How far will you go to help the cause of others? In our book Blue had been abused by a rogue priest. While Ginny was troubled over it she had done nothing to remedy it. To this point she had mainly done a lot of thinking. She had met a friend from her past and did bring up Blue’s situation, but talking with him was not acting for Blue.
In chapter 10, though, she uses some intrigue of her own to meet the man who had turned Blue against the church. Who was this Father Teddy anyway? Her first foray had been reaching out to the local parish, but there she learned of his move to Chicago. She did not stop there, but delved to his whereabouts and ended up making a trip to see him. Unexpectedly to her he had a charisma along with a warm and inviting manner. She had expected someone creepy in appearance, but found worse: creepy nature covered by affability, approachability.
Blue needed help, but would have to help
The first place where healing needed to be infused was Blue himself. The whole thing really turned him anyway, and so she broached the subject with him. The seeds of fear Teddy had planted by the basement piano so long ago were still alive. After fear he tried to dismiss it. Hopefully it was not going on anymore was that thought. Beyond fear and an unlikely hope was relief. Relief that an adult finally believed him.
This week the trial of Dr. Larry Nassar was in its sentencing phase. He is the disgraced former doctor of USA Gymnastics. From the testimony in 2016 and 2017 there had been complaints stretching out behind Dr. Nassar for some years. Nothing hit home though. Others, like Blue, said things. They were not believed. Finally that tide has turned.
The assistant AG in the Nassar case, Angela Povilaitis, made the following statement, “What does it say about our society when victims do come forward and they are automatically met with skepticism and doubt, treated as liars until proven true?” This kind of thing is what happened to Blue, and he, like the girls1 under Dr. Nassar’s care was brushed off. Blue and the girls were brushed off by those who should have been on the lookout and ready to help out.
Is Blue a good book? That theme continues as I read and write these entries and from this chapter the answer remains a yes. Were her tactics excellent? I will leave that for you to ponder, but the teenager Blue came into Ginny’s life and she provided to him what she could. She did not only give him a safe place to live, but gave him an education and aimed him toward a bright future. It did not stop there, but by believing him reached back into events that had been very disruptive, fear engendering, and resulted in being a church hater.
In an effort to settle these crackling fires she did not go on a witch hunt. She did begin to act on what she felt needed to be done: to right a wrong. Proverbs 3:27 says, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due when it is in your power to act.” Other reasonable cultural mantras right now include “see something, say something.” In some manner the MeToo movement fits. It is complicated, but will we be sensitive to all parties when we are made aware of these things? The answer may be tough. Prayer, wisdom, and careful thought can give a good help.
Other entries in this series
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