A Visit from Union Mission

"Rev. Elliott," he asked. I don't get called that much anymore. Back in my professional life at Union Mission I did but not so much on the beach. That's where he knew me from through and that is where we were standing. His face looked familiar though I couldn't place him as he jumped from his beach chair and made his way to me with a smile. I'd just stumbled in from the ocean and was dripping wet as we shook hands. Sarah looked up from reading her book taking notice of the invasion into personal space. "Jimmy Kicklighter," he said with a million dollar smile and a handsome boyish face. The name was familiar though I still couldn't remember who he is. It's a curse. I'm good with faces but not names. Leading a public life, I had all of these tricks to people to tell me who they were cause I sure as hell couldn't remember. It's not a public life anymore so I was rusty on the tricks. Sarah couldn't jump up and help because she didn't know. "You gave Danny and me our first contract to build the J. C. Lewis Health Center," he beamed as a flood of memories rushed through me. Danny is Daniel Pinyan, Jr. who runs a successful construction company in Savannah. I heard about them before I ever met them because of my friend Dan Sheehan called me one day in my office. "Micheal," he said in his southern Irish brogue. "I understand that you're taking bids on building another building and I want you to look at Danny and Jimmy. They're good boys." I've accomplished many things in my life. Telling Dan Sheehan no was never one of them. The "boys" got their first big construction contract, built a million dollar building which was also the first of its kind, did it under budget and managed all of my design changes throughout the process. Jimmy introduced me to his wife who is just as beautiful as he is. I introduced them to Sarah who's more beautiful than both. (I try to not be as competitive as I used to but I seem to fail at that too.) "Are you still at Union Mission," he asked. After telling him no he asked me what I do now. Spreading my arms I reply, "This." His beautiful wife says, "We always seem to see you when we're here." Jimmy added, "That's great! We want to do this too." Through smiles, handshakes and hugs we departed making our way to our own realities. Toating our chairs and cooler back to the house Sarah asked, "How'd that make you feel?" I took a long time before saying anything. What it made me feel was proud. In addition to ending homelessness for thousands, caring for the sick and dying and either influencing or redesigning the County's health systems, we did a lot of other things when I was at Union Mission. We gave first contracts to start-up companies that continue to thrive (OK, in this economy they're still in business which is the same thing!). For 22 consecutive years we created jobs and eventually eclipsed 300 employees. I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and became a member of the CEO Council. A charity burst through the glass ceilings of the business world. At the end of my time there, Business Magazines were giving us awards and writing articles on our accomplishments. I didn't say these things to Sarah yesterday. Instead we talked about how sad it is that Union Mission is now a simple charity again ... what it feels like to see children you conceived be raped by people you trusted ... how pitiful it is that she's no longer there merely because we're together (oh the things that were said about us, according to our friends still working there). Homelessness is on the rise, the Health Center has a waiting list that is months long and nothing new is occurring as they struggle to maintain the past. At home we shower and lay on the couch. Sarah reads as I lay my head in her lap, we talk about tomorrow. "It'll never be the same again," she says. "I'd just need two years," I reply before falling asleep.

A Visit from Union Mission

"Rev. Elliott," he asked. I don't get called that much anymore. Back in my professional life at Union Mission I did but not so much on the beach. That's where he knew me from through and that is where we were standing. His face looked familiar though I couldn't place him as he jumped from his beach chair and made his way to me with a smile. I'd just stumbled in from the ocean and was dripping wet as we shook hands. Sarah looked up from reading her book taking notice of the invasion into personal space. "Jimmy Kicklighter," he said with a million dollar smile and a handsome boyish face. The name was familiar though I still couldn't remember who he is. It's a curse. I'm good with faces but not names. Leading a public life, I had all of these tricks to people to tell me who they were cause I sure as hell couldn't remember. It's not a public life anymore so I was rusty on the tricks. Sarah couldn't jump up and help because she didn't know. "You gave Danny and me our first contract to build the J. C. Lewis Health Center," he beamed as a flood of memories rushed through me. Danny is Daniel Pinyan, Jr. who runs a successful construction company in Savannah. I heard about them before I ever met them because of my friend Dan Sheehan called me one day in my office. "Micheal," he said in his southern Irish brogue. "I understand that you're taking bids on building another building and I want you to look at Danny and Jimmy. They're good boys." I've accomplished many things in my life. Telling Dan Sheehan no was never one of them. The "boys" got their first big construction contract, built a million dollar building which was also the first of its kind, did it under budget and managed all of my design changes throughout the process. Jimmy introduced me to his wife who is just as beautiful as he is. I introduced them to Sarah who's more beautiful than both. (I try to not be as competitive as I used to but I seem to fail at that too.) "Are you still at Union Mission," he asked. After telling him no he asked me what I do now. Spreading my arms I reply, "This." His beautiful wife says, "We always seem to see you when we're here." Jimmy added, "That's great! We want to do this too." Through smiles, handshakes and hugs we departed making our way to our own realities. Toating our chairs and cooler back to the house Sarah asked, "How'd that make you feel?" I took a long time before saying anything. What it made me feel was proud. In addition to ending homelessness for thousands, caring for the sick and dying and either influencing or redesigning the County's health systems, we did a lot of other things when I was at Union Mission. We gave first contracts to start-up companies that continue to thrive (OK, in this economy they're still in business which is the same thing!). For 22 consecutive years we created jobs and eventually eclipsed 300 employees. I was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and became a member of the CEO Council. A charity burst through the glass ceilings of the business world. At the end of my time there, Business Magazines were giving us awards and writing articles on our accomplishments. I didn't say these things to Sarah yesterday. Instead we talked about how sad it is that Union Mission is now a simple charity again ... what it feels like to see children you conceived be raped by people you trusted ... how pitiful it is that she's no longer there merely because we're together (oh the things that were said about us, according to our friends still working there). Homelessness is on the rise, the Health Center has a waiting list that is months long and nothing new is occurring as they struggle to maintain the past. At home we shower and lay on the couch. Sarah reads as I lay my head in her lap, we talk about tomorrow. "It'll never be the same again," she says. "I'd just need two years," I reply before falling asleep.