Creative Writing Group Forum This is a story I wrote from j..

His name was Red. The one and only consistent activity he did was go to church every Sunday. He always sat in the furthest back row in the last pew to the left. It's bench was cracked and was very uncomfortable to sit in. That seemed to be the only peace and comfort he could have for even just an hour out of his week. His mother and father both had Alzheimer's and they were very difficult to live with. Unfortunately, he's the only one who takes care of them. His two older brothers are doctors in California and just can't come home. As a child, Red's two older brothers were top of the class, athletes in almost every sport and very popular in school. Red on the other hand has autism. He is on a scale that they call high functioning autism. As a child and throughout all his life, he has been an outcast and not had many friends to speak of. Before his parents were diagnosed with this disease they were the closest friends to him. He had support from many wonderful teachers and advocates to help him live independently. Somehow now, that was not enough because he is an adult and has to find help on my own. One day in church, about a month ago the pastor talked about kindness in the smallest of ways. Like buying someone a coffee in line who was struggling with their payment or giving someone your umbrella and sheltering them from the rain. Red really wanted the community to know that so many people are living with disabilities all around us and need help. To him, that would be a random act of kindness just to be able to help one more person like him. After church, the congregation was sipping on coffee and munching on donuts when a young woman in her early twenties who was very attractive approached me with the biggest smile I've ever seen. She reached out her hand to me. " Hello, my name is Pam. I'm a reporter from the local news station. I overheard your conversation with the pastor after service. You were talking about how you get no support for yourself or your parents. I'm here to help." I was so shocked that I almost fell over the table I was leaning on. "No one has ever offered to help me with anything. Why you?" Her eyes shifted to the floor. " I heard you have autism and your parents have Alzheimer's. I have autism and have support from my parents. I think it's about time I give back." The only words to come out of my mouth were thank you. They walked to the coffee shop after saying their goodbyes to the church members and talked for almost two hours. Luckily, his parents were at a day program that he sends to them a couple of times a week. Red was nervously stirring his coffee and Pam noticed. She cautiously took his hand in hers. "It's okay. I'm here to help you. I know that you think this can't be real, but it is. I was lucky and got support. I still do. I want to give a random act of kindness." Red looked up with red eyes. "How are you going to help? You're just a reporter." Pam explained that the news station was doing a special on adults living with disabilities and she was assigned to the story. She hadn't been to church since she was a child but she thought it was a good chance to find someone in church who needed help. This was all from her past experiences. The next week Red dressed up with a brand new suit and navy blue tie and headed to the interview. Pam asked him many questions and one week later, he got a call from a local organization that helped adults with disabilities. They offered to help him and fifty others in and around the community by giving them extra money every month for shopping and essentials. Also, they paid for home care so he would have the opportunity to work and find a job. He actually got offered a job at the station as a camera man. He worked with Pam a lot and eventually the two of them started dating. They now live together in a small apartment and are very happy with all the support they get. They go to church every week.