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Summary: Andres offers Jeremy a place to stay at his Halfway House.
Date: December 14, 2009
Log Title A Helpful Offer
Rating: PG
NYC - East 42nd Street
Traveling from East to West in the center of Manhattan is 42nd street. The long street is home to Grand Central Station, United Nations, Bryant Park, New York Public Library and Times Square. This street has many stores and restaurants tailored to the more upscale and tourists of the city. There are also many theatres along this street for Broadway Musicals and motion pictures.
It's a cold rainy night in New York City and Jeremy has nowhere to go. He's underneath a scafolding trying his best to keep dry. He's wearing a leather jacket, gloves, hat and scarf to keep warm. He sits against a wall of a building where the business is obviously closed for the night. There's a beatup cardboard sign next to him that says 'hungry, homeless, please help'. Most people don't even look at him, the others more give looks of annoyance. He hasn't gotten many handouts tonight.
Casually, Andres walks the streets. His coat is pulled tightly about his upper body. With the harness beneath, he seems to have a bit of a hunched back. As he walks along, he hums to himself, a melody he can hear from one of the stores nearby. Noticing the cardboard sign, he pauses. He takes a twenty out of his pocket, wraps it around a card for his halfway house, and places it casually against the sign, or in something if there's a receptacle of some type.
There is no receptacle as Jeremy can't aford to use his hat when it's this cold. Once the money is put down, he reaches out to take and suprised that it's a twenty. "Thanks a lot sir, it's really appricated." He says as he looks at the card, he blinks as it's for a halfway house. "What's this?" He asks as he's more looking for details than just a name and address, he's not that trusting.
Stopping as he hears himself spoken to, Andres kneels down. "A halfway house is a home for people that are very down on their luck. For those that want to get into the workforce, but are having trouble. Or for those who just can't get a hand up. As long as they're actively trying to find work." He explains, voice a somber baritone. "It helps give structure to the lives of those that need it."
Jeremy shakes his head. "I know what a halfway house is, I was in a runaway shelter for a bit." Just because he's homeless doesn't mean he's dumb or clueless, or that's what Jeremy thinks at least. "I mean, why are you giving me this? Why me?" There are tons of homeless kids out there, he's not sure why he's getting picked out at random, or at least that's what he thinks.
"You're there. It's cold. And, as of yet, I don't have many people there. You look like you could have a bright future ahead of you." Andres says simply, offering a half-chuckle. He shrugs softly. "Just something I felt I should offer."
Jeremy frowns slightly and looks at the card. "I don't know, I'm probably better off on the streets." He says rereading the card. "I've survived the cold before." Not that he likes it but he doesn't know Andres or trust him, and he doesn't trust himself knowing that he'll probably end up stealing.
"Suit yourself. I just thought I would offer a hand." Andres explains with a gentle nod. "I can understand not knowing what's out there. But I can also understand giving people a chance. Letting them prove that they're actually worth something." He says with a soft grin as he extends a hand. "My name is Andres Reeve, if you'd like to come by and see it." He says. His hand is bare.
Jeremy reaches out and takes Andres hand with a gloved one of his own. "Maybe I'll check it out but I dunno. I don't…I'm Jeremy." He says changing the subject and introducing himself back, but no last name is mentioned. "It's not knowing what's out there, I think I know what is, it's…I don't trust myself." Which is part of it.
Andres takes a moment, watching Jeremy as he speaks. "You really don't trust yourself. What is there not to trust about who you are?" He asks, kneeling casually. As the jacket spreads, if one looks closely, they may see something hidden behind the clothing. "Perhaps it's something we could work on together."
Jeremy looks at Andres cautiously. "You're not the first person whose tryed to get me to go somewhere to 'help me'. What makes what you're suggesting better than the last? I'm nothing special, I'm noone important, I'm just a kid." He says defensively. Jeremy is very secretive about his problems, thus why he's not quick to just touch Andres to see what he's offering is really about. "I really do appricate the help Sir, but, I don't know you either."
"That's a given. That's why I offered the card. A chance to see for yourself." Andres says with a bit of a nod. "And if you didn't like it, who would I be to hold you there?" He says, grinning lopsidedly. "It's easy to find… even if it's hardly in the best neighborhood. Hell's Kitchen." He says with a bit of a shrug. "You take what you can get." He's apparently talking to himself there.
Jeremy looks at the card again and there are several things he misses, a real bed, clean clothes, regular showers and school. "You said something about getting a job, what about finishing up school?" He hasn't made a decision yet but he's at least asking questions.
"Finishing up school is always a good idea, of course. Or getting a GED. Either is an option, depending on how far behind you are. And fortunately, I know enough to help with that, without requiring the classes." Andres chuckles, shrugging softly. "I was in college for years, after all."
"Two years? Maybe. I was in a lot of honor classes a few years ago." Jeremy says and it kinda feels like that was a completely different person. How does a good kid end up in his situation. "I was supposed to go to college, a good college, but I was supposed to be a lot of things, not this." He says finally catching site of something off under Andres jacket, and he can't help but stare trying to figure out if what he's seeing is right.
Yup. Feathers. "What made you lose everything?" Andres asks, softly. "If you were in honors classes, you shouldn't be out here on the streets. But then, I had friends who chose to do that, rather than do what their families wanted them to do."
"I always did what my family wanted me to do, it was the way of it." Jeremy was never trouble by that and it was a routine he was used to. There's so much he misses and with the questions Andres is asking, he's starting to really think about it. "Can I ask you something first? Are you hiding something under your jacket?"
Andres chuckles. "Somewhat. And it's not really hiding someTHING. Just hiding… a part of myself to keep the public eye away and not let it get in the way of my benificial endeavor." He offers a wink. A wing tip slides out, hidden from behind by the jacket, but remaining tight to his body. "We all have our… differences."
Jeremy looks down at his hands and takes off one of his gloves. "I know, I'm one too. That's why I'm out here." He doesn't give the whole story, just the general jist of it. Andres can probably figure out enough of it. "Because of this, I'm out here. It's not something I asked for, it doesn't really change me but it was enough for them to hate me."
"Why would they hate you for something you didn't cause. Something that they created in you? A blessed gift…" Andres says, shaking his head sadly. "Unfortunately, that is part of the reason I gather people. To protect them from some of the slings and arrows of the harshness of life." He sighs sadly. "Pobrecito."
Jeremy sighs and shakes his head. "To them, it's noone's fault by my own. I'm a disgrace to the family. I don't even think my brother and sister acknowlegde I'm part of the family." Jeremy hasn't even been able to get in contact with them. He reaches over to his backpack and reaches around until he finds a beatup pack of cigarettes and pulls the last one out, lighting it up. "So you gather people?"
.
"Figure of speech." Andres says with a wave of the hand. "I've had a dedication, for years, of opening a place for people that need a hand. A place where they can be themselves. Human or mutant, it doesn't matter. As long as they can be strong on their own… eventually." He explains.
Jeremy nods as he listens to Andres, taking a long drag off his cigarette. "I might stop by, I…need to think about it." At least he's not as pushy as July but he still doesn't trust himself for unsaid reasons. At least Andres owns the place and isn't just someone who stays there. "What do you want from someone who stays there? Besides getting a job or going to school." There's gotta be a catch right?
"In the house itself, no drugs, no alcohol. Everyone pitches in to keep the place clean. And keep your own place in order. If you're actively TRYING to find a job, and I see actual progress, then I don't worry about rent. I have benefactors that help us. When a job is gained, a small percentage goes into our income until you have enough to get a place on your own, and afford to live alone." Andres says with a grin. "And, when you know someone who needs help. You get with us. Or, if we can't, you do what you can." That's about the gist of it in his eyes.He didn't say anything about what you do away from the house.
"I don't drink." Jeremy says but it's obvious he smokes since he's doing so right now. He just wishes he had someone to talk about with it before he made any decisions. He's just so lost right now and he's afraid to trust anyone. "So…I can check the place out before making any decisions?" He hates the idea of spying on Andres but he figures he'll look around and maybe touch a few things to see what has gone on in there before making a final decision.
"Of course. I wouldn't dare dream of locking someone into something without them having a full chance to see what it is." Andres says with a smile. "We really are good people there. At least, I know I am, and I assume my staff is. I can usually tell." He winks.
"People aren't always what the seem." Jeremy mutters into his cigarette. "What kind of information do you require from people?" It's the twenty question game of nerves. "I got kicked out of a runaway shelter, you're not going to look into that are you?"
"I have a knack for knowing what is going on under my roof." Andres says with a grin. "And no, there are no hidden cameras or anything of the sort. "I require the standard information that would go into a normal housing application. Only, it's a little different, because we make agreements in it. I don't do credit checks or anything of the sort." He explains. "I will look into it, but don't worry. I don't judge the past. I look towards the future."
Jeremy tenses as something Andres said made Jeremy nervous. He doesn't know if he'll be able to control himself under his roof and if his theft problem will get the best of him. "Well I'm only seventeen, I'm not even old enough to really establish credit yet." He takes a final drag off his cigarette before putting it out on the ground.
"Credit is over-rated." Andres chuckles. "And your parents treatment does classify as abuse. Therefore, taking you under my roof would NOT be anything illegal. Now, if I mentioned you, yes… but we don't have to say anything to anyone until you're of age." He laughs softly.
"Why would it count as abuse? I ran away." At least Jeremy thinks he did, that night was a blur. It was probably a mutual 'get out of the house' and 'I'm running away' type thing. He doesn't mention that his father did hit him a few times before he left. "I didn't say there was anything illegal about a halfway house, I just…I'm uncomfortable with somethings." Like letting people know too much about him, such as a last name.
"Telling you you're a disgrace for something that you cannot control, cannot change, and could not have known until you had no choice is mental abuse. Verbal even." Andres explains, with a bit of a sigh. "And no, but taking in a minor without proper authorization can be, to some. But I doubt anyone would say anything in this case."
"It's hard to explain how it happened, it's…a complicated story." Jeremy says as it's a hard one to get into, emotionally hard. "I've been on the streets for almost two years now, I don't think anyone would care where I went if they didn't care the last two years."
Andres nods softly. Well, he knows who he's going to be looking for at night, now. Whos dreams he wants to watch. Or enter. "Understood." Andres says, rising lightly. As he does, his knees pop loudly.
Jeremy watches Andres and nods. He shivers a bit, but it's not all from the rain and cold. Once Andres is gone, he'll probably find a public bathroom and get his fix. "Thanks again for the help." Twenty dollars can actually get him quite a bit of food if he heads down to Chinatown to one of the bakeries.
