The Orphan Train Ruffian

 

It was a little past seven in the morning, fourteen-year-old CJ Winslow completed three hours of work, later in the afternoon he would be working a second job. Seven days a week at four in the morning he started fires for the ovens and swept out the bakery on Fourth Street. For payment, hidden under his jacket he had a small bag with a couple of day old donuts.

“Hey, CJ!”

Craig James Winslow, runaway from the Fifth Street orphanage recognized a fellow street rat. CJ became wary, his eyes darted about looking for trouble. He looked around to see if anyone was lurking about to consider whether or not he was being drawn into a trap. His bag of donuts was all he had of value and those he would consume within the hour.

As CJ’s eyes darted about looking for hidden places and avenues of escape, CJ thought, Bryce had always been a friend… as far street friends went. But, CJ knew that on the street, it was every kid for himself. No friendship could stand the test of threats, intimidation, exclusion and pain that any of a dozen gangs could inflict.

CJ stepped cautiously into the alley, it was only Bryce, no trap. CJ merely lifted his chin to signify he would listen. Bryce smiled and asked, “Got something going, I thought maybe you may want in. Were you able to kype anything from the bakery today?”

CJ was even more wary, the donuts remained hidden. CJ shook his head, “Naw. Someone got there before me and walked away with all the day old stuff. Whenever they see one of us street kids they watch the fresh stuff like a hawk.”

Bryce mentioned the bakery, CJ thought the bakery was his secret. CJ wondered how Bryce knew about his connection with the bakery. CJ continued to look about for a trap. CJ asked, “What do you have going?”

Bryce explained, “I heard there’s going to be a mob heist two blocks from here; that big clothing store. The heist will come off soon before the store opens for the day. Do you want to go down there and see if we can pick up any pieces?”

Bryce was thinking they would hide out close by, and after the robbery grab something of value. It was something many of the street rats would do anytime an opportunity permitted. Anything of value could be swapped or sold for a meal or a place to sleep. CJ worried that something would go wrong, he’d get caught and sent back to the orphanage or worse yet to a boy’s school. CJ shook his head, “Naw. I got something going this morning. Thanks though.”

As CJ continued to scan the area he had an afterthought. CJ asked, “Bryce…, that’s the fifth street gang’s territory.”

Bryce nodded, “Yeah. I don’t think they know about this deal. I just heard about it this morning.”

CJ wondered how Bryce learned of the heist. CJ asked, “Who from?”

“Danny Grimes.”

CJ shook his head, “Don’t go. Danny has been hanging around with the fifth Street gang, he wants to be a member. If you get caught you will be recruited or used as a scapegoat.”

Bryce’s brow wrinkled, “What do you mean? What’s a scapegoat?”

CJ explained, “A scapegoat is the one that gets the blame. They choose you as the one to run in and grab something. They wait and waylay you and take it away. Meanwhile, you are the one in danger of getting caught.”

“Where did you get to be so streetwise?”

CJ smiled, “My dad gave me some pretty good lessons, and, after getting knocked down so many times, you learn to stay hidden and to run fast.”

Bryce nodded, “I haven’t seen anybody that can run as fast as you. How long have you been on the streets?”

CJ shrugged, “Ran away from the orphanage over two years ago.”

Bryce asked, “Why did you run? You said you had food to eat and a warm place to sleep at night.”

CJ nodded, “I thought I could do better. I didn’t like the fighting. I should say I didn’t like choosing which gang to belong to. What little I remember of my father, he told me to stand on my own two feet.”

Bryce recalled, “Your dad never came back from the war.”

With emotions hidden, CJ nodded, he was unwilling to talk about the past, “Yeah.”

Bryce asked the obvious question, “What about your mom?”

Again, without emotion CJ answered, “Things got worse right after dad was killed. Mom died of diphtheria along with a brother and sister. I don’t know why I didn’t die. After that I spent five years in that orphanage before I decided to leave.”

Bryce asked the question was on the mind of most street kids, “Do you think you are better off?”

CJ shook his head, “No. But if I dodge the gangs and run real fast, I can keep getting from getting my things stolen or being beat up every day.”

Bryce nervously nodded, “I’ll take a chance but I’ll be ready to run, but I can’t run as fast as you. I’m going to go down and see if I can get anything from that heist. I need a better winter coat.”

CJ started to walk away, he gave one final bit of advice, “Either take a gunnysack into the store with you to stuff the jacket into or put it on when the commotion starts. If you steal a nice warm jacket, get it dirty enough so none of the other kids will take it away from you.”

As Bryce went down the alley toward the shopping district, CJ turned the opposite way toward a more affluent part of the city. For the past several days he had been meeting at a ballpark and playing ball with a group of boys from the opposite side of the tracks. If the ball players knew he was a street rat they would call for the cops to take him away. CJ’s hand slipped inside his coat and withdrew the last of the donuts as he approached the park.

CJ made his way to the outfield, they were playing work up, pitcher’s hands out. The third baseman yelled to him, “How are you doing CJ?”
CJ smiled as he yelled back, “Life is good Allen.”

CJ smiled, to CJ, life had been treating him well for a few months now. The weather was warmer and he was eating well and sleeping comfortably. Alan caught a ground ball and tossed the ball to the pitcher, the ball got to the pitcher before the runner got to first base, the runner was out and everyone moved up one position. CJ was now the third baseman; the retired batter went out into the field. In a half an hour Allen and CJ had worked themselves up to bat. Alan got on base, CJ hit a triple and Allen scored. The game went on for another two hours before most left for lunch.

Usually at this time CJ would go his own way, today Alan stopped him, “CJ. Here comes my dad. Come on. We will give you a ride home.”

CJ started to protest as the Montfort carriage pulled up. Alan said. “You live on the way to our place. C’mon. We’ll drop you off.”

CJ could not discover a way to politely refuse. Alan yelled to his dad, “Dad. This is CJ. I told you he could hit the ball a mile. First-time up today CJ had a triple and drove me in from first base. He stayed up to bat for a long time. Finally, Joe Lambright got him out when he caught a ball that was nearly a home run.”

Allen’s dad seemed equally excited, “You have quick hands CJ. Sometime I’ll have to come down and watch you play.”

Alan asked, “Can we drop CJ off at his house?”

“Sure. It’s right on the way.”

CJ followed Alan into the surrey, he ended up facing a girl that was the most beautiful thing CJ had ever seen. Alan said, “CJ. This is my sister Abigail. I told her what a good ballplayer you are, she said she’s going to come and watch us play one day soon.”

CJ mumbled, “Hi Abigail. You like baseball?”

Abigail was honest, she shrugged and replied, “Allen talks a lot about you. I wanted to meet you. Alan said you are very polite. He also said you’re just an all-around good kid. Do you have any brothers and sisters CJ?”

CJ needed to be careful but he could answer some of her questions truthfully without telling her he was a street rat. CJ quietly responded, “I had a brother and a sister, they died of diphtheria a few years ago.”

The reverence in CJ’s voice was quieting to Abigail. She responded, “I’m so sorry to hear that. Alan is my only brother.”

Abigail smiled and added, “Most of the time I’m glad he’s my brother.”

CJ smiled at her joke and added, “Allen was easy to get to know. Abigail, you have a very nice brother.”

The carriage pulled up to the front gate of the estate CJ had been passing off as his home for the past three weeks. Before getting out CJ thanked Alan for the ride and then said to Abigail, “Abigail. I think Alan has a very nice sister. I’m glad I met you.”

CJ thanked Alan’s father for the ride then he jogged to the house. He stood on the porch and watched as the carriage pulled away. He then went around the house to the garden shed where he changed clothes so he could tend the garden at the mansion he said was his home.

CJ liked his job as gardener at the Williamson mansion. They fed him and provided clothes. In the loft of the garden house he made a place to sleep. He smiled again at his daily remark to Alan; life is good. To CJ’s estimation, his life now was much better than getting beat up every other day at the orphanage and worrying about whether or not you could steal enough food while living on the streets.

In the following weeks the bond between CJ, Alan and Abigail was strengthened. Abigail became a constant spectator, they talked after the ball games, CJ managed to keep the fact that he was homeless out of the conversation. One-day CJ and Allen spent an hour after the ballgame talking, they...