Part 13 (2/2)
Big Bob, guessing Joshua's thoughts, said, ”Why don't you ask that Jewish lawyer your mama works for? Seems he's got some interest in you. I wonder why that is?”
”Oh, I suppose you got a story about him, too.” Sarcasm.
”No story. I ain't got no stories, only facts. And the fact, Peanut, my man, is that your mama seems to be a little more than a maid for that man. Who knows, maybe that's how you got those eyes of yours?”
Joshua held his temper, and tried to stay focused. He knew Big Bob wanted to unravel him, if only for the pure pleasure of it. He'd long suspected something about his mother and Alfred Sims anyway, though suspecting was one thing, while knowing was another. Now, he knew.
The next morning, Loretta took off from work to escort Joshua to his first meeting with his probation officer. She wanted to make sure he didn't somehow get ”lost” along the way, and also wanted to meet the officer. She didn't mention to Joshua about his having walked out the night before. He wasn't surprised; she never wasted words.
They entered a small, windowless cubicle. There were three chairs, one behind a dark gray aluminum desk, and two in front of it. The dull green walls were lined with aluminum file cabinets, the same color as the desk, and both the cabinets and the desk were covered with piles of papers.
In the chair behind the desk sat a bespectacled, balding man in a dark suit. The baldness was the first thing Joshua and Loretta noticed, for when they walked in, the man was looking down at a file: Joshua's file. The other thing they noticed was that atop the man's head sat a black skullcap.
Without looking up, the man gestured for them to sit. Joshua couldn't help but stare at the yarmulke. Loretta noticed, and nudged him with her elbow. He got the message and stopped.
Suddenly, the man looked up from his papers. ”I'm Mr. Kimmel, your probation officer,” he said softly. Beneath the man's long scraggly black beard, Joshua discerned a welcoming smile.
”Good day sir,” Loretta said, her polite southern manner s.h.i.+ning through. She knew exactly how to address white folks, especially Jewish ones. ”I'm Loretta Eubanks. This is my son Joshua.”
”Yes, I know,” Kimmel answered as he glanced back at his papers. ”I can see that Joshua has been having a hard time lately,” he observed, flipping through the file. He looked again at Loretta and Joshua.
”That would be putting it lightly,” Loretta replied.
Kimmel smiled again, obviously appreciating her frankness. ”Well,” he said, turning to Joshua, ”it's my philosophy that the past is the past, especially with someone your age.” He stopped himself, as if to give his words a chance to sink in. ”I'm here to help you in whatever way I can, and I hope you take advantage of that help.”
”Yes sir,” Joshua said. Loretta had forewarned him that these were to be the only two words to come from his mouth.
”Now, I see from your school records that you made quite a turnaround before this unfortunate incident. It says here that, in the past year, you became a straight A student.” Kimmel looked curious.
”Yes sir.”
”Well, it's clear you're very bright and that you have a lot of potential. If you can keep that up...”
”Don't worry,” Loretta interjected. ”Joshua's gonna take care of his school work. I'll see that he does.”
Kimmel looked for a reaction from Joshua, who nodded in agreement.
This was turning out quite differently than Joshua had antic.i.p.ated. Instead of being an apathetic bureaucrat, Kimmel seemed sincere, even friendly. And then there was the beard and the yarmulke. Joshua guessed that Kimmel was Hasidic, for the only Jews he had known who looked like that were the Hasidim of Crown Heights. Joshua had often heard Hasidic Jews talking on the streets, but he'd never heard any speak English. He also never imagined one working as a probation officer. He had always thought them to be rabbis or business owners. And he'd also imagined them as harsh and unfriendly, though he had never been given reason to. In all, Kimmel perplexed him.
”I think it would also be helpful if we could find Joshua a summer job,” Kimmel said. ”School will be over in less than a month; it would be good to earn some money.”
I need a lot more than 'some' money, Joshua thought, though the job wasn't a bad idea. It would keep him off the streets and give him some responsibility. He knew that this was exactly what Kimmel had in mind, and appreciated the man's not having framed it in that way. He was liking Kimmel more by the minute.
”And what kind of job do you suggest?” Loretta asked.
”Well, I see you live in Crown Heights, which, coincidentally, is where I live. I know a lot of people in the neighborhood, and I might be able to find something close to home. Let me make some calls; I'll get back to you in a couple of days, okay?”
Loretta nodded.
”Okay with you, Joshua?” he asked.
”Yes sir.”
It wasn't a few days. In fact, it was that very same afternoon that Mr. Kimmel called to tell Loretta he'd found something. Joshua would be helping the custodian of the Lubavitcher synagogue on Eastern Parkway and Kingston Avenue, just a few blocks from home. He could start as soon as school was over. Kimmel gave Loretta the phone number of a Rabbi Weissman, who would be setting everything up.
”Would that be Rabbi Isaac Weissman?” Loretta asked.
”Yes, it is,” Kimmel responded. ”Do you know him?”
”Yes, I do.”
Loretta explained the connection, how Rabbi Weissman used to come to the Sims' home to tutor Paul, and how the Rabbi was always polite and respectful to her even though she was the housekeeper. She also mentioned that Paul was now studying and living in a yes.h.i.+va on Eastern Parkway. Joshua, overhearing his mother's end of the conversation, was surprised, for he had never been told any of this. Just then, he realized that it had been quite some time since she'd mentioned Paul altogether.
Loretta was almost speaking with Kimmel as though he were an old friend. When she hung up, she turned to Joshua, and said, ”He's a fine man, that Mr. Kimmel, a mighty fine man, I'd say.”
She picked up the phone again, and dialed the number Kimmel had given her. ”h.e.l.lo, is this Rabbi Weissman?” she asked.
”Yes, who is this?”
”Good afternoon, Rabbi, I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Loretta Eubanks...”
”Of course I remember you!”
They chatted for a while; some about Paul, but mostly about Joshua. Loretta expressed her grat.i.tude for the rabbi's help, and a.s.sured him that Joshua would be exemplary in his new job. She repeated what a ”fine man” Mr. Kimmel was, and how coincidental it was that all this ended up in the rabbi's lap.
When she hung up, she turned to Joshua. ”This is a small world, Joshua. It strengthens my faith in the Lord when things like this happen. Rabbi Weissman has done a lot for Paul Sims, and if you let him, he'll do some good for you.”
Joshua thought to ask what it was that this rabbi fellow had actually done for Paul Sims, but didn't bother. He wasn't in the mood to hear about Paul Sims.
Loretta got busy in the kitchen, while Joshua went to his room. He knew he should open his school books, for tomorrow would be his first day back in over a week, and he had some catching up to do. Instead, he stared out his window, wondering how he was going to come up with Big Bob's money.
Outside, while it was getting dark, kids were still playing ball in the park, and other folks were just standing around. He thought about Celeste, and the times they used to sneak into that very same park. He knew those days were over and would never return, that things would never be the same. But he also knew that he had to find her and bring her home, no matter what it took.
At dinner, Joshua drank a gallon of milk. He wasn't a milk lover, but it was the only way he could devise to get his mother out of the house. It worked; after clearing the table, she decided to run down to the market to pick up milk for the morning.
As soon as she left, he went through her bag, searching for the small red phone book she kept there. He found it, turned to the names and numbers listed under ”S,” and saw two numbers for the Simses. One of them, marked Alfred-private, was the one he needed. He knew he was taking a chance, but he had no other choice. He lifted the receiver and dialed the number.
The phone rang three times on the other end, before a man's voice came on the line, saying, ”h.e.l.lo.”
”h.e.l.lo, this is Joshua Eubanks.” Trembling.
”Oh, yes, Joshua.” There was a long hesitation. ”Yes, how are you?” Nervousness.
”Well, not so good.” Joshua stopped himself, thinking, this is a bad idea, I should hang up now! He took a deep breath, and said, ”I was wondering if you could meet me tomorrow. There are some things I need to talk to you about.” He couldn't believe he was actually doing this.
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