IBO - Brian R. Lundin (100 books to read in a lifetime .txt) 📗

/> “Yes, just down the street,” Malik answered.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Johnson?” she asked.
“My wife and I are very concerned about the conditions of our young black sister who live here in the projects and we would like to help, but before we commit could you tell us what you do here.”
Mrs. Rollins always looking for additional funding replied.
“Of course, Taylor House is a nonprofit organization that was started twenty years ago and is staffed with volunteers. We work with young mothers, most of them are between twelve and sixteen and all of who come from the projects and live with their mothers, aunts, or grandmothers, who may or may not be abusing drugs or alcohol themselves, so you can imagine the quality of the postnatal instructions they receive at home. None of them is married and many have become pregnant by members of their own family who has sexually abused or raped them. We advise the mothers on how to care for their children, how to avoid getting pregnant and the dangers of HIV. We also give them birth control pills, condoms and baby supplies. They come in here alone afraid and pregnant. We are not family planners and don’t want to be, but we do instruct the young girls on the dangers of unprotected sex, so it doesn’t hurt to mention birth control and condoms.”
“How large is your staff?” Askido asked.
“It varies a dozen or so really committed volunteers. Some work a few hours a day, but I am generally here from 7:00 am until 9 or 10:00pm.”
“How are you funded?” Malik asked.
“It’s all private funding and many of the donors prefer to remain anonymous.”
“A few years ago we received a grant from the government, but that has since stopped. Our last fundraiser was last year and was sponsored by the Second Church of Deliverance; we raised over two hundred thousand dollars.
“Where does the money go?” Malik asked.
“Some goes to overhead. I am the only salaried employee and I make only twenty-five thousand a year. The building is paid for but it still cost money to run it. Most of the money goes for medical supplies, baby supplies, like diapers and baby bottles, birth control pills, condoms, and literature, there’s never enough money.” She said sadly.
“Each year there is more and younger girls that come here and every girl there is more and more abandon or battered children. It breaks my heart; some of these little fellas don’t have a chance.”
Malik studied a large poster behind her desk. It showed a large condom snaking its way across the wall, underneath in large red letter was sign that said, “THIS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.” However, he gathered from all the young pregnant girls in the clinic that this device was not helping much.
“I admire you for what you are trying to do,” Malik said writing out a check and “I hope this will help,” he said giving her a check for fifty thousand dollars.
Mrs. Rollins began to sob softly and rushed from behind her desk and hugged Malik and Askido.
“That was a very nice thing to do,” Askido said as they left the clinic.
“It got to be depressing, I can’t think of nothing worse than spending all day and half the night sitting in that cramped little place discussing changing diapers and protected sex with fourteen year old mothers.
“Years ago I convinced Pops to fund the clinic for years as a way to give something back to the hood. Looks like its working.”
After the tour of Robert Taylor, Malik took Askido to her hotel and she invites him up for some tea.
“I am planning on going to New York next week and I was wondering if you would like to come with me?” she said.
“Yes I would…” but before they can continue their conversation, Malik cell phone rings, it is Eli.
”Hi bro, what’s up?”
“I’m cool, you?” Malik responds.
“Everything good, I got some good news to share with you, but first let I tell you about your moms. The United States Attorney’s office has agreed to the plea deal. Your moms and John will plead guilty to one count of drug distribution; the other charges will be dropped, the conspiracy charge was the big one. They will be sentenced to sixty months in the Metropolitan Correction Center in Chicago; at least they will be close for you and Joyce to visit. Bennie and Ralph will be sentenced to twenty years that was the best I could do, sorry.”
“Thanks Eli, I know you did the best you could, what’s the good news?”
“I and Yolanda are getting married in June; I want you to be my best man.”
”Congratulations,” Malik said.
“The wedding will be in Africa I presume.”
“Of course, we've told Diki already,” Eli said.
“Would it be ok if I brought a friend,” Malik asked.
“Of course, who is she?”
“A very good friend of mine from Thailand, who is visiting Chicago.”
“Is this serious, maybe we could have a double wedding?” Eli joked.
“I don’t know about all that,” Malik said laughing.
“Ok, well, you know Diki is arranging everything. I’ll let you know the details, talk.”
“That was a very good friend of mine; he’s invited us to his wedding in Africa, would you like to go?” Malik asked Askido.
“Of course, Africa beats New York.”
Malik, Askido, Mack, Maggie and Billy boarded the plane at O’Hara Airport. Their flight to Africa was long but pleasant, for a long while Mack and Maggie just looked at the expensive and beautifully furnished jet. When they arrived at the private airport in Africa they were met by Eli, Yolanda and Diki.
“Welcome, my brothers and sister,” Diki said hugging Malik warmly and smiling.
“He still has those magnificent teeth,” Malik thought after introducing Askido to everyone.
Eli and Yolanda hugged everyone and they all got into the limo. When they arrived at the estate Mack and Maggie was amazed. The grass was perfectly cut; the fruit bearing trees were in full bloom and full of life.

“If you guys are not too tired, I’ll take you on a tour of the grounds, I want you all to feel at home,” Diki said.
“Let’s go,” Maggie said.
“I know you like to fish Mack, so I’ve got a little surprise for you,” Diki said.
As they passed a big lake, Mack spotted a thirty foot pontoon boat, swaying lazily at its mooring. As they approached the boat Mack saw the highly polished wood plaque on its stern, it read, “MACK’S TOY.”
As they boarded the boat, Eli saw tears starting to swell in his uncle’s eyes.
“We don’t have the same kind of fish you have in Indiana, Mr. Mack, so I had the lake stocked with catfish, crappies and those fighting little devils, blue-gills, enjoy.”
Mack, overcome with emotions hugged and thanked Diki. The following morning at sunrise, Billy, Maggie and Mack headed to the boat. The rods and reels were neatly stacked in rod holders and minnows; night crawlers and leaf-worms were in their separate bait holders. Mack expertly guided the boat out of its mooring and they headed out.
“That looks like a good spot for crappies, Mack,” Maggie said pointing to a clump of trees and other brush in the water.
“Okdokey, let’s give it a try,” Mack said as he cut the motor and guided the boat to the spot with the thirty pound thrust trolling motor.
Billie was preparing to release the electric bow anchor, Maggie was busy setting up the rods, and reels and baiting them with minnows as the boat slowly came to a stop. They fished all day and never could they remember catching so many fish. When they returned later that afternoon, Diki, Eli, Yolanda, Askido and Malik were waiting at the dock.
“How was the fishing, Eli asked smiling.
Maggie with a broad grin on her face held up the fishing basket, loaded with silvery squirming crappies.
“Let’s have fish fry,” Malik said.
Mack and Maggie fished every day, and after awhile they started releasing the fish, they caught. Diki was everywhere making sure everyone was enjoying himself or herself. He had hired a black cook from Chicago named Gloria to oversee the cooking. Gloria was in her early fifties had a plump face with big dimples on both cheeks and had a wide gap-toothed smile. She wore her hair in a tight ball covered with a hairnet that she insisted everyone working with food wear. She had assigned duties to certain groups; some of the women were cleaning, washing and cutting tropical fruits and arranging them decoratively in a huge multi-colored basket, others were washing and picking greens. Some of the men were bar-be-queuing a large sheep. Squabs and geese were roasting over an open fire while other men were gathering and chopping wood for the fire. There was singing and laughter and everyone worked with a sense of purpose and harmony engendered by familiarity.
According to tribal tradition, there were rituals for Yolanda, before her marriage, two days before the Yolanda met with the Musukebba, the tribe’s female elders for a rite of passage meeting. They advised Yolanda about her duties as a wife and her sexual obligations to her husband and what to expect from the marriage. A day before the wedding, Yolanda met with the Epps, the tribe male elders; they also advised her on her responsibilities not only to her husband but also to the tribe. Women were highly respected in the tribe and they believed that women are the link between the unborn and the ancestors. Woman, they believed was the only person who could produce a mighty warrior that would protect the tribe.
On the wedding day, Maggie had gotten up shortly before sunrise. She quietly left her cabin with a cup of coffee and went to the pontoon. While she was rigging up her fishing poles she saw a beautiful red hawk sitting on the bow. The hawk looked at her with no fear and she could have sworn he smiled at her. She smiled back and he suddenly flew away, and as he flew higher, he turned his head, looked at her again, and gave a loud squawk.
“Goodbye, my little friend,” she said waiving.
It was a beautiful day, just like the bride. There was a crisp blue cloudless sky and the front lawn had three large white tents erected for the ceremony to protect the bride and groom and their guest from the hot mid-day sun. Four muscular men beating on drums made of wood and covered with animal hide beat out a study rhythm and were joined by another man playing a guitar like instrument. Yolanda was wearing an all white long kaftan and a white headscarf. She had tuerga earrings and bracelets decorated with blue, green and yellow stones representing the rainbow, she was