Back in the dorm, he noticed that the scrawny boy called Gordy had the bunk next to his and had brought part of his dinner to the little one. They were sitting and talking.

Tommy sat on his bunk and watched. He knew one of the rules was no eating in the dorm. Out of the comer of his eye, he saw Musclebound coming in the door.

“Look out!” he whispered. “That big bastard is coming.” The kid called Tony slid his plate under the bed and leaned back. When Musclebound checked things out and was satisfied that the kid was in his bed, he left.

“Thanks,” the kid said. “I’m Tony Vito. What’s your name?” Tommy looked him in the eye. “They call me Billy Milligan.”

“This here is Gordy Kane,” he said, pointing to the scrawny boy. “He’s in for selling pot. What did they get you for?” “Rape,” Tommy said, “but I didn’t do it.”

Tommy could tell by their smiles that they didn’t believe him. Well, he didn’t really give a damn. “Who’s the bully?” he asked.

“Jordan. From zone four.”

“We’ll get even with the bastard,” Tommy said.

Tommy was on the spot most of the time, and he talked to Billy’s mother when she visited. Tommy liked and felt sorry for her. So when she told him that she’d divorced Chalmer, he was glad.

“He hurt me, too,” Tommy said.

“I know. He always had it in for you, Billy. But what could I do? I needed a roof over our heads. Three children of my own, and Challa just like my own daughter too. But now Chalmers gone. You be a good boy and do what they tell you, and you’ll be able to come home soon.”

Tommy watched her leave and decided she was the most beautiful mother he’d ever seen. He wished she was his. He wondered who his own mother was and what she looked like.

(2)

Dean Hughes, the young recreation director, noticed that Milligan lay around most of the time, reading or staring in a trance. One afternoon he approached the boy directly.

“You’re here,” Hughes told him. “You’re going to have to do the best you can. Be happy. Get involved in something. What do you like to do?”

“I like to paint,” Allen said.

The following week, at his own expense, Dean Hughes bought Milligan paints, brushes and canvases.

“Want me to paint you a picture?” Allen asked, setting the canvas up on a table. “What would you like me to paint you?” “Make it a old bam,” Hughes said. “Windows broken. Tire hanging down off an old tree. Old country road. Make it look like it just got done rainin’”.

Allen worked all day and all night and finished the painting. The next morning he gave it to Dean Hughes.

“Man, that’s good,” Hughes said. “You could make a lot of money with your artwork.”

“Sure would like that,” Allen said. “I just love to paint.”. Hughes realized he was going to have to work at getting Milligan out of his trancelike behavior. One Saturday morning, he took the boy out to Blue Rock State Park. Hughes supervised as Milligan painted. People came by and watched, and Hughes sold them some of the artwork. Hughes took Milligan out again the next day, and by Sunday night they had sold four hundred dollars’ worth of paintings.