The Lost Boy

rumpled clothes from my grocery bag and stacked them in neat little piles by the head of my box-spring bed. I killed time by rearranging my clothes as if they were in a dresser drawer. Suddenly I closed my eyes and cried inside at the thought of never being with the Catanzes again.
    Later that afternoon I was introduced to the seven other foster teenagers who lived in a makeshift room in the garage. Mattresses were crammed into every corner and any other open space available. A pair of old lamps gave the room a soft glow, and makeshift bookcases were used to store whatever belongings the teenagers possessed. I shrugged off whatever anxiety I had after meeting Jody, Vera’s husband, who chuckled like Santa Claus as he hoisted me so high that my head almost struck the ceiling. I quickly learned that no matter what was going on, whenever Jody came home, everything and everyone came to a halt and competed for his attention. As cramped as things were, there was a genuine family bond. I only hoped I would stay long enough to memorize their phone number.
    My first day at Fernando Riviera Junior High was a huge improvement over the one at Parkside Junior High in San Bruno. I kept my mouth shut and my head down. At recess I desperately tried to find out what happened to my former teachers, only to discover that they had been transferred to other schools across the district. I felt empty and sorry for myself, until one day I made friends with Carlos, a shy Hispanic boy. We shared most of the same classes, and at recess we’d stroll throughout the school. We seemed to have a lot in common, but unlike my “friend” John at Monte Cristo Elementary, Carlos didn’t have a mean bone in his body. Because Carlos could not speak English very well, we did not feel a need to talk to each other that much. In an odd sense Carlos and I had a way of knowing what the other was thinking, just by our expressions. We soon became inseparable. At the end of the school day, we always met by our adjoining lockers so we could walk home together.
    One day, out of boredom I convinced Carlos to walk across the street to the new Thomas Edison Elementary School. As Carlos and I strolled down the corridors, I couldn’t believe how puny the other kids looked. Loads of children bubbled with laughter as they raced to the play yard or for their rides home. With my head bent to the side, I turned a corner and bumped into a big kid. I muttered an instant apology before I realized the kid was my brother Russell. His head reeled back for a second. My eyes examined his every feature. I knew in a flash that Russell would let out a blood-curdling scream, but I couldn’t break away from staring at him. His eyes flickered. I felt my body tense the way it always did the moment before I sprinted away. My head leaned forward when Russell’s lips began to quiver. I sucked in a deep breath and told myself,
Okay, David, here it comes.
    “Holy cow! Oh my God! David! Where did you … how the hell are you?” Russell asked with a choking voice.
    My mind raced with all my options. Was Russell for real? Would he strike out and hit me or run and tell Mother that he saw me? I turned to Carlos, who raised his shoulders. I wanted so badly to hug Russell. My mouth suddenly went dry. “I’m, ah … I’m fine, ” I stuttered, shaking my head. “You okay? I mean … how are you? How’s things at home? How’s Mom?”
    Russell’s head dipped to his worn-out sneakers. I realized how withdrawn he looked. His shirt was paper-thin and his arms were spotted with small, dark purple marks. My head snapped up to his face. I knew. I shook my head, not knowing what to say. I felt so sorry for him. For years I had been the sole target of Mother’s rage. Now in front of me stood my replacement.
    “Do you have any idea of what she’d do if she ever found out I talked to you?” Russell said, his voice trailing off. “Things are bad. I mean
real
bad. All she does is rant and rave. She drinks more than ever. She does
everything
more than ever, ” Russell said, again looking at his shoes.
    “I can help!” I stated with sincerity. “Really, I can!”
    “I … ah, I gotta go.” Russell spun away, then stopped and turned around. “Meet me here tomorrow after school.” Then he flashed me a wide smile. “Hey man … it’s really good to see you.”
    I walked forward. I felt an overwhelming urge to be close to him. I stuck out my hands. “Thanks, man. I’ll see