Cousins Reunited by Eric P

Alfred came out of his apartment and went in the park across the street. He did
his jog around the park like he did when he was training to be a boxer. He
filled his lungs with the cool fresh air. He passed the two cops sitting in the
bushes like he does everyday. Alfred noticed a kid that was sitting under a
tree. Alfred had never seen the young boy in the park before. Alfred asked the
boy what is name was. The boy responded, “My name is Dave Pelzer”. Alfred was
astonished.” You’re my cousin,” Alfred said.

“What are you doing in Harlem?" Alfred asked.

"My family moved here last summer," Dave said.

Alfred's mom had told him that he had a cousin named Dave
Pelzer but Alfred had never seen him.” What is going on in your life?" David asked.

"I have become a boxer," Alfred said.

Alfred has been working out at Donatelli's gym. Nothing fun or exciting was happening in David's life. David's life has been horrible. His mom gives him beatings daily for him being a "bad boy”.” What are
those bruises from?" Alfred asked.

“I fell of my bike," David said.

Alfred
knew that David was being abused by his mom though.
David ended up telling Alfred the truth about his bruises. David also told Alfred
about the horrible games that his mom would play with him. Alfred felt really bad
for David. Alfred hated to hear about the gas chamber game that David received
almost daily.

.” Does your mom feed you?" Alfred asked.

” No, my mom usually never feeds me," David said.

” If my mom does give me the luxury of food, it is scraps that my dogs would not even eat.

” Are you hungry now?" Alfred asked.

"Yaw," David said.

Alfred spotted a hot dog vender across the street. Alfred and
David got a couple hot dogs each. They headed back to the park to talk some
more, and to eat their delicious hot dogs.

David and Alfred sat under a big green tree that was swaying back and fourth
from the wind. It was a beautiful day outside. There was not a cloud in the sky.
The park seemed even bigger since there were not as many people anymore.

"What is your life like?" David asked.

” It is pretty good," Alfred said.

” The bad part is that I would sometimes get beat up by this bully named Major.

After that fight he started training to be a boxer. Alfred told David how he had to start to eat
healthy and wake up early and go jogging in the morning. Alfred told him how
he wanted to quit sometimes because of the hard workouts he had to do.

"I like boxing so much that the grueling workouts were worth it,” Alfred said.

"Did you ever go on vacation?" Alfred asked.

” My family and I use to go to the Russian River.” We would go there to camp, swim in the lake, and have fun,” as a family," David said.

” My mom was actually nice to me then too," David said.

David told Alfred how the Russian River was his favorite place in the world.
He said his mom and dad would take them to the water slides and the lake to
have fun. David said that at night they would make a fire and his mom would
put her arms around him and tell him how much she loved him. Alfred felt so
bad for David. Alfred goes to his apartment and asks his mom if it would be
alright if they could help David to find a foster home for him. Alfred and his
mom said that they will try to help David as much as they can.
Alfred and David walk back to Alfred's place to eat dinner. Both of them walk
across the street when the sun is setting below the horizon. Alfred keeps on
talking about how David will beagle to live a better life now.