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#Post#: 13330--------------------------------------------------
Chance (19) and Craig (13) Monroe
By: Jack Date: June 13, 2019, 5:12 pm
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I first mentioned Chance a bit over a month ago, in my post,
Orientation, where I said
[font=times new roman]I should also mention Chance.
Chance is a former foster kid who's run afoul of one of the
worst problems of a state program - paper work! He applied with
this, because he didn't have money to live on this summer, and
wasn't sure if anything would (or even could) be approved on
time. The thing is, he's not studying one of the fields from
which we were hiring, so he didn't really qualify. When I
contacted him to explain that, you could pretty much tell he was
holding back tears. On the other hand, he loves Star Trek, Star
Wars, Dr. Who, and a number of other geekdoms. So, I ended up
hiring him to work the stores over the summer. He and I made a
deal where I'm advancing him living expenses to help him settle
in, he's signed permission for me to do deductions each week.
When he arrived, we met and talked things over. He's actually a
pretty decent looking kid, but his clothes are a bit old and
don't fit great, and his hair was a mess (he tried to straighten
it with a perm kit and ended up frying it, I think).
Keep in mind that I've had a really busy few weeks now. I
talked to him a bit about his hair, and ended up taking him to a
salon. He got a deep conditioning and a cut (a bit short for
him, but it removed most of the damage), and I got a
neck/shoulder massage and a mani/pedi. I didn't really have time
to spare, but he looks much better, and I felt much more
relaxed. Also, Chance is about the same size as Ethan, so I
brought him home, we tried on hand me downs, and managed to put
together a decent wardrobe for him. I also advanced him a bit
more money, and we stopped and got him other things he really
needed (like new underpants). Then we had a late lunch at
Reuben's.
Chance is moved into an efficiency apartment right next to
Garret Riley. They seem to like each other well enough. Chance
will be splitting his time between the Imaganarium and the
Warehouse (he doesn't know comics all that well, so I'm going to
ease him into the other stores), so I won't be working directly
with him that much, but he seems like a great kid, and talking
to him is a lot of fun.[/font]
Chance was already working for me when I made that post.
Chance and I are getting along great, and he's really good with
customers. He has also become friends with many of my college
kids, as well as Zeke and some of the younger kids... And while
they're not mine, technically, he's become very close with Jake
Ames, Connor Joyce, Drew Costanza, and Jerry Costas.
He's spending a lot of his free time over here.
The thing is, while he likes Garrett, and the two of them have
hung around together, they both have small apartments right now,
and Chance isn't used to being alone. He was raised in foster
homes - big families compared to most - and has lived in college
dorms since then. It turns out that he doesn't know how to
spend a lot of time by himself. So, a lot of the time he's not
working, he's here.
I'm okay with that. He's good with younger kids. While he
doesn't know a lot of the movies we've watched (and knows almost
nothing about musical theater), he is interested in seeing a lot
of them. And, he's not only willing to follow the rules, but he
helps out around the house; often asking what he can do.
So yeah, sometimes he sleeps over here, usually in my office,
instead of going home. He seems happy, and I hardly notice.
#Post#: 13334--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance Monroe
By: kalico Date: June 13, 2019, 6:40 pm
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Aw I’m happy it worked out for even if it wasn’t what he first
tried for.....
Sounds like a decent young man and I wish him well.... glad he
found some friends
Hugs kal
#Post#: 13472--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance Monroe
By: Jack Date: June 24, 2019, 5:55 pm
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Chance has a brother who is also in foster care. Craig is 14
and he lives on the west side of the DFW Metroplex. Craig also
does not have a forever home.
Chance had come to me a couple of weeks ago and discussed being
able to visit his brother (since he doesn't have a vehicle and
he's working more than full-time). We discussed a few options,
then I contacted his current caregivers. Tomorrow, I'm driving
out to where he's located for an interview. It looks like he's
going to stay with us for the rest of the summer, so he and
Craig can spend some time together.
#Post#: 13484--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance Monroe
By: Jack Date: June 25, 2019, 5:19 pm
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First of all, I made a minor mistake with that last post...
[quote author=Jack link=topic=1324.msg13472#msg13472
date=1561416930]
It looks like he's going to stay with us for the rest of the
summer, so he and Craig can spend some time together.
[/quote]
That should read
It looks like Craig is going to stay with us for the rest of the
summer, so he and Chance can spend some time together.
I got a bit sloppy with my pronouns there.
Anyway, Craig came home with me this afternoon.
I was wrong - he's 13, not 14, putting him between Jake and the
three boys starting high school this fall. He's a bit smaller
than Kenny, but a bit bigger than Jake (about average size).
He's already met Devon and Ryan Tucker, and everything seems to
be fine.
We didn't know if Craig would be able to come home today or not,
so Chance is working. He'll be joining us for dinner, so we're
going to do something a bit fancier than a normal evening, to
welcome Craig here. I think he and Chance are going to go out
after that, though Craig wasn't sure what to do.
Craig is fairly cute - he looks a lot like Chance, but with a
better build, and with hair that's a much lighter blondish-brown
(and a much better haircut, though it looks like his hair is a
different texture from his big brothers).
Craig did have a decent selection of clothes, but we stopped to
get him a few things on the way home (boxer briefs, tees, socks,
and cheap pair of sneakers and aqua socks). He's putting his
stuff up in the room he's going to share with Devon, Jake, and
Ryan Tucker right now. Tomorrow we can look at what he has and
see what we have for him in handmedowns (he should fit in most
of Kenny's old stuff).
I think that's it for now. I'm in chat while I'm trying to
write this, and I keep having people stick their heads in with
questions, so ask about anything I missed, and I'll follow up
soon.
#Post#: 13486--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance Monroe
By: kalico Date: June 25, 2019, 9:37 pm
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That was very thoughtful of you to do that for the brothers and
I hope they get to know each other and enjoy thier summer
together........
Thanks for sharing jack
#Post#: 13489--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance Monroe
By: Surfer Date: June 26, 2019, 12:09 am
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Very nice of you to take him in Jack. Is there potential Craig
would stay beyond the summer? What have you setup for him in
terms of space - sharing bedroom, etc.? Of the new clothing you
bought him, which item was he the most excited about?
#Post#: 13497--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance Monroe
By: Jack Date: June 26, 2019, 4:27 pm
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One thing I should have mentioned yesterday... Things did get
off to a good start. The group home he'd been in had gone to
see Godzilla: King of the Monsters at the theater right after
school ended. He loved it, but he's really only familiar with
the Legendary Godzilla, so we spent much of the ride home
discussing the older movies. He wants to see them all while
he's here.
[quote author=kalico link=topic=1324.msg13486#msg13486
date=1561516673]
I hope they get to know each other and enjoy their summer
together........
[/quote]
There is a six year difference, but they lived together until
Chance was 11 or 12, I believe he said. They already know each
other. They do get to visit from time to time, but with Chance
not having reliable transportation, and Craig being in foster
care, they haven't been able to spend a lot of time together
lately.
[quote author=Surfer link=topic=1324.msg13489#msg13489
date=1561525762]
Is there potential Craig would stay beyond the summer?
[/quote]
He's already in a group home, and I already have way more than
six kids, so I haven't really considered that.
[quote author=Surfer link=topic=1324.msg13489#msg13489
date=1561525762]
What have you setup for him in terms of space - sharing bedroom,
etc.?
[/quote]
In the Jack's Blog area, I just updated the old Bedroom
Situation post. Craig is in the room with Kenny and Colt. I
was thinking about putting him in the room with Devon, but,
during the summer time, Jake and Ryan Tucker are here more
often, and that's the room where Kelly stays (and the Henderson
boys are here almost as much as Jake and RT are), so it just
seemed like Kenny and Colt's room would be better. Both rooms
have separate beds for five people, and three of the beds in
each room are doubles, so there is plenty of space.
[quote author=Surfer link=topic=1324.msg13489#msg13489
date=1561525762]
Of the new clothing you bought him, which item was he the most
excited about?
[/quote]
Honestly, he seemed pretty happy just to be getting new clothes
of his own. We went this afternoon and got him a pair of
sandals, which he was very excited about. I think, most excited
yesterday, was probably down to the Godzilla World Destruction
Tour tee I let him get. It was the only thing that wasn't
pretty generic.
#Post#: 13501--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance (19) and Craig (13) Monroe
By: Jack Date: June 26, 2019, 8:22 pm
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I got distracted earlier, but I had meant to add a bit more.
Things went really well last night. The guys did a kind of
brunch. We had some nice petit filets (wrapped in bacon),
shallots, shrimp, and some sausages. Along with some quiche and
omelettes, cinnamon fried apples, and hash brown casseroles,
with crepes for dessert. It went over very well.
Afterwards, Chance and Craig decided to hit the House of Bounce
for a while. I think they stopped for drinks on the way home.
Chance had to be at work (with me) at 8am today, so they didn't
stay out too late, but they both had a good time. Chance took
his semi-regular position on the fold out couch in my office,
and Craig spent his first night in the room he's sharing with
Kenny and Colt.
This morning, Chance and I just grabbed Whataburger for
breakfast, though I'm sure Kenny made sure Craig got a good
meal.
As for this evening, the boys are out in the pool. It's not as
hot as normal here today (86F/25C right now), but the boys are
out by the pool. They had a snack at our normal dinner time,
and we're going to have nachos and/or quesodeos for dinner,
while we watch the original Godzilla movie (Japanese cut, if
Craig can stand to read subtitles).
Craig has already made a couple of friends (Sam Sutton and John
Ewing), and he's getting along well with Jake, Kenny, and Colt,
so it seems like he's settling in well.
#Post#: 13506--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance (19) and Craig (13) Monroe
By: Surfer Date: June 27, 2019, 12:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for all the deets Jack. I just read the bedroom post as
well. So Craig is the youngest in that room with Kenny and Colt.
How does he like that? Does he seem to relate more to older or
younger peers?
Nice of you to get him some clothes of his own. An ex partner of
mine had a niece and nephew (I think about 10 and 12 yrs at the
time) who grew up in poverty. For Christmas one year we took
them on a modest shopping trip, and it was the highlight of
their entire holiday season. Who knew something so simple would
bring so much joy!
Have you seen Craig wearing his new boxer briefs yet? Did you
replace all his underwear, or just supplement what he came with.
#Post#: 13513--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chance (19) and Craig (13) Monroe
By: Jack Date: June 27, 2019, 7:44 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Surfer link=topic=1324.msg13506#msg13506
date=1561613995]
Thanks for all the deets Jack. I just read the bedroom post as
well. So Craig is the youngest in that room with Kenny and Colt.
How does he like that? Does he seem to relate more to older or
younger peers?
[/quote]
Craig's birthday is 20 Oct, so he'll be 14 before Kenny is 15.
While Kenny has finished 8th grade, he hasn't started high
school yet. Neither Kenny nor Colt are big for their age, and
I'd say Kenny is maybe a couple of inches taller and just a bit
heavier (similar, lean, active builds). Which is the long way
of saying there just isn't much difference, and they seem to get
along fine. He seems a bit less sure of how to act around Colt,
who's also about average size, but for a 15-year old, that means
a difference of six inches and maybe 30 pounds, so it's much
more noticeable (and he is already a high school student).
On the other hand, Craig has already met a couple of boys his
age, and, last night, he met Brandon Malone (12) and Eli
Marchant (13). I reached out to some others, and we have
several other boys in that middle school age group who'll be
joining us today.
[quote author=Surfer link=topic=1324.msg13506#msg13506
date=1561613995]
Nice of you to get him some clothes of his own. An ex partner of
mine had a niece and nephew (I think about 10 and 12 yrs at the
time) who grew up in poverty. For Christmas one year we took
them on a modest shopping trip, and it was the highlight of
their entire holiday season. Who knew something so simple would
bring so much joy!
[/quote]
He had some clothes of his own, and some of them were probably
new when he got them. We were mostly just filling out his
wardrobe so we could do laundry a bit less often, and so he'd
have the same clothing options my kids generally use (basketball
or running shorts and a tee in the morning, then swim trunks,
then casual wear in the late afternoons, and something a bit
nicer for when we go out).
But yes, getting new clothes can be very fulfilling for someone
who doesn't usually have a chance at them.
[quote author=Surfer link=topic=1324.msg13506#msg13506
date=1561613995]
Have you seen Craig wearing his new boxer briefs yet? Did you
replace all his underwear, or just supplement what he came with.
[/quote]
Yes - they fit well - as I said above, he is lean and active,
and he is definitely adolescent, and he fills them out nicely.
He is a bit modest around me (if not the other boys, which is
harder to say), but it seems circumstantial. Tuesday, I did a
quick video of him in his underpants, just to make sure there
were no marks or anything, just in case a question comes up
later. He changed into swim trunks in the bathroom later that
day, and he didn't undress for bed until I'd left the room.
However, when I woke them this morning, he hoped right out of
bed, so I'm not sure if he's shy or if it's just how he's been
trained to behave.
It was mostly replace, but only because Fruit of the Loom had a
6-pack of boys boxer briefs on sale this week. None of his were
falling apart, but he obviously had a mix of what was available
as he needed replacements - boxers, boxer briefs, and even a
pair of tighty whities. He prefers boxer briefs, so he kept the
pairs he had of those, which gives him more than a weeks worth
now.
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