?"

"Nola, I hope not. I still don't understand why you have been acting so."

"Okay ladies, no fighting. Nola won't be going to jail. Let's concentrate on getting her through this. Nobody is to say anything if you can't be nice." Nola started humming a song. I drove a mile before I got onto what the tune was. I knew Vida didn't recognize it, or she would have blown up.

"Nola, you're pushing it. Now cut it out. You promised to be adult about everything. What you are doing is what a ten-year-old would do."

"Okay Dad, I was just checking to see if you had seen the movie."

"I did and when you go off to prison, I'll wave and start singing the song."

"What was she humming?"

"Nola, now see what you've done. If I don't answer your mother, she'll be mad. I can see now that this blowup between you two isn't anywhere near all her fault."

"I'm sorry. Mom, you don't need to know what the song was."

"Oh Christ, tell me. I'll be madder now if you don't."

"Okay, although I wish I hadn't hummed it. It was 'In the Jailhouse Now.' It was a song in the movie, 'Oh Brother Where Art Thou.' I thought it appropriate for my plight."

Vida had turned and was looking back at her daughter. Vida zeroed in on something different. "Appropriate for your plight. That's poetic." Then she actually giggled. I couldn't believe this. Soon we all were laughing. The moment passed and it was time to get serious when we pulled into the court's parking lot.

It was a long morning. The clerk announced shortly after arriving what Nola was going to have to do to fulfill the requirement to complete her sentence. First on the morrow she was being transported to a women's prison. It was a day-long jaunt. She would be booked in just as if she was a prisoner. It was a day in the life of those locked up. There would be one of the prisoners at the end of the day who would tell of what brought her to be in jail. All those prisoners who talked would tell how booze and drugs led them to commit a crime.

The thirty-five hours were split into two different chores. Nola was going to work ten hours feeding the homeless in a soup kitchen that was run by a church. The court clerk then announced that there was a standing request for anyone coming in that knew Morse code. The person would be offered the position of baby-sitting a quadriplegic in three-hour stints. They still would be required to wear the jumpsuit, but wouldn't be out where the public would see them. Speaking directly to Nola, "I urge you to take on this chore."

"Is the person's name Rick Hanson?"

"Yes. Have you met him?"

"Yes, I have. I was able to converse with him. He is a lonely man and has to have total care. Is my knowing him going to make a difference?"

"No. Can you start this Saturday in the evening? You do have some leeway in choosing your hours."

"Certainly, I can."

"Okay then, someone here will be checking to make sure you are present. I will pencil you in for every Saturday the rest of the summer. That will complete the requirements the judge sentenced you to before you return to school."

"If I want to go more often, can that be done?"

"Yes, but you have to call here and let me know what days you will be there. Now go out into the waiting room. I need to talk to your parents."

The clerk's first question was to me. "Will she be diligent in fulfilling the requirements?"

"Yes she will. I will see that she does. Now, do I need to file a request to have the custody of Nola changed from her mother to one of joint custody held by both of us?"

"Are you both agreed to this?"

"Yes we are." Vida and I spoke in unison.

"Okay, I'll give you the forms and I'll see that the family judge signs them. You can expect notification in about five working days if there isn't anything in your background to prevent it from going through. If there is, you will have to appear and answer questions.

"Mr. Green, say hi to Mary and Rick when you see them. I know both very well. This might not be strictly the way things should be, but those two have had such bad luck. Maybe this will brighten Rick's day just a little. Your daughter is certainly charming. How she ever went so wrong and got into the system is beyond my comprehension."

Vida looked at me, expecting I would name her as the culprit. Would it help Nola if I did? No, not at all, and I let it go. We were done here, so I collected Nola and headed toward Vida's house. "What did you guys talk about?"

"Mostly about changing custody. I hope what I said at the divorce hearing won't come back on Forrest. We won't know if it can be changed until we get a reply to the forms we filled out."

"Does this mean I can't stay with Dad?"

I spoke. "Don't be borrowing trouble. It should go through okay. If it doesn't we will straighten it out. Don't forget who brought this on."

"I know Dad, I don't want you to get in trouble because Mom lied years ago."

"Drop it Nola. Remember it takes two people to make a fight."

"You can stay with Forrest even if the custody isn't turned over. For your information, Forrest isn't going to have total custody. We will be sharing it together."

With just a little bitterness, Nola said, "Just like a normal family, right Mom?" I caught Nola's eye in the rearview mirror. I shook my head for her to desist. Vida didn't flare up and Nola subsided into silence.

I guess teenagers don't ever expect that something they say will come back to bite them. Just a few days ago, Nola said in fun that when they took her away to jail, I could wave to her. The day was here. Oh, she would be coming back this evening, but still her joking didn't seem so funny now.

"Dad, I'm pretty scared. What if something happens when I get booked into prison or something gets messed up so I can't get out? You will promise to come get me if I'm not on the bus tonight? You know you are turning out to be everything in a father I could wish for. I have never been a touchy person, but I really could use a hug."

I said nothing and held her to me until she had to get on the bus. I resisted waving, but what the hell, I waved anyway. This brought a half-hearted smile as the bus pulled away.

I picked her up at the courthouse on her return. She was very quiet on the way home. The only comment was that she would kill herself if she was ever sentenced to prison. Nola went into her room while I prepared supper. I called Vida. "Nola has had a traumatic day. You know where I live. She could use a hug from her mother. Would you drive up and stay with her for a bit?"

"I'm on my way. I'll be there in a half hour."

"Good. I'll make enough so you can eat with us." I had a green salad all made and I whipped up a baked omelet. It consisted of scrambled eggs, onions, and tiny cubes of spam. There was a cup of left-over broccoli in the fridge and that went in and I made sure it was down out of sight. Into this I cubed some small bits of extra-sharp cheddar cheese that sank into the mixture. On top I laid three slices of American cheese, cut into strips. These would melt, but would not sink. It should come out of the oven shortly after Vida arrived and had greeted her daughter.

Would it be enough? I thought so. Dessert? I took some frozen strawberries out of the freezer, hoping they would be half thawed by the end of the meal. I would make frozen smoothies as the dishes were being put in the dishwasher.

"You have a beautiful spot for a home. Your name fits right in with the setting. This cabin must be cozy in the winter time too. Where is Nola?"

"Down the hall in the bedroom to the left. Just open the door. After you have a minute, come out and supper will be on the table." I watched as Vida, whom I hadn't sat across the table from for thirteen years, opened the door and disappeared into the room. My ex-wife had matured into a handsome woman. Did I feel any longing for her? No, but I could still appreciate what she looked like. Also I would treat her as the mother of my daughter. I started putting things on the table.

Nola was getting a good dose of what life was all about. She was slotted in for lunch on Fridays at the soup kitchen. Nola soon realized that these people who slipped had lost it all. Many of the individuals had time enough already to get their usual fix of cheap wine that got them through another day. One that would take them to tomorrow would be just like the day they survived yesterday. Some were even staggering a little as they stood in line. Most were quiet as they passed the tin tray to have today's food portion spooned onto it. There was a hopeless air to many of them.

Nola was in her jumpsuit and stood out, being the only server dressed as she was. Not one insult was given to her, and many had a kind word or smile for her. One woman suddenly slipped to the floor six places back in the line. Two men, front and back of where she had been standing, gently as they could, raised her to her feet and sat her on a nearby bench. They returned to their place in line. Soon two people came out of the office and one called 911. The other went forward and brought back a glass of juice and held it while the woman sipped it.

Nola overheard a couple of the homeless discussing the woman's plight as she served up the food. "She has diabetes. She just has low sugar. Good thing she was here and not in that box she lives in. The clinic will get her regulated and she will be back to her home this evening. I hope no one takes her box."

Nola told me all about it when I picked her up. I asked her if she was hungry. "No, I ate the same food the homeless did. Dad, why can't something be done about people such as that woman?"

"Society tries, but there are a million reasons this happens to people. If you interviewed them you would find a percentage had it all at one time. Some of the others have brought this on themselves. Some just can't seem to get ahead and slip further behind, no matter what they do. Just think where our friend Rick would be if the man in the car that hit him didn't have insurance or a rich family to pay the judgment that Rick won in court. He wouldn't be here.

"I could tell you not to dwell on the injustice of it all, but that would be a cop out for me. The only answer is to help a little when and where you can, or you would never sleep again. The opposite of that is to get angry and that is just as bad, because you would be battling continually. You have to steer a course in life that balances the two or you will lose your mind."

"Dad, I think you should go back to teaching. You see things so clearly."

"Not really. I admit I was having trouble getting through to some of the young people in my classes. That is why I quit. I was feeling angry and felt it was hopeless because I wasn't reaching them. Right now, I have one student and I think she is doing great." My reward came in the glance that was flashed at me.

We rode home in near silence. Nola's strength had been sapped by the experience she had at the church. Just before we got out of the car she said, "Maybe Mom was angry when she had me and her life was in the pits. She took it out on you. She did the same to me. I wish she could hear you explain things just as you explain them to me."

"Nola, you may be right. Please don't think I can return to her even if she becomes the sweetest woman on earth. The hurt was just too deep." As we entered the house I said, "Come out to the shop. I have just finished the next step in that Indian we roughed out. Not much detail yet, but you can get a sense of what it is."

"Dad, it's going to be a squaw! I didn't know there were any Indian maids displayed in cigar shops."

"This is not for a cigar store. It is for an Italian actor who played in some of the spaghetti westerns that were popular years ago. It is interesting, for I have a letter from a Hollywood mogul who has talked with the actor about this statue. I have the promise if the mogul likes it, and my work, he will order one."

"Is she going to have clothes on? She would be in deerskin wouldn't she?"

"The actor wants it to be a nude. Nothing special about that. The mogul hasn't decided yet. I have faxed him some sketches, both clothed and unclothed. I expect to hear back in a few days."