I felt so sorry for him\u2014a seven-year-old youngster. I gave him a glass of water and a seat as I led him inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I saw the fatigue in his eyes and the grime on his face as he drank. \u201cTommy, where do you live? Are you aware of your address? I made a gentle inquiry. He gave a headshake. \u201cI was with my uncle, but he said he was no longer able to look after me. I\u2019m abandoned on the street by him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It turned out to be worse than I had thought. Though I had a million questions, my top concern was making sure Tommy was safe. I refrained from contacting the police so as not to frighten him any further. I comforted Tommy, \u201cWe\u2019ll figure this out.\u201d \u201cLet\u2019s feed and clean you up first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tommy appeared more at ease after having a nice supper and taking a bath. He could even muster a half smile. My social services acquaintance took my call and promised to come over and help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I felt so sorry for him\u2014a seven-year-old youngster. I gave him a glass of water and a seat as I led him inside. I saw the fatigue in his eyes and the grime on his face as he drank. \u201cTommy, where do you live? Are you aware of your address? I made a gentle inquiry….<\/p>\n