Russell

As I drove up to PH this morning, I saw a tall, lanky kid sitting on the picnic table by our parking lot. No one else was around, so I knew he wasn't with the shelter. I walked over to him and realized that he looked really familiar. "What's up?" I asked. "Nothing, just waiting til y'all open". Sonja, my street outreach manager walked up about that time. "We're open," she said. "You look really familiar," I said. "Yea," he said. "I'm Russell. I was in TLP (transitional living)." "Oh yea, I remember you," I said. "Where are you now and what are you doing?". "Well, I'm trying to work and am going to AI (Art Institute) to learn to become a chef." "Very cool," I said. "What are you doing here?" "Well, I need to talk to Darrell (his former case manager) and Patrick (our receptionist)." "Patrick??" "Yea." I didn't ask anymore questions--Sonja could sort it out.

I've said so many times that we are an anchor for our kids, that we become their parents, and that like all kids, they leave and then they come back when they need us. Russell is a perfect illustration.

So, he met with Darrell, talked with Patrick. I have no idea what was settled or discussed, but what I do know is that he knew we would be here to help him or simply to talk to him, pat him on the back and send him back out into the world.

The Russells are what make my job worth all the headaches. And he didn't even bring his laundry to wash!!