The Ungiven Gift

出典: くみこみックス

Curtis had sickle cell anemia, an incurable, painful and terminal disease that plagues young folks of African descent.

I would meander into his room to spend a little time with the rebellious loner and would typically finish up refereeing a screaming match...

He was pencil thin and walked with a limp. A thirteen year-old boy with huge yearning eyes who was always an unlucky patient on the children's floor of the hospital exactly where my youngest daughter was all as well typically incarcerated.

Curtis had sickle cell anemia, an incurable, painful and terminal disease that plagues young individuals of African descent.

I would meander into his room to invest a tiny time with the rebellious loner and would often end up refereeing a screaming match among him and a single of the nurses. The street-wise Curtis would typically win.

Over the course of a few years (the hospital was often my house-away-from-property), I ultimately learned of the horror of his upbringing, the sad reality of his present life and the apparent dimness of his future.

My experience as a volunteer in the Big Brother-like plan in our nearby Children's Aid Society was that a little dose of interest and some a single-on-one interest could go a lengthy way to helping a kid who was in difficulty with the law, failing school and in Curtis' situation, a social outcast.

So, when my time was over with the final boy I was involved with, I asked the CAS if I could hook up with Curtis, albeit 'unofficially' this time. Problem was, I was in the process of selling my drycleaning organization even though developing a music production studio (for my subsequent career) and my time was amish chicken coop also significantly at a premium to commit to a structured arrangement. They agreed, and I started to hang with Curtis.

I learned in very brief order that among his survival expertise was the tendency to cajole, cleverly manipulate and even outright steal. Even though always kind, I had to have a second set of eyes when in his presence and was forced at instances to be, effectively, curt with Curt.

Also in the course of this time, I was involved in a major lawsuit right after obtaining had a song of mine "lifted" by a one particular-time buddy and co-writing partner in Los Angeles, who had turn out to be a 'hot' producer of major recording acts. On 1 of his multi-million selling records was the core of a song of mine he had heard and we discussed in my presence during a single of my frequent music trips in the 1980's. I was a tiny much more than hurt and felt I deserved not only the royalties for my creation, but also the credibility that went along with a "cut" of that magnitude by a name recording artist.

I retained a highly regarded entertainment lawyer in Detroit (he represented several of the athletes on the skilled sports teams in Detroit as effectively as a single of the all time greatest boxers and even some well-known civil rights icons) who just occurred to also be a actually amazing and giving human becoming.

It was in a meeting with this man that I casually mentioned Curtis and my wish to do one thing quite special for him. See, in my heart, I had a feeling Curtis would not reside for as well numerous a lot more years. Sickle cell sufferers often died in their early twenties, or even prior to, a decade ago. I wasn't expecting anything from my lawyer in this regard, but the subsequent day the telephone rang and I was instructed to have Curtis "dressed up" and at the Palace of Auburn Hills at a particular gate number 1 hour prior to a Detroit Pistons game later that week.

He was a huge basketball fan. His hero of heroes was Isaiah Thomas, captain of the Motor City NBA Champs the prior two years. But I didn't let on to Curtis where we had been going that night. Just that we had been hanging out. I just asked his foster mother (and I use the term mother extremely lightly) to have him dressed nicely with his birth certificate in hand by a particular time.

Curtis was on time, eagerly waiting on his rickety porch when I pulled up. But to my utter dismay, he looked as disheveled as he often did in his overbaggy, tattered clothes. And of course, very good ol' foster mom could not find his birth certificate. Now, can you envision the fancy dancin' I had to do at U.S. Customs getting this 'gang looking' teenager with no identification trying to cross the border in my new BMW? Nicely, fate and some silver tongued talkin' prevailed and we were soon racing up I-75 to The Game.

I tried to make idle conversation with the excited but slouching teenager. All Curtis could do was hound me. "Is it a ballgame? Is it a concert?" "Rick, where are we going?" I adore to tease. Lastly, he glimpsed the landmark dome of the arena from the freeway and knew he was going to get to see his preferred team play.

We discovered the specified gate, parked and walked to the entrance. Walking with Curtis was often a little frustrating for me (he would do the 'slow, cool stroll' and I am a brisk walker) but this time I knew there was a thing special awaiting that we should nearly race to.

We were met by a effectively-dressed, executive-seeking middle-aged man, who just happened to be the Vice-President of Public Relations for the Detroit Pistons. Talk about initial class! He escorted Curtis not to his seat, but directly to the Pistons bench, exactly where Curtis' eyes grew nearly as large as the basketballs the giant athletes had just started tossing around in their pre-game warm-up.

I was led to our primest of seats directly behind the bench. A waitress visited only seconds after that, taking my order for refreshments. Every little thing was "on the residence". I saw 1 of the assistant coaches introduce himself to Curtis, and subsequent point I know, well, guess who's center court tossing the ball about with his hero, Isaiah? Soon, he was operating the court and shooting hoops with Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Joe Dumars and the rest of the elite players!

At this point, I could not even think about the exhilaration that this young man who life never ever seemed to smile upon was experiencing at this extremely moment! I mean, how could anyone's wildest imagination even envision this ravaged spirit and physique attempting to "deek the Negative Boys of basketball?" I just sat quietly in utter amazement, misty eyed and SO grateful to my legal friend and the 'human' management of this skilled sports team who arranged all of this for one particular person. A Canadian kid who was close to my heart

When the warm-up was done, Curtis climbed up with me. The very first half of the game was fantastic. The Pistons had been pounding their opponents. A few of the players even glanced back alternative ftp and motioned at their new teammate! By the time the half-time buzzer sounded I was specific Curtis' dream day was complete.

But hold on, this was only half time! The same assistant coach who invited Curtis onto the hardwood floor pre-game, called for him to hang with the team in the sanctuary of the dressing space for the duration of their a lot-necessary break. Give ME a break!

I'll in no way forget what I consider was the widest smile I have ever observed as the team emerged onto the floor afterwards and my small guy 'cool strolling' as proudly as I've ever noticed any individual. And a lot faster than I ever recalled. What a night!!

The ride property was quiet. Opposite of the ride there. Curtis slept most of long way house. I could only envision his dreams. Canada Customs was kind and allowed him to sleep via their few short queries for me. It was sad to see him sleepily stagger up the sidewalk to his stark awesome chicken coops reality, immediately after obtaining just left a planet where I'd bet no 1 would believe he had been.

Somehow I believed I would get a phonecall from Curtis the subsequent day. But it by no means came. Two days later I had a extremely excellent purpose to call him. My attorney and the team had arranged to have each player on the NBA Champion Detroit Pistons sign the game ball from that night, and Federal Express it to my home address, to give to Curtis. An autographed yearbook was included as well.

I couldn't wait to tell him. I mean, I was flabbergasted at this unexpected and more than-the-leading gesture! I recall excitedly dialing his quantity and the deflation following hearing that "Curtis took off to Toronto yesterday." She went on to explain that she did not know where he was or how to contact him. And neither did the Children's

Help Society.

Little did I know that evening would be the last time I would ever see Curtis. My instincts tell me that he is not with us any longer. But if he is, he has 1 wonderful gift nonetheless waiting for him - The Ungiven Gift.