mind began to drift off, I began to feel safe and secure in my new setting.
Sometime later I awoke to the sounds of voices, coming from the kitchen. After I cleared my eyes, I walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.
“Is this him?” someone with long blond hair chided. “This ain’t no kid. He’s a runt.”
Lilian leaned over and smacked the tall, blond teenager in the arm. “Larry, now watch your mouth! David, please excuse him. This, ” she said, still staring at Larry, “is Larry Junior. You’ll meet Big Larry in a few minutes.”
“C’mon Larry, he’s small, but kinda cute. Hi, I’m Connie. And I don’t want you going through my things in my room. You got that?” As Connie leaned over, I nearly choked on her perfume. She had shiny black hair and long eyelashes, and wore a minidress. I couldn’t help myself as I stared up at her legs. Connie stepped back, and her face turned red. “Mom, he’s a little pervert!”
I turned to Mrs Catanze. “What’s a pree-vert’?”
Lilian laughed. “Someone who shouldn’t look up young ladies’ dresses!”
I didn’t understand. I wanted to know what it meant. I began to ask the same question when Mrs Catanze cut me off. “And this is Big Larry.”
I looked as far up as I could, to see a huge man with dark curly hair and black-framed glasses. He had a kind, gentle face. Big Larry smiled as he shook my hand. “Mom, ” he said, “I’m gonna go to the show tonight. Mind if I take Dave with me?”
Lilian smiled. “I don’t mind, but you make sure you take care of him.”
“Yeah, ” Larry Jr chimed, “make sure he doesn’t get scared or see anything that’s … nasty!”
About an hour later Big Larry and I began our journey to the movie theater. I could tell that he was childlike and shy. I liked him immediately. As we walked up and down the endless streets of Daly City, we both talked about things of no importance. Somehow we each knew not to ask why the other was in foster care. It was a sort of code that was explained to me while I stayed in Aunt Mary’s home. The closer we strolled to the theater, the more Big Larry became my friend.
Larry claimed to have seen the movie
Live and Let Die
a dozen times, so I couldn’t understand why he so badly wanted to see it again. But after the first 10 minutes of the show, I, too, sat paralysed. I became mesmerized by the action scenes and the fast-paced music that carried the film. After years of living in the dark, craving adventure, I finally saw it on film. While Larry gazed at the girls in bikinis, I fidgeted in my seat, waiting impatiently for James Bond to make his next narrow escape from death while at the same time saving the world from doom. After seeing this movie, the character of James Bond became etched in my mind, much in the same way as Superman had years earlier.
The next day was just as special. Rudy, Lilian’s husband, loaded their two cars full of foster children and mountains of food for their annual Fourth of July family get-together picnic at Junipero Serra Park – the same park I went to as a small boy when I was considered a member of Mother’s Family. When we arrived at the park, I helped carry containers and bags full of goodies, not knowing where to place them. “What do I do with these?” I asked no one in particular.
“David, just place it anywhere, ” Rudy replied.
“But all of the tables are already full of stuff from other people, ” I whined.
Lilian stepped beside Rudy. They joined hands. “Yes, David, we know, ” she said. “These people are our family.”
I looked at the scores of adults drinking soda and beer. Kids ran in every direction as they played tag. “Wow, all these people are your kids?”
Suddenly a woman screamed. I nearly recoiled into my protective shell as the woman frantically ran toward me in thick, funny-looking wooden shoes. “Mom! Dad!” the woman howled. She then tried to wrap her arms around both Lilian and Rudy. I
Sometime later I awoke to the sounds of voices, coming from the kitchen. After I cleared my eyes, I walked out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.
“Is this him?” someone with long blond hair chided. “This ain’t no kid. He’s a runt.”
Lilian leaned over and smacked the tall, blond teenager in the arm. “Larry, now watch your mouth! David, please excuse him. This, ” she said, still staring at Larry, “is Larry Junior. You’ll meet Big Larry in a few minutes.”
“C’mon Larry, he’s small, but kinda cute. Hi, I’m Connie. And I don’t want you going through my things in my room. You got that?” As Connie leaned over, I nearly choked on her perfume. She had shiny black hair and long eyelashes, and wore a minidress. I couldn’t help myself as I stared up at her legs. Connie stepped back, and her face turned red. “Mom, he’s a little pervert!”
I turned to Mrs Catanze. “What’s a pree-vert’?”
Lilian laughed. “Someone who shouldn’t look up young ladies’ dresses!”
I didn’t understand. I wanted to know what it meant. I began to ask the same question when Mrs Catanze cut me off. “And this is Big Larry.”
I looked as far up as I could, to see a huge man with dark curly hair and black-framed glasses. He had a kind, gentle face. Big Larry smiled as he shook my hand. “Mom, ” he said, “I’m gonna go to the show tonight. Mind if I take Dave with me?”
Lilian smiled. “I don’t mind, but you make sure you take care of him.”
“Yeah, ” Larry Jr chimed, “make sure he doesn’t get scared or see anything that’s … nasty!”
About an hour later Big Larry and I began our journey to the movie theater. I could tell that he was childlike and shy. I liked him immediately. As we walked up and down the endless streets of Daly City, we both talked about things of no importance. Somehow we each knew not to ask why the other was in foster care. It was a sort of code that was explained to me while I stayed in Aunt Mary’s home. The closer we strolled to the theater, the more Big Larry became my friend.
Larry claimed to have seen the movie
Live and Let Die
a dozen times, so I couldn’t understand why he so badly wanted to see it again. But after the first 10 minutes of the show, I, too, sat paralysed. I became mesmerized by the action scenes and the fast-paced music that carried the film. After years of living in the dark, craving adventure, I finally saw it on film. While Larry gazed at the girls in bikinis, I fidgeted in my seat, waiting impatiently for James Bond to make his next narrow escape from death while at the same time saving the world from doom. After seeing this movie, the character of James Bond became etched in my mind, much in the same way as Superman had years earlier.
The next day was just as special. Rudy, Lilian’s husband, loaded their two cars full of foster children and mountains of food for their annual Fourth of July family get-together picnic at Junipero Serra Park – the same park I went to as a small boy when I was considered a member of Mother’s Family. When we arrived at the park, I helped carry containers and bags full of goodies, not knowing where to place them. “What do I do with these?” I asked no one in particular.
“David, just place it anywhere, ” Rudy replied.
“But all of the tables are already full of stuff from other people, ” I whined.
Lilian stepped beside Rudy. They joined hands. “Yes, David, we know, ” she said. “These people are our family.”
I looked at the scores of adults drinking soda and beer. Kids ran in every direction as they played tag. “Wow, all these people are your kids?”
Suddenly a woman screamed. I nearly recoiled into my protective shell as the woman frantically ran toward me in thick, funny-looking wooden shoes. “Mom! Dad!” the woman howled. She then tried to wrap her arms around both Lilian and Rudy. I
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