On School on Wheels and Union Rescue Mission

I tutor homeless children at the Union Rescue Mission on Skid Row in Downtown L.A. Sometimes, they break my heart, sometimes they shatter it, and they always fill it with love and reminders of just how human we all are.

“It’s too hard. I can’t do it.”

“Yes, you can.“

“How do you know?”

“Because you’re smart and I believe in you.”

“I don’t believe in me.”

“You will.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’m smart too. That’s how I know you’re smart.”

“You’re lying.”

“I don’t lie to you.”

“How do I know?”

“Maybe you could try trusting me.”

“My dad said he was coming tomorrow the last time I saw him. He said he
was coming tomorrow and he promised and I ain’t never seen him again.
He went to Texas. Can’t trust him. He’s a liar. How would you feel if
your dad just left you like that?”

“I would be very sad and I would probably be angry.”

“That’s how I feel. Sad and angry. He just lied and said he was coming
back, then he went to Texas.”

“I’m sorry. I promise I won’t lie to you. And I promise you are smart and you can do this.”

“I’ll never be able to spell hard words.”

“I bet you can spell them now.”

“No way.”

“What’s the hardest word you can think of?”

“Ummm gas. No that’s not it. Mustang. I’ll never be able to spell mustang.”

I took a pen and the receipt from last night’s dinner from my bag.

I made the sounds of the letters and wrote them down as he called them out.

“mmm “  “M!”
“uhh”      “U!”
“sss”        “S!”
“tuh”       “T!”
“ayy”       “A!”
“nnn”      “N!”
“guh”      “G!”

“Look! You spelled mustang!”

“Does that really spell mustang?”

“Would I lie to you?”

“Does your phone google? You type that in your phone just like that and
show me if a mustang comes up! Then I’ll know.”