There was One and there was The Other and they had each other’s backs. They were friends, brothers, twins, enemies, and besties. Times got hard. They spent their nights on the streets begging. Mom and Dad took the money and spent it on ‘goodies’. As the days came and went the twins had an increasingly difficult time getting their hands on a decent meal. Food was scarce and nutrition was a luxury. The world turned up side down in the dark and the young boys were constantly overlooked. Mom and Dad pulled farther and farther away until, finally, One and The Other were the only ones aware of their existence. People everywhere were hungry and trash can scraps were as welcomed as Christmas morning. Their world was lonely and cold. At night The Other would curl up around One to keep him warm and there under the flickering street lights they would steal away a few hours of sleep. Their tummies grew smaller and the endless search for food grew imperative. Tears carved little rivers down their mud stained cheeks. Every night they closed their eyes but the morning was never promised. One night the wind blew a bit stronger, The Other curled up around One and there on the lonely side walk they fell into a slumber. The next morning was different. A truck pulled up along the curb and came to a slow stop near the young boys. A door opened and Safety stepped out. Several other street kids struggled to keep their sleepy eyes open in the back of the truck, but they watched as Safety located more children and placed them in the truck with snacks and blankets. Safety knelt down and pulled One and The Other apart. One was lethargic and taking shallow breaths. Safety placed him in the back of the truck with Help and the other children and walked back for The Other. Safety bent down and attempted to rouse the dirty, thin, three year old boy before him, but there was no sign of life. The Other’s body was loosing heat quickly and his eyes would not open. The Other had given all he could for One, holding him through the night to keep him warm. The Other never moved again. He had not been given many days in this life but it had been enough to keep One alive. One was taken to a shelter for street children where he was fed, loved, and taken care of by Safety and Help. The Other was buried.
One is healthy and doing well despite his stunted physical and mental growth due to starvation. He plays well with the other children and will be able to attend a private school when he is a bit older due to sponsorships.
This writing is based on a true story I was told recently about one of the children at our center. He is not the only child with a story like this. Nor will he be the last unless something changes.
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