Kismet, Chapter 1
By David Lee, © 2018
Do you believe in Predestination, Divine Providence, kismet, or fate? Have you ever had the feeling that you were somehow supposed to be where you were, at the precise time you were intended to be there? Derrick Halverson would ponder this question for a long time. A random occurrence was about to change his whole life.
It was a Friday, and Derrick had the day off as comp-time for having conducted evening conferences with the parents of his high school students. So, having arisen at the usual hour to go to the gym, he had the rest of the day to do whatever he pleased.
After doing the crossword puzzle in the Gazette, while eating breakfast, he decided to clear his closet of several winter things he hadn't worn for at least a year. He had a garbage bag half-full already, so the task wouldn't use up too much of his day. Spring was late in coming, and the weather was chilly enough that his warm clothing would still be of use to men coming to a mission seeking help.
There were several long-sleeved shirts, three serviceable pairs of jeans, a bag of socks, some slacks, dress shirts, and a couple of sports jackets.
He worked rapidly, so he could be done before lunch. He was debating on which of the several places to take them, when the Ecumenical Center came to mind. It wasn't the closest one to his house, but it was near the center of the city where the homeless often congregated.
The lady at the desk was helping a young man when he came in, but seeing the bags in Derrick's hand, she paused for a moment to ask what she could do for him.
"I'm just here to drop off some clothes. There are a few dressy items that someone might use for a job interview."
"Bless you! You're here at the right time. This young man has an interview at 3:00 this afternoon, and I'm trying to get him outfitted."
"Um, I'm afraid nothing will fit him; he's a bit bigger than I am. My pants would be high-water on him."
"Well, thank you anyway. Someone will use them. I'm going to send him to Olivet Mission. They have a free clothes closet with a wider range of things than we have."
"That's a long way across town," Derrick remarked; "probably 20 blocks or more."
"I'm used to waking," the guy shrugged. "I'll hoof it over there."
"Don't do that! My car's at the curb, and it's on my way home. Let me take you."
"Wow! That's very kind of you."
The two men left the building and got into Derrick's convertible to begin their journey across town.
"Feel free to move the seat back so you'll have more leg-room. My last passenger was short."
"Thanks."
"My name's Derrick, Derrick Halverson."
"I'm Craig McDaniel. Nice to meet you," he said offering his hand.
"So, have you always lived in Cedar Rapids, Craig?"
"Nope, I'm originally from Anamosa. I graduated from high school there. I've only recently come here to look for a job and get away from the crowd I used to hang with. I was into drugs, but I'm clean and sober, and I intend to stay that way."
"Good for you!"
"I want to be able to make my own way and help support my four-year-old son. I send money when I can."
"A kid is a good incentive. I'll bet he's fun. What's his name?"
"Oakley, and he's a great kid. He's with my ex, but she lets me see him whenever I'm able to. If I can get this job it'll help a lot. It's $17.00 an hour for washing dishes at Olive Garden. I can live on that and get my life back together."
Derrick enjoyed hearing Craig's hopeful plans about getting ahead, but he wondered how realistic they were. As a third-year public school teacher, his salary was quite a bit more, and he had his house and two vehicles. He was in a better place than most guys his age; yet, he never felt flush. Perhaps he would when he got the last of his school loans paid off. He'd always been careful with money, and he still wasn't used to being well-off.
"How are you surviving now, if I may ask?"
"Couch-surfing at a friend's house. I've done a couple of odd-jobs for people she knows."
"Oh, here we are at the mission. I'm not sure which is the public entrance. I use this one to drop of donations sometimes."
Two people were standing outside the building taking a cigarette break, so Derrick lowered the passenger side window and asked them which door Craig should use.
"The one around the corner is for clients," the lady said. "but you're about half an hour too late. They closed at 11:30 today because there aren't enough volunteers. Saturday they're here from 9:00 to 11:00."
"Tomorrow's too late. He needs clothes for an interview this afternoon. Do you think St. Vincent's does that sort thing? Or, should we go to Matthew 25?"
"I don't think that's the kind of help Matthew 25 is into; I think they're more about providing shelter for the homeless. I'd try St. Vincent. Do you know where it is?"
"Yup, it's near Mercy Hospital."
The lady nodded her head.
"Well, I'll take you there," Derrick announced. "That's not too far from where we started out."
When they pulled up in front of St. Vincent's, Derrick went in with Craig to make sure this place could help him. He didn't feel right about leaving before that.
He got the attention of a lady who seemed to be in charge and told her what was needed. She assured him that they could provide the necessary clothes.
Derrick offered his hand before leaving, but Craig hugged him instead, saying, "God bless you!"
As Derrick pushed the remote button to unlock his car, he had another thought and went back inside the building.
"Craig, do you have a way to get to your interview?"
"Yeah, my friend will drive me."
"Okay, but just in case you need to take a bus..."
With that, he stuffed a $20 in the pocket of Craig's jacket and left.
Driving back to his home, Derrick wondered if he'd done the right thing with his hard-earned money. Would the guy use it wisely, or would he be tempted to spend it on booze? Well, it had been given in the right spirit, and he hoped it would be used accordingly.
Derrick might not have felt rich, but by many people's standards he was very comfortable. How many guys his age had a nice house mortgage-free, with only taxes and utilities to pay? In this situation, he could put away part of his paycheck into retirement investments as well as paying off his college debts, and still have enough for some luxuries.
It may sound like a windfall, but he had earned it! It wasn't that he resented what he'd done for it, but he had missed out on lots of things in the process.
At the beginning of his senior year in high school, he'd come out to his parents. The fallout was different from what he'd imagined it would be. His mother, Becky, while not overjoyed by the news, was okay with it. His father, Don, not so much, and wanted him out from under the parental roof.
Interestingly, it was his grandmother on his father's side who became his greatest champion. She insisted that he live with her until his father's attitude improved. Her house was in the same school district, and she gave him her late husband's convertible for transportation.
Derrick continued to live with her after graduation. He worked part-time at HyVee Foods and took courses at Kirkwood Community College to further his education.
While Derrick was living with Harriet, he helped her redecorate her two-story home. She wanted to update it, and the furnishings, getting rid of a lot of clutter in the process. The results were great. She gave away several old pieces of furniture which had no character and were of little monetary or sentimental value, replacing them with clean-line pieces which she thought were more appropriate for a young man's living quarters. Harriet wanted him to feel at home there.
It was during the second term of his sophomore year of college that Grandma Harriet's health began to fail. She was diagnosed with cancer and given about two years to live. Some costly and aggressive treatments could possibly extend her life for a few additional months. She decided against them.
She had the family room redone to be her bedroom, so she didn't have to climb the stairs. There was a half-bath on the main floor, and the storage closet next to it could be opened up to create a shower stall.
She insisted that Derrick take her old bedroom on second floor, buying a new mattress and springs for the bed.
So, as Derrick began his junior year at Mt. Mercy, he had a lot to do for her. That was when he stopped work and took out loans to pay for his tuition.
Grandma might have given him the money for school, but she wasn't sure what kind of toll her illness would take on her finances. If she didn't have to spend everything, she could leave him enough to pay for them.
He couldn't believe the attitude of his father, Don, or his Aunt Jen. Neither of them took any responsibility for her care. Of course, they were both working, but it seemed to Derrick that they could have done something on the weekends to help.
Despite his additional duties, Derrick soldiered on. He kept up his grades while acting as a live-in nurse. It wasn't until his practice-teaching term that he finally agreed to put Harriet into hospice care. He wasn't eager to do it. She was the one who insisted.
He graduated and got his certification about a week before she died. The doctors said they thought she held off departing this life until she knew he'd reached his goal.
Almost before her body was cold, her daughter wanted to have the house and its contents sold so she could get "her share" of the inheritance. However, Grandma had anticipated it and had instructed her lawyer to have the locks changed immediately and to give the new keys to Derrick alone.
At the reading of Harriet's will, everyone, including Derrick, was surprised that she left nearly everything to him. There were small cash amounts for her son, daughter, and her other grandchildren so that they couldn't claim that they'd been cut out entirely, but he got the lion's share.
Aunt Jen was furious! She was going to sue for her share because she was sure that Derrick had duped a dying old lady into giving it all to him when she wasn't in her right mind.
Grandma's lawyer quickly disabused her of that notion, pointing out that Harriet had made out her will three years before when she was in good health and completely competent. On top of that, she had remained mentally alert up to the hour she passed on. He guaranteed Jen he would sue her for court costs and for Derrick's mental stress if she were to try it. That effectively backed her off.
Then he read a letter which Harriet had dictated to the social worker at hospice a day before her death.
"I'm well aware that there will be grumbling from my daughter, and possibly my son, when my will is read. They'd better not try to break it or what I've left to them will go to charity! It is my wish to leave most of my earthly possessions to the one person who has shown me selfless, unconditional love throughout my final illness. I want my children to reflect on what he sacrificed to take care of me. Then, I want them to try to remember what they did for me. I rest my case.
Farewell to all of you, especially my beloved grandson, Derrick.
Harriet Alice Halverson."
When Derrick arrived home after leaving Craig at St. Vincent's, he dug out Grandma's old bible to look up the 25th chapter of Matthew. He knew the name of the shelter, Matthew 25 must have some significance. What he discovered was a passage that said whatever was done for the lowest of humans in need was done as if for Christ himself.
Ironically, the tome fell open to that chapter because there was something fat used as a bookmark. That "something" was an envelope congaing three $20 bills. It was as if Derrick had been rewarded threefold for what he'd given to the young man he'd helped. He got goosebumps thinking about it.
Craig remained on his mind through the afternoon and supper. He said a quick prayer for the guy, hoping he'd get the job. He could surely use a break.
Derrick went to bed around 11:00 after taking a quick shower. Slipping nude between the sheets, he snuggled against his body-pillow and pictured Craig in his mind. The guy was decent looking. With a better haircut, he'd be a knockout. Too bad he was straight.
Sometime before dawn, Derrick had a very hot dream which featured his new acquaintance in the starring role. When he awoke later, there was drying cum on his sheets. No problem, Saturday was the day he changed them anyway.
At the end of the following week, school let out for spring break. Derrick had once thought about going south but had assumed the weather would be good in Iowa by then, and he had planned to get a head-start on yardwork. Now, with the extended cold, he wished he had let go of a portion of his money to get away somewhere warm. But, even if he had, there wasn't anyone to go with. Those years of taking care of Grandma had cut into his social life to the point that he didn't have any real close friends.
He decided to treat himself to dinner out that night and go go to Olive Garden. The prices were moderate, and he'd probably bring home leftovers to eat for another meal. Then too, he could check to see if Craig had managed to get the dishwashing job.
Many restaurants were busy on Friday nights. It seemed like everyone in town avoided cooking at the end of the week. The hostess at the front said he would have to wait half an hour unless he was willing to sit at a small table near the kitchen.
"It's noisier there, but if you're in a hurry, you could save a bunch of time."
"I'm not in a rush, but I'll take it," he smiled. "I can listen to music on my phone, and I don't have anyone to talk to, anyway."
"I'll sweeten the deal," the hostess offered. Here's a coupon for a glass of our house wine to go with your dinner. We have two reds and two whites to choose from."
"That's very kind of you. I'll enjoy it."
Derrick chose a shrimp dinner that didn't come with a cream sauce because he was trying to avoid at least some of the calories. The white wine he opted for paired with it well. His meal turned out to be rather tasty.
When his waiter asked if he desired anything else, Derrick engaged him in conversation about the kitchen help.
"Did they fill the dishwashing job recently?"
"Yes, the guy started last week and seems to be doing well."
"May I ask his name?"
"I'm not sure if I should give out that information."
"Well, can you tell me if it's Craig McDaniel?"
"Since you seem to know him, I suppose I can verify your guess."
"I'd love to be able to talk with him, if he can spare a minute."
"He should have a break coming up soon. May I have your name, and I'll see if he wants to see you."
"Please tell him Derrick Halverson is here, and if he's able to take a break, I'd like to buy him a soft drink of his choice."
About five minutes later, Craig came through the swinging door. Derrick rose to greet him, and the two hugged.
"Man, I'm so glad you came to check on me! I've been wishing I had some way to contact you to thank you for helping me. I don't know how I can ever repay your kindness."
"You can do that easily by joining me, if that's not against the rules."
"Our manager is really laidback, and he'll be fine with it so long as I'm not too visible and don't extend beyond my break-time."
The two young men talked for several minutes, and Derrick learned a lot.
"I'm still sleeping on my friend's couch, but I have to find a place soon. Her boyfriend knows I'm not the type to hit on her, but he doesn't like having me around on the weekends when he wants to get laid. She tries to keep him from making a lot of noise, and he says that inhibits his pleasure."
"Don't you work most of the weekend?"
"Yeah, but he still feels put-upon."
"I have an idea. Why don't you plan to sleep at my house this weekend? I'm on break, so we can even do some stuff together if you like."
"That would be great!"
"When do you get off tonight?"
"I'm done by 10:00. Kate usually picks me up around 10:15. Of course, that's about the time Dan wants to get amorous, and he complains that she's more interested in helping me than taking care of him."
"You could text her to say I'll bring you by her place to pick up the clothes you'll need, and then we'll be out of her hair for at least the next 48 hours. When is your time off?"
"I get Monday and Tuesday unless someone calls in sick and I have to sub."
"Okay, tell her you'll be gone for 96 hours."
"Oh Derrick, you're saving my butt again. Thank you! I'd better run back to the kitchen now."
"I'll be waiting by the back entrance at 10:00. Don't worry if you have to work longer. I'll wait."
After settling his bill and leaving a good tip for the waiter, Derrick went home to make sure the guestroom was ship-shape. He suspected that Craig wouldn't be judgmental if it needed dusting, but he wanted everything to be perfect.
In the midst of his tidying up, he laughed at himself for mooning over a person who was out of his reach. He always seemed to develop crushes on straight guys. Oh well, keeping busy helped make the time pass.
Back at the restaurant, Craig could scarcely wait for the hours to pass. He'd been dreading seeing Dan when he got back to Kate's apartment. Now, at least, Dan wouldn't be irritable because Craig wouldn't be underfoot. And, he would get to spend a few days with the guy who'd come to his aid in his time of need.
Derrick was like a hero from a fairy-tale; a veritable prince on a white horse, only in this case, it was a black convertible.
Author's notes: Hey, it's commercial time. This site is free, but it does take money to keep it up. Please donate when you're able to. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html
A big thank-you to David (Boxerdude) for editing. He catches many typos and missing words to make my writing more readable.
If you're familiar with my work, you know that I love hearing from readers. My email is: dlee169@hotmail.commailto:dlee169@hotmail.com, and I'd love to hear from you if you're enjoying this tale.
Love and Peace,
David