Contemplative Sensitivity

The Lost Boy

Indra Rahl, the Saint Carolina Representative, vowed to Ellen Smith that her son's name would never changed and then she carried Erwin away. She didn't turn around--it was the Orphanage's protocol. Offering the mother a backwards glance always ends in disaster. Usually the woman goes into emotional distress, but in rare cases they change their minds and Representatives don't want that. The families are giving their children away for a reason--to offer them a better life. If a woman changes her mind, then a child's life may be ruined. 

Indra held the baby close to her bosom, and as she was walking out of the hospital, the man sitting at the check in desk frowned.

"Weird, you didn't look pregnant when you walked in. Now you've got a baby," he said playfully.

"You sound like a fool," Indra rolled her eyes. "I am a representative of the Saint Carolina Orphanage. We relieve overburden families of their babies so that they have a better chance at life. This babe in my arms, he has been given a second chance. Don't say foolish things."

The man smiled. "You're a young bird that sings a strong bird song. So much conviction. Still, you must show me your papers or else I'll have to call the police."

Indra juggled Erwin in her arms; he hadn't made a sound. She dug around in her purse and found the letter or authenticity. She handed it to him.

After reading it, he says "Okay. You're good to go, Ms. Rahl. I was just following the procedure. I didn't mean to come off as a fool."

"Hmph," she said and started to walk out. 

"The name's Peter by the way. If you come back, I'll take you on a coffee date." 

"In your dreams," Indra rolled her eyes. 

Saint Carolina was a large sized, dark green, three story, brick building. The bottom floor held the kitchen, the middle held the classrooms and the top floor held twelve bedroom that each contained ten twin beds and four office rooms. There were eighteen staff members, one head (Brenna Zoë), six representatives (including Indra and Kai Rahl), and about ninety-two children whose ages ran from a few hours old to fifteen. The fact that it could crowd a hundred and twenty children but had thirty less than that meant that it had an excellent flow of adoptions.

Erwin Smith grew and thrived there, and didn't seem to mind he was an orphan. After all , he was well fed and happy. He was quiet and resourceful and he had no trouble learning. It was also easy for him to make friends. Erwin befriended a hot blooded blonde by the name of Cecily Cooper and a strange boy named Mike Zacharius. When he was four and a half years old, Headmaster Zoë had given birth to a lively infant who he later came to know as Hanji.

He remembered the day the Headmaster had come home from the hospital. No one could forget because Hanji had a set of lungs on her. She was screaming and a lot of the older children didn't bother to check out the commotion.

"This is Hanji," Headmaster Zoë had said tiredly. "A beautiful little girl, Hanji Zoë."

"I can take her for you," a young staff member offered but the Headmaster shook her head.

"Come little children and look at her," she smiled. "You all were once like this."

"Not me," Cecily said flatly. "I wasn't a screaming doll."

"Cecily," Erwin swatted her hand. "Say sorry to Headmaster Zoë!"

"I didn't have a red face," Cecily ignored him. "I never woke anyone up."

"Yeah," a few other children agreed.

Headmaster Zoë looked from the screaming Hanji to the thirty young children before her. "I suppose. She's loud, but it means she'll change the world someday. She'll say many great things."