Leadership: The plan

December 24th, 1999

Christmas Eve

No One Cares Orphanage Home

Have you ever tried hoping for a change and discovered that you hated yourself for believing such could happen? It is winter in New York City where snowfall seems to be the only thing every child in No One Cares Orphanage looks forward to and you may wonder why? Well, Winter makes us forget we are dying but gives joy to the Christmas spirit.

It is Christmas the only time we get to eat a good meal as neighbors within our vicinity send gifts and good meals to the Orphanage. Churches visits also to spread God's word sting that Jesus was born on Christmas Day to bring hope to the world, another thing we hold on to because we are here to hear good stories Despite this Christmas day enjoyment it does not change the fact that there is never hope for us, How I wish every day is Christmas.

All I care about is making sure my companions live and don’t experience nor remember the tragedy that happened on June 4th, 1998. I see myself as a leader in the Orphanage even though it sounds crazy yet I have since the past 9 months stolen from the supermarket food to eat, clothes to wear, water to drink, and take our bath since the incident of me causing the military to intervene our government decided to punish us by refusing to aid us financially nor shorting supply of food leaving our nannies hopeless on how to cater for our future.

Now you can see why I had to step up, you will be happy to know that I also stole from schools books for my companions to read though helped by our nannies with the little extent of their knowledge but that was not enough because even though I am comfortable with steal I am still interested in us having a life with good jobs and family in the American dream.

Before you judge me just know that if you were in my shoes you would have stood up. I am 9 years old currently but I know that there must be a way for all of my companions to have a new life and live like everyone else in the city. As soon as Christmas EVE was over I called for a meeting at the dining and when this happened they all knew I had something important to say.

* * * * *

Dining Hall

9 pm

No One Cares Orphanage Home

Everyone was seated in the dining room which is at least better than the last one since we stole some wood and kidnapped a carpenter to fix it and also there things in our home. Since everyone was seated including our nannies.

“Hello, everyone” I greeted.

“Hello, Andrew!” They replied.

“ Let me start by wishing you all Merry Christmas”, I said.

“ Merry Christmas to you too,” They replied.

“ Do you know that no one cares about us but we must fend for ourselves, I hate to break it to you once Christmas is over we will have to keep stealing to meet our needs and we recall that the last time we were almost caught so I came up with an idea,” I said.

“ What idea?” Nanny Jane asked.

“ We are going to make the biggest heist in history, it means tomorrow by Christmas we are going to steal from every rich people in our vicinity”

“ Andrew, can we steal Television?” Daniel asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“ Can I steal a pony?” Lucy asked.

“ Yes, you can all of you, steal and take as much as you need but remember we must avoid being caught okay” I replied.

“ Yes, Andrew” They all replied.

“ Now, let's get to work,” I said.

Secretly, none of them knew that I was trying to make the Orphanage presentable so that City parents can visit for adoption, especially the girls and our nannies who experience menstrual cycles and have poor clothes and clean-up tools to take care of themselves. I hated life, I hated my parents who abandoned me, and I hated the Orphanage I guess being its leader is the only thing that keeps me going even though street life will seem cool and great yet most street kids have to be dealers of hard drugs and also addicts of pornography and drugs sleeping on the child street of New York. 

Most times they are frequent visitors of Jail which is not something I want to be reckoned with and to top it all few of them have killed their boss which is one of the very things I try to avoid and prevent my companions from becoming. 

I know I am no saint as of age 9 and have no excuse for all the theft we engaged in but it was either we die of starvation or we live and die later. Nanny Jane, a young Irish American lady of age 26 wearing a long black blouse with an old faded shirt approached me and said “ Andrew why are you worried?”

“ Who said I am? I am not worried I am just scared” I replied

“ Hm! I know this is a big weight on you but just remember we all believe in you” Nanny Jane said.

“ I know but how long would we continue to steal till we are caught and arrested.” I replied.

“ Do you have a Plan B?” Nanny Jane asked.

“ What is a Plan B?” I asked.

“ It is you having a back up plan when everything fails” Nanny Jane replied.

“Hm! I know what to do and I will work on it right away” I said.

“ I know but let me ask you why did you chose to stand up for the Orphanage you could have left it for your nannies to stand up for you?” Nann Jane asked.

“ Well, I could but not in a society that sees women as marriage tools, sex tools or slaves only few among you are free from the society though,” I replied.

“You inspire me and I know that you will be a great leader in future. Please don't give up, let your Christmas spirit carry your light around” Nanny Jane said and kissed my forehead, “Go to bed Andrew have a long day tomorrow,” She pleaded.

Nanny Jane switch off the lantern and left boys room while I looked at the patched ceiling hoping for Angel to put me to bed.