Chapter 17- Life Outside the Orphanage ... Seems to Be Much Harder?(2)
'Some little rats, some bitches," Mr. Benjamin ended Harp's words, standing up. 'These kids think life is easy outside the orphanage. That's not true. They don't understand that we help them survive. We offer them a warm fireplace, a glass of water and some food. We offer them life... without us they would be dead. Instead we just want a little gratitude."
Mr. Harp began to like this elegant gentleman in all respects, so he approved him with gentle movements of his head, all smiles.
'You're right."
Mr. Benjamin looked at one of Mr. Harp's diplomas carefully. Then he looked at Mr. Harp and smiled:
'Unfortunately, Mr. Harp, only these papers acknowledged your intense involvement and your sacrifice to save these children. No matter how many qualities we have, people don't know how to appreciate us. However, I promise I will talk to the Director of the Association and you will surely be rewarded accordingly."
Harp was swept up by Mr. Green's words his eyes twinkling with joy as someone finally recognized his merits and nodded his head to show that he really deserved more for the sacrifice he made.
'They do not see children as we see them ... some little letches, who want to have everything readymade."
Mr. Benjamin frowned at Johnny as he spoke these words. Mr. Harp was crazy about this man so precisely for his taste.
'This girl for example. I will take her and feed her and offer her a warm bed. Without having a claim from her. Just a little help ... to earn some money so I can feed her. Because money doesn't grow on trees ..."
Poor Elizabeth was frightened. She didn't think it could be anything worse than the orphanage so hostile. Yet, unfortunately it looked like she was wrong. In this world where there were no more good people, any time evil could be replaced by something much worse. She heard this, so she was terrified that what was to come was not good anyway. At least for her ...
'We live in a world where to have, you must give, kid," Mr. Benjamin looked frowningly at Elizabeth.
He then turned to Mr. Harp:
'Am I right, Mr Harp?"
'Of course, Mr. Green. Of course ... They are little pukes who want to do nothing, just play and take advantage of us."
'I will not let the children believe people will give them everything. I will provide them with education consistent with what happens in the world. My parents offered me nothing, I had to work. I was also sick, almost dying of pneumonia, but I never stopped working.
He slightly got closer to Mr. Harp.
'I had to steal to get what to eat. I was in prison for this, in the worst detention possible, but I learned my lesson. Now I try to educate children through work. Age doesn't matter when it comes to work. You have to work, otherwise you get to jail ... Isn't that Mr. Harp?
'That's right, Mr. Green. You are perfectly right, sir ..."
Mr. Green put his hand in a pocket of the overcoat and held out a plentiful purse for Harp.
'I know I can't reward the work you carried out in twenty years with these ...little devils. Consider it a small payment from Miss Elizabeth Edwards. From the work she will do, dear Mr. Harp. I'll get my money back from her work.
Mr. Harp was the happiest man on Earth at that time.
'I apologize, Mr. Green for having the courage to believe that the little miss's life will not be as it should be with you. If I think better, you are more than adequate to correct and guide her in life. It is clear that you know very well that work ennobles man.
'The harder it is, the more it ennobles us," Mr. Green added sniggering.
'That's right, but you must also consider that these children must be educated as well through ..."
Yet, Mr. Harp failed to finish the sentence. The boy Johnny got too close to the bookshelf and reached for a vase. It fell down breaking into thousands of pieces lying scattered on the carpet in the office, like the stars over the night sky.
'My vase from mom!" screamed Mr. Harp getting close to the shards, gathering them as if he wanted to recreate the vase."
He stood up angrily and looked at the boy with hatred. Then, furious, shaking like crazy, to Mr. Green, apparently looking for empathy from him:
'It was from my mom ..."
Mr. Green got close to Johnny and said calmly:
'Johnny tell Mr. Harp you're sorry for breaking the vase from his mom."
'I'm sorry, sir," the little boy could hardly say with fear in his eyes, as if he were a lamb in front of a hungry wolf.