“Harry will be back soon.”
“Tell him where I’ve gone. I won’t be long.”
The lights changed and she quickly crossed the road. Matthew hadn’t looked happy, but she was here to write a story. Interviewing the people the youth center directly affected was a great way to build a picture of what it meant to the community.
She walked toward the two elderly men sitting outside. “Good morning.”
“You lost?”
Ashley smiled and shook her head. “I’m writing a story about the youth center. Have you been there?”
“Drop my granddaughter off each day after school. Brianna loves it there.”
“What’s the best thing about the center?”
“Baking classes.”
The other man poked his friend in the ribs. “That’s because she always brings you something to eat. Elijah here has a sweet tooth. Don’t know a man alive who could eat more cookies than him.”
Ashley pulled her notebook out of her bag. “Would you mind if I made a few notes?”
Elijah straightened his shirt. “It’s a free world, missy. Go ahead and do what you have to. Just make sure your story isn’t one of those crazy ones that belong in the trash.”
“You care about your neighborhood?”
“Darn straight I do. We both do. You got a problem with a little pride?”
Ashley liked this man called Elijah. “Pride is a good thing. It makes you appreciate what you’ve got and not settle for second best.” She glanced across the street.It was just as wellHarry hadn’t returned. Matthew would tell him she shouldn’t be here and Harry would shake his head, knowing it was the best place for her.
She turned her back on the youth center and concentrated on Elijah and his friend. “My name is Ashley Fisher.” She held out her hand and smiled. “Thank you for talking with me.”
Elijah’s grip was surprisingly firm. “You’re welcome, Ashley Fisher. You want to tell us why you’re writing a story about the youth center?”
“I want to make sure it receives the funding it deserves.”
Elijah and his friend nodded. After ten minutes of speaking with them, she knew she had the beginning of a fabulous story. She glanced across the road and sighed. Harry was talking with Matthew, and they were both looking at her.
With a promise to return after she’d seen the youth center, she left the men and crossed the road. If the teenagers’ stories were as inspiring as the one’s she’d just heard, her article would bring donors and volunteers running to help—even after Jasmine’s story was published.
***
There were about forty teenagers in the youth center when Ashley walked inside. Some were holding young children, others were on their own.
“I’ll introduce you to Anita, the youth center manager,” Harry said as they moved across a large room.
Each corner of the room had been divided into an activity area, with bean bags and chairs clustered around a central space. A suite of computers on one side of the room was already being used.
Harry pointed to a group of teens. They were sitting at desks with four adults. “I met one of the literacy tutors the other day. She’s a retired teacher from Ohio. The kids are doing so much better here than they ever did at school.”
“Is that because they’re almost getting one-on-one attention?” Matthew asked.
“Partly, but the teens also want to be here. The youth center is working with a local high school to make sure the kids can sit for their diploma exams.”
Ashley opened her notebook and started writing.
“I take it these are the friends you were talking about, Harry?”
Ashley lifted her gaze to the woman who was walking toward them. She would have been in her early thirties. With deep auburn hair and sparkling blue eyes, she was completely different from the center manager that Ashley thought they’d be meeting.
