“If conditions don’t improve, we can do four to a room and have two out here. I’m sure we can get some beds delivered for the adults,” I told him.
I looked at the clock. Shit, I had a photo shoot in a few minutes.
“I think I can keep them busy this morning if you and Mrs. Kelly want to relax for a while.”
Pastor Dan looked relieved.
“What are you going to do with them?”
“Take them to a photo shoot and let them shop,” I answered.
“Are you sure? This has to be costing you a fortune,” Pastor Dan inquired.
“Let me worry about it. You and Mrs. Kelly kick back. I’ll be back with the herd in a couple of hours.”
I STOOD OUTSIDE OF the sporting goods store with my charges. I spotted the photographer and he smiled when he saw who I was with. It was time to take charge.
“Who wants to be in an ad with me?”
Everyone raised their hands.
“Great. See the guy with the camera? I want you to line up and go talk to him about getting a release form. He will email it to your parents for them to sign. If they have questions, have them call me.”
I gave them all my cell number. Sun let all the smaller kids go first and came over to me.
“You know how much I could get for this number?” she asked.
“I know, that was kind of stupid of me,” I said.
Right on queue, my cell rang.
“Hello.”
“Is this David Dawson?” a female voice asked.
“Yes, it is.”
There was giggling in the background and then a whisper.
“It’s him.”
“How may I help you?” I asked.
“Hi, this is Lisa Felton. My little brother’s there with you,” Lisa told me.
Lisa was the girl that Gina said was a bigger slut than I was. Lisa claimed to be a virgin, but I had some serious doubts.
“Lisa, how’s your break going? Are you still hooking up with Gary Baxter?”
She gasped. Beth had had a crush on the jerk earlier in the year until he dumped her. I’d seen Gary and Lisa messing around in the park.
“Gary Baxter is a stuck-up jerk. Last I saw, he was going out with some bitch named Karen.”
I laughed. Lisa could be funny at times.
“I know Karen. She’s one of those Chastity Club girls. Did she get Gary to join?”
“I think so. I really didn’t call to talk about my past mistakes. I wanted to see if you were still interested in helping me with my problem.”
I remembered Tami’s advice to have fun.
“You know what, I think I’m up for that. We’ll probably need to work on your problem over an extended period of time. Have lunch with me when we get back to school, and we’ll make some arrangements.”
“Seriously? You’re not just messing with me, are you?” Lisa asked.
“Seriously.”
“I look forward to it,” Lisa purred.
Sun had been eavesdropping.
“Seriously? Lisa Felton?!”
I grinned.
“Why not? Lisa seems like a fun girl.”
“You’re a dork. You could have any girl in school, and you pick her. You’re such a guy,” Sun huffed as she stomped off. I noticed she got in line, though.
AS EVERYONE WAS GETTING his or her waivers signed, I went and looked for the manager. Turned out the owner’s daughter was in charge today. She was just a little older than I was, and she’d been made up. I tried to keep a straight face, but eyeshadow and lipstick did not go with the sports clothes the staff was wearing.
Her staff was creeping forward to listen to our conversation.
“Hi, I’m David Dawson. Sandy Range told me that I’d have an account set up.”
“I’m Pat. Let me go check to see what’s been put in place.”
I watched as she tried to walk like a model on the runway. The other employees were trying not to laugh. They were all college age, so I felt sorry for her. Moreover, Pat’s dad sold the Range Sports line of clothing and equipment, not high fashion.
Pat came back with a big grin on her face.
“Mr. Dawson, you have a $10,000 limit.”
“Great. I’m going to unleash all these munchkins on your store. Did your dad get all the employees to sign photo releases?” I asked.
She went and called her dad, and they hadn’t. I sent them to the photographer to get them signed. She had to have her dad sign and fax her release back. Once everyone had their release signed, I gave the photographer my master release. He read the resale clause and his face fell.
“Who offered to buy photos today beside Range?” I asked.
He gave me the names of three gossip shows and two newspapers. I made him a deaclass="underline" if he let me pick the pictures, I would split the profits with him. He agreed and I had him call Kendal. She sent a revised contract, which he signed and sent it to Kendal so she could sign it also.
We’d started to draw a crowd outside the shop. I pulled Pat over.
“You need to get some of the guys to work as security. We don’t need a rush of people messing up the shoot for your dad.”
She took care of it.
I called my charges over.
“Everyone, this is Pat. Pat, this is my church youth group. Let’s get everyone gear so they can ski and snowboard tomorrow. We’ll be renting the skis and boards, but we do need ski suits, gloves, goggles, and everything else. Guys, anything you get must be made by Range Sports. If you’re not sure what to get, come ask Pat, one of her staff, or myself, and we’ll help you. The photographer’ll be taking pictures. Just ignore him.”
He gave me the finger. I liked him already. One of the younger boys came up to me.
“Are you sure, Mr. David? Mom said I wasn’t supposed to spend any money,” he whispered.
I went down to one knee, so I was on his level.
“It’s good to listen to your mom because money is tight. I listen to my mom, too. Something she tells me is that if someone offers you a gift, you should accept it graciously.”
“But Mom said we shouldn’t accept charity,” he told me.
“I agree. We should work for what we get, and not rely on others as much as possible. But I want you to think about something: when you had Christmas, and you gave a gift and the person appreciated it, how did it make you feel?”
“It made me happy,” he said.
“How would you feel if they’d rejected the gift?”
He looked down at his feet.
“I wouldn’t feel so good.”
“That’s why my mom told me to accept gifts graciously. Sometimes you have to think of how the other person feels.”
“David, what about Mom telling me not to accept charity?”
“That’s a good question, buddy. Charity is when you give to those less fortunate than you are, because they need help from someone, and you want to help them. Your mom probably wouldn’t accept charity for her and your family, because she thinks there are others whose needs are greater. She feels she can provide for all of your needs, so she wouldn’t want someone else butting in. A gift is when you give something to someone, not because of the fact that they’re needy, but simply to give. So, charity is giving to help, and a gift is giving to give. Which do you think I’m doing?”
He gave me a warm smile.
“Mom says you’re a nice guy and I should listen to you. I think you’re giving us these things because you want to, not because you think we need them,” he said.
He suddenly wrapped my neck in a hug.
One of the college girls had heard, and I could see a tear in her eye. Her name tag said ‘Sydney.’
“Sydney, I seem to have a special case here. Can you help him get everything he needs?”
She gave me a hug.
“I would be honored. Come on, I think I know just what’ll work.”
She took the little guy’s hand. I was glad she was focusing on gear he could use not only here, but when he got back home. The photographer had captured the whole exchange, and I smiled at him. He gave me thumbs-up.
I made sure everyone got a thermal sweatshirt like mine. I had them put them on so I could keep track of everyone. We bought two more for Pastor Dan and Mrs. Kelly. I had Pat call over to the grill and reserve us a space big enough for the group to eat lunch. I invited her to join us. I winked at the photographer. I gave Pat a big hug for her help and grabbed her hand. I knew he could sell those, and Pat would get a thrill being seen with me.