Love Song

Tommy, looking out of the window of his upstairs room, spied a boy, about his age, across the street at Mrs. Taylor’s house. The boy sat on Mrs. Taylor’s porch pouting and looking ungrateful. His sister Tanya walked in and stood behind him.
“Who’s that?” she asked.
Tanya is a beautiful, tall, and starting to look more like a woman as the days go by. Tommy is very close with Tanya. They do a lot together. They go to movies and the arcade. Most of the stuff that Tommy likes, Tanya doesn’t mind because she loves spending time with her brother.
“I don’t know,” Tommy answered. “But he’s been sitting on Mrs. Taylor’s porch for almost an hour.”
Eventually the boy went inside with Mrs. Taylor and Tommy stopped spying. Tommy was called downstairs for dinner. Tommy’s favorite, spaghetti and meatballs, was on the table.
“Okay, Tanya, will you please say grace?” Mr. Brooks asked.
“Dad? Again? Why can’t Tommy do it?”
“Your father asked you to do it, Tanya. Now do what he says.” Mrs. Brooks was firm, but not harsh.
The family took hands, closed their eyes, and bowed their heads. Tanya started.
“Bless us, o Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your bounty. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.”
The rest of the family followed. “Amen.”
“So, have you thought about what I asked you about?” Tonya asked.
“Yes, your father and I discussed it,” said Mrs. Brooks, before taking a bite of a meatball.
“And…?” Tanya shook in anticipation.
Tommy didn’t know what Tanya had asked, but knew that it seemed to be important. The fact that Tommy didn’t know meant that Tanya never told him and that worried him.
“I think that you’re a bit too young to be going to New York City without any supervision,” said Mr. Brooks, tossing his spaghetti around his plate.
“But daddy, I’ll be with Melissa and Katie,” Tanya started to whine, making her voice extremely annoying.
“I know, but we’ve seen how much you want to go, so…I’ve decided that we’ll all go. We’ll go as a family. At the same time as your friends.”
“Really!” Tanya jumped up from excitement. “Thank you, daddy, thank you!” She walked around, hugged Mr. Brooks and the walked to the other side and hugged Mrs. Brooks.
Tanya wasn’t the only one excited about New York City. Tommy was very excited as well, but Tommy had learned that it wasn’t like a man to show very much emotion. At least that’s what he learned from his father who barely cracks a smile at anything.

The next morning at school, Tommy saw the same little kid from Mrs. Taylor’s porch. He was obviously new. He was walking around and looking confused.
He saw the boy again at lunch time. He was eating his pack lunch alone. Tommy’s friends were laughing and making jokes, but Tommy couldn’t keep his eyes off of this boy who seemed so sad and lonely.
After they eat, Tommy and his friends always go out to the school field to play soccer until the bell rings for lunch to end. As they were playing, Tommy saw him again. He sat at the edge of the field, looking up at the sky like there was a plane or something. The Sky was empty.
He was tempted to stop playing and go introduce himself. He felt bad for the lonely boy. But he knew if he did, he’d never hear the end of it from his friends. They may only be twelve years old, but they give grief like grown ups.