Published: 21 Dec 2023

From The Previous Chapter:

While the two Covers headed to the Main Gate, Dennis explained to the men who he was and how he came to work at The Cove. He then asked them if they would tell him a little more about how they all met. After a few minutes, Dennis Florkert was amazed at how the simple gesture of offering some free tickets to their boys at SeaWorld resulted in a long and strong friendship between the men and the boys.

Dennis then excused himself from the two men, as he also started to recognize some of the guests who were arriving. He knew he needed to greet them just as Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne were doing. The Cover boys also saw the guests arriving and they, too, knew that they needed to greet their guests. And true to his word, Collin and Phillip went around and introduced themselves to the people that even Collin didn’t know.

The Cove’s Memorial Day Picnic had begun, and people were renewing old friendships.

The initial guests to Mr. Ken’s Memorial Day Picnic were, of course, the boys’ friends and their families. Mark, the last Cover boy before Phillip, and his parents also showed up early, and were quickly followed by his friends and their families. And Mr. Ken was happy to see that they also brought with them their lawn chairs, as he didn’t have enough patio lounge chairs to seat almost 250 guests.

Phillip had met the Goldersons, but he and Collin didn’t know their friends and their families, so the oldest and youngest Cover boys went over and introduced themselves to them. Mark and Levi had already met Collin and they had told all of their friends about the young man, and now they got the chance to meet him. They had loads of questions for him.

Phillip, by no means was ignored. As the adults talked to Collin, Mark’s friends also wanted to know more about the newest Cover, so they inundated him with questions, too. The boys wanted to know if he did all the things Mark got to do.

Phillip told them that he helped with the Easter Egg Roll, and he did get to have a sleepover and they did a Dive-In-Movie, but that he doesn’t play soccer, so the field never got striped. He added that he hasn’t visited Mr. Ken’s amusement parks, yet, but he will get to go when school is over, and that Mark might get to go, too.

Hearing that he might get to go, Mark asked Phillip how he knew that. All the youngest Cover could tell Mark was that he heard Mr. Ken say that since he was a Cover that he would probably want to go, too. Mark got a big smile on his face, and after hearing that, he went looking for his mom and dad.

Owen and Nathan, and their boys, were also busy as they, too, renewed their friendship with all of the boys’ families that they met at SeaWorld, Six Flags Fiesta Texas and, of course, at Mr. Ken’s parties. Their boys also took advantage of being at The Cove and they used the Cove Skate Park as much as they could, as they enjoyed the smooth surface and all of the obstacles that Mr. Ken had installed.

It was still early that Saturday afternoon, and there already was a party atmosphere all around the Cove Skate Park and the Pavilion. Mr. Ken and Mr. Wayne were still up at the Main Gate greeting the arriving guests and were missing out on all the renewed friendships that were going on.

Then to Mr. Ken’s happy surprise, Adeline Flores, Phillip’s grandmother, arrived at the Cove. After parking her car, Mr. Ken introduced Wayne to her and told her what he did there at the Cove, and Adeline introduced her friend, Luciana. Mr. Ken quickly pulled out his cell phone and called Phillip to come over to where they were.

“Grandma, grandma,” called out Phillip, as he and Collin hurried over to the parked car. “I’m so glad you came,” added the young boy, as he hugged his grandmother.

“Grandma, this is Collin, my oldest ‘brother’. He was my ‘dads’ first foster son,” gleefully announced Phillip.

“Your … your oldest brother? My … my dad?” asked a very surprised Adeline. “Phillip … you … you have no other brothers and … and you haven’t seen your dad in … in ages,” continued the boy’s grandmother.

“Grandma … didn’t my mom tell you? I call Mr. Ken … I call him my ‘dad’, and … and she said she was OK with me calling him that. And, Grandma, all the boys here at The Cove … we call one another ‘brother’. So, that makes Collin, my ‘brother’, too,” excitedly explained the young Cover.

Adeline smiled at the telling and she hugged her grandson tight. She then asked him to show her and Luciana around the estate. Mr. Ken told his ‘son’ to get a golf cart and to show his guests around.

Phillip went and got one of the six-seat golf carts and he had Collin go along with them as he spent a much longer time there, than he has, and he could tell them a lot more about The Cove this way. Phillip began the tour by showing his grandma and her friend the Patio, and from there the docks with the Commander and sailboats, the cove with the water toys, and then he told them all about the things they can do there.

The young Cover then took the two women inside the house and showed them around the Great Room, the indoor pool, which the women were surprised that it was so big, and then the theater before taking them up to the main floor by using the elevator. The women were surprised the house had one and were grateful it did, as they didn’t relish walking up all those circular stairs.

Phillip showed the two women the MRS Room and explained why it was called that and then he took them to the Kitchen Nook. Adeline loved the view from the picture window and she asked her grandson if he ate in that room all the time. Phillip said that they did. That put a smile on the older woman’s face knowing that her grandson was being treated very well.

“Come over here, Chief. Please?” called out Phillip.

“Grandma … I want you to meet a very important member of The Cove. This is Chief. She is my responsibility. I have to clean her two bowls every morning and put clean water in one and fresh kibble in the other. She also sleeps in my room,” explained the grandson, until Chief barked.

“Oh, yea, Chief … she sleeps with me that is … that is unless Collin is here. Grandma … Chief … she found Collin out on the Patio during … during that big storm lots of years back and he, Collin, he is something very special to her, and every time Collin is here Chief … she stays by his side and sleeps in his room,” added Phillip, after Chief’s prompting.

“Ah, young man, Collin, is it? She, Chief, she found you, out on the Patio? Can you tell us what that was all about?” asked Adeline.

Collin thought really quick about how he wanted to answer, and then he told her and Luciana, “Well, it is a long story, but the crux of the story is … that I was kidnapped. These men … they took me to hold me for ransom, because my parents … they owned a very large corporation and they thought they could get a large amount of money for my return.

“The men … they held me for about three months when they made a mistake during that big storm more than four years ago. They had me in a boat and I was blown overboard by the wind and I swam to get away from them. I swam what felt like forever.

“As I was swimming, I saw some lights, so I swam towards them hoping the people there could help me. I guess when I got there, I was strong enough to crawl up to the patio which was where Chief found me.

“Mr. Ken … seeing that Chief had found me out on the Patio, took me inside and called Doctor Powers who came and treated me. Mr. Ken was then made my guardian until they could find my grandmother, because … because those men, they … they had killed my parents the night they kidnapped me,” finished Collin, not wanting to tell his story any further.

“Oh, I … I didn’t know,” lightly spoke Adeline, with her hand to her mouth.

The silence was awkward for a few moments, but it was broken by Phillip saying, “Do you want to see my room?” the boy asked to change the subject.

The four took the elevator up to the second floor. Once there, Phillip showed his grandma and her friend his room. The women were surprised at the size of the room. Phillip explained that the room was sized for two, but he didn’t have a roommate right now. Collin said that while he lived there, he was the only foster son, but over the past four plus years, his Big Brother had seven more foster sons, not counting Phillip.

Hearing Collin call Mr. Ken his Big Brother caused another story to be told, and as that was going on more and more guests were arriving through the Main Gate.

Jasper Bentson, one of Mr. Ken’s business partners on the Marina Project, and who had a heavy construction business, was the first of the partners to arrive at the Picnic. His first question to Ken was about the cameras he had placed at the Marina. The man chuckled as he asked him if he knew how much of the project’s materials were being pilfered off the premises.

Ken told him he placed that project in the hands of Jules Diamond Security, and if there is anything to report Jules will tell them. Jasper reiterated that he trusted those people, as he’s used them on many of his projects, that he was satisfied, and that he still felt that Ken was wasting his money.

Mr. Ken told him that only time would tell, as he continued to greet more of his guests.

The County Commissioner’s finally arrived as did DA George Morris who was curious to know if the archbishop had arrived yet. He was happy he hadn’t, as he would now get the chance to talk with him longer.

Soon, Mary Taylor, Mr. Ken’s interior decorator for The Cove, came to the Picnic and she brought someone with her. “Well, well, look who we have here,” teased Ken Thomas, as he greeted Ryan. Then the Big Bro told his guest that Collin was somewhere on the estate showing Phillip’s grandmother and her friend around.

Hearing there was another foster boy at The Cove, Mr. Ken had to give the Reader’s Digest version before Ryan would go looking for his best friend, and the youngest Cover.

Ken then told Mary that he might ask her for a favor. He told her about the boys wanting to have their rooms painted, while they are away, beginning next Saturday, but were having a difficult time choosing a color. He told her that he mentioned her to the boys that she could come over one night and give them some advice on what color to choose.

Mary said she’d love to, as long as she was invited to one of Momma’s wonderful meals. Ken told her to count on it. The two had a good laugh over that, and then they shared a hug, after which Mary went into the estate to search out the people she knew.

Damian King, a structural engineer, and one of the Marina Project’s investors, finally arrived and he had brought his family. He introduced them to Mr. Ken and then asked if Jasper, Bentley and Miguel were there yet. Frances King, Damian’s wife sarcastically commented that there would be more ‘work’ talk, than good old down to earth conversation for a change.

Ken Thomas, in support of one of his investors, told Frances that the reason for the Picnic was so that the movers and shakers of the county could talk with one another, outside of the offices, and come to some general agreement, or understanding, on something they both had an interest in, but couldn’t very well say something in a public setting.

Mr. Ken told Mrs. King that many a deal is negotiated in venues such as this. The Picnic’s host also went on to say that new friends and friendships often are made at these get togethers’ and in part also help in furthering a spouse’s career, or even learning about what’s going on in the background that could save a job, or even get a spouse a good job along the way.

The Picnic’s host told the woman to talk to the other guests and to see what she could find out. He told her that one man was offered a job by Jasper, last year, at this very Picnic. He added that they learned about the new principal at Alvin York High School and who might be the new principal at the school they left, at one of his Picnics.

Frances thought about what Ken Thomas had to say and then said, “You don’t say? So, I should keep my ears open, ask questions and make friends with as many of the high and mighties as I can?” Then, she walked away, laughing.

“I better catch up with her and make sure she doesn’t go overboard, with her asking questions,” was all Damian said before he, too, walked away.

Soon, Bentley Cooper, a civil engineer and investor and Miguel Sanchez, an architectural engineer, and the last of the investors, arrived. They both asked about the other men and learning they were already there, asked Ken if the five of them could talk some later. Ken told them he had many guests he had to ‘make nice’ with first, but that he’d try to see what he could do. They were content with hearing that and walked away looking for their other partners.

When Addison Walthers and her son Rylan, who is 13 and her daughter Ryleigh, eleven, arrived without Ben, Ken Thomas was curious as to where his President of TFE was. Addison told her husband’s boss that Ben was at the crossroads meeting Nelson Sanders, who was going to be the Operations Manager at the new Four Corners Amusement Park. Addison continued and told the owner of The Cover that Nelson didn’t know his way around the area and Ben was going to have Nelson follow him there.

That was the first he heard that Nelson Sanders would be in that weekend and at the Picnic. But then he knew it would be the best thing for the new Ops Manager at Four Corners, as all the key government people he’ll be dealing with will be there, and that he could then get to know them, and they, him.

When Phillip Meyers, the owner of Meyer Homes, and his family arrived they not only had their exchange student, Gus, from Germany with them, they also had Gus’ parents, Ulrich and Astrid and his younger brother, Gunther, a thirteen-year-old, following behind them.

Mr. and Mrs. Dodenhoffer flew in a few days early from Germany knowing Gustaf would finish his sophomore year that coming Friday and then the family would tour the United States before heading back home to Germany.

The family flew in early especially so they could meet Ken Thomas and see for themselves the wonderful estate their son got to be a part of the entire time he knew Billy. They had hoped that Mr. Thomas would not be upset by their arrival. Ken Thomas was beside himself when he learned that the Dodenhoffer’s came in early, so they could meet him.

When he was introduced to the international traveling guests he offered, “Willkommen, Herr und Frau Dodenhoffer in Three Finger Cove.”

“Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Dodenhoffer to Three Finger Cove.”

“Danke, Herr Thomas, dass Sie uns erlaubt haben, zu Ihrem Picknick zu kommen. Ich hoffe, es macht Ihnen nichts aus, dass meine Frau und mein Sohn und ich zu Ihrem wunderbaren Zuhause kommen. Unser Sohn, Gus, hat uns so viel darüber erzählt und all die wunderbaren Dinge, die er’hier tun durfte, dass wir es einfach für uns selbst tun mussten,” antwortete Ulrich.

“Thank you, Mister Thomas for allowing us to come to your Picnic. I hope you don’t mind my wife and son and I coming to your wonderful home. Our son, Gus, has told us so much about it and all the wonderful things that he’s been allowed to do here that we just had to see it for ourselves,” answered Ulrich.

“Ulrich, es war schön, deinen Sohn Gus kennenzulernen und mit ihm Deutsch zu sprechen. Ich war dort etwas eingerostet, aber nach ein paar Gesprächen konnte ich mich behaupten. Sie müssen sehr stolz auf ihn sein, denn er ist ein wunderbarer junger Mann und sehr höflich”, bot Herr Ken an.

“Ulrich, it was nice getting to know your son, Gus, and speaking German to him. I was a bit rusty there, but after a few conversations I was able to hold my own. You must be very proud of him, as he is a wonderful young man and very polite,” offered Mr. Ken.

“Ja, ja, wir sind sehr stolz auf unsere beiden Jungs. Nun, ich sehe, dass sie viel mehr Gäste haben, die ankommen. Vielleicht können wir uns heute etwas Zeit nehmen, um später zu reden?”, fragte Ulrich.

“Yes, yes, we are very proud of both of our boys. Well, I see you have many more guests arriving. Maybe we can make some time today to talk later?” asked Ulrich.

“Ja, das würde mir gefallen, aber … nun, ich habe ungefähr dreihundert Gäste eingeladen, und es ist sehr wichtig, dass ich mit einigen von ihnen spreche, während sie hier sind.Ich bin sicher, Sie verstehen es. Aber ich werde sehen, was ich tun kann”, antwortete Herr Ken.

“Yes, I would like that, but … well, I have invited something like three hundred guests, and it is very important that I talk to a number of them while they are here. I’m sure you understand. But I will see what I can do,” replied Mr. Ken.

Ulrich and Astrid said they understood and offered that maybe they could get together sometime during the week. Mr. Ken said that Sunday and Monday might work out and they would just have to talk later and figure something out. The three agreed and Gus took his parents and brother and began showing them around.

Many other guests arrived as well. There was Mrs. Judy Turner, the Director of Children’s Protective Services, Sheriff Matthew Barnes, Lieutenant Detective Brandt Matthias, Sergeant Detective William Roberts, Corporal George Carrillo and Harper Young, the medical technician who changed Levi and Miriam Golderson’s bandages while they stayed at The Cove.

Mr. Ken was also happy to see that his Estate Manager, Chris Dominions and his wife Sandra and their two kids, Hailey, now 11 and Chris Jr., 10, had come to the Memorial Day Picnic. Mr. Ken knew how much Chris avoided large gatherings, such as that, and to see him there was good, even after he received a gentle prodding from his employer.

When Jules Diamond, the owner of the security and protection services Mr. Ken used arrived, he didn’t come alone. This time he had Mrs. Eleanor Whittier and her two grandsons, Luke and Toby, with him. They stopped to chat and told their host that the boys’ parents, Drew and Ivy, were now divorced and that the father had full custody. Eleanor told Ken that Drew would be over later, and he could tell him the whole story. Ken Thomas told the woman that he was interested in hearing how it all came about.

More and more people kept arriving. Dr. Douglas Jennings, Dentist Glenn Joneser, Dr. Richard Powers, the twin bodyguards George & Gene Warren, as well as the men, and their wives or special guest, who helped build the initial skateboard ramps and then the lockers, Arlo Gomez, Myles Gooders, Carlos Martinez and Milo Gleese.

Then finally, the man who Ken Thomas had been hoping would attend his annual Memorial Day Picnic, Archbishop Eduardo Martinez, had arrived. The archbishop came with another priest and the police explorers showed them where to park.

When their vehicle was parked and the two men exited, Ken Thomas went over to the man and offered, “Your Excellency, I am honored that you could come here today. Let me introduce you to my Estate Master, Wayne Mitchell. He corrals the boys for me when I cannot be here. Wayne, this is Archbishop Martinez.”

“Thank you, Mr. Thomas for that greeting and this is Monsignor Xavier Lopez. He is my secretary and he keeps my schedule and me on time, but we’re sorry if we are a bit late. He is not familiar with this area yet, nor am I,” offered the archbishop.

The four men shook hands and as they began walking up towards the driveway, Robert came by with a six-seat golf cart. The teenager stopped and handed the keys to his dad, who introduced him to the archbishop and the Monsignor, and then thanked his son for the ‘ride’. The four men rode up to the Pavilion, while Robert walked through the soccer field and up the slight hill to the same place, getting there before them.

The Three Finger Cove Annual Memorial Day Picnic was in full swing and with the arrival of the archbishop many of the people stopped their conversation to watch as he and the other priest were being driven over to the Pavilion by Mr. Ken himself, along with Mr. Wayne.

Mr. Ken took the time to explain what the archbishop was seeing and why he built the Cove Skate Park, the Pavilion and storage garage. The owner of The Cove then explained the reason for the Picnic. He then asked the archbishop if he would like something to eat, or drink, or if he wanted to meet some of the important people in the county. The archbishop decided that he wanted to meet some of the principal people who ran the county.

As the four men walked, the closest county government official to them was Judge Adam Richards, the Presiding County Juvenile Court Judge, and his wife Kathleen. Mr. Ken made the introductions and the two men shook hands and talked in generalities of their positions.

Mr. Ken then walked the archbishop over to Judge Joseph Barnneby, a County Commissioner, who was known as and called judge. The two important men discussed the good things that Ken Thomas was doing for the county, and the children, and especially what he was doing for the Blessed Waters Academy High School’s Vocational Training facilities.

Soon, George Morris, the County District Attorney came over and introduced himself. The three men got to talking about what could be done to try to reduce juvenile delinquency and to try to keep the boys and girls at home and in school. DA Morris called over Sheriff Barnes and the four talked some more about what the county was doing to stem the abuse of drugs and theft of articles to sell in order to buy those drugs.

Archbishop Martinez was happy with their impromptu discussion at the Picnic, and asked if they could meet again to discuss this further. He explained that with his being new to the area, he needed to become aware of the problems he and his church will be facing and so he asked if they could meet again to continue this topic, and see if there were other avenues that could be explored.

Commissioner Barnaby, Sheriff Barnes and DA Morris were all in agreement that a round-table examination of the problems would help everyone be more aware of the problems that they are all facing and possibly come up with some great solutions.

The archbishop named Monsignor Lopez as his contact. Sheriff Barnes then called over Lieutenant Detective Sergeant Brandt Matthias and Sergeant Detective William Roberts and explained to them what they were being volunteered for. The Sheriff asked them to get with the good Monsignor and to set up a round-table dialog concerning juvenile drug use and theft.

The archbishop was pleased that he had met some of the most important and influential men during his first half-hour at the Picnic, and he was now ready to have something to eat. So, he asked his host if he could show him what there was and where he could partake some of it.

By then Mr. Ken’s boys’ curiosity got the best of them and they began hanging around their ‘dad’ and his important guest. ‘Dad’ Ken saw them off to the side hanging around, but he was reluctant to invite them over, just then, to introduce them to the archbishop.

After researching Ken Thomas and learning not only about his being shot to protect his first foster boy, his philanthropy, his involvement in the community with his 4^th of July Carnival, his eagerness to get involved in local politics, but also about his fostering so many boys over the years, the archbishop was eager to meet the boys who currently resided at The Cove.

“Mr. Thomas, I see the boys are standing back waiting to be introduced. Let me meet your boys. Please?” asked Archbishop Martinez.

“Boys … the archbishop said he would like to meet you. So, please, come over here,” softly spoke the boys’‘dad’.

“Your Grace, you’ve already met my son, Robert. He’s a freshman and soon to be a sophomore at Alvin York High School. Then there is Charles. He, too, is my son, and he is an eighth-grade student and will be a freshman at Alvin York in the fall. Next, is Bill. He is a sophomore and soon to be junior at Alvin York and he is the oldest of my foster sons.

“Then there is Matthew. He is in seventh-grade and a foster son and lastly there is Phillip, a fifth-grader and another foster son. Oh, and let me not forget, Collin. He was my very first foster son. He will be a junior in college in the fall. He does not live here, at The Cove. He owns his own home, but, well … let’s just say that is a long story there,” finished ‘dad’ Ken.

“Mr. Thomas … isn’t he the boy … that you took … a bullet for?” innocently asked the archbishop.

“Well, that’s what everyone has been led to believe. But, well. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time, when that rogue FBI agent … when he shot in my direction, when I made a noise, and I was hit,” replied Mr. Ken.

“Don’t believe him, archbishop,” quickly, and loudly, spoke up Collin. “That man … he came along with fifteen or twenty other men to find and kill me that day. And if my Big Brother … if he hadn’t taken that bullet for me I … I probably wouldn’t be standing here right now.

“His taking that bullet … it delayed that man from finding me and gave our dog, Chief, a way to attack him and take his gun away. In my mind, Ken Thomas … he will always be a hero for taking a bullet that was meant for me!”

Collin then went over and hugged his Big Brother, as the people around them began applauding. They began doing so right after hearing Collin’s story directly from the young man who lived it. Collin felt embarrassed at first, but he knew deep in his heart that what he said was true, so he just hugged his Big Bro harder.

The Cover boys saw Collin hug their ‘dad’, so they decided it was a good time for a group hug. So, the five other boys joined in hugging Mr. Ken. By then, a number of the other guests at the Memorial Day Picnic, who were close by, gathered around and asked what the applauding was all about. And when they learned that the younger man told them how Ken Thomas took a bullet that was meant for him, they decided to applaud, as well. That caused another round of applauding to begin all over again.

When Mr. Ken came out of the hug, he held up his arms to get everyone’s attention. With that done, he went over to the small microphone and speaker they had set up and began to speak.

“Thank you … thank you everyone for that spontaneous recognition for what Collin said I’d done. I was there that day to protect my home and … and the people within it. I don’t feel like a hero for what I did that day because … well, I was doing what everyone one of you would have done if it were your own home.”

But the archbishop wanted to say something, so before Mr. Ken could continue, he asked if he could say a word or two. The owner of The Cove didn’t want to be rude to his special guest, so he stepped aside.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as you probably know I am new to the area and, of course, this community. And for those who don’t know me … I am Archbishop Eduardo Martinez, newly installed caretaker for this diocese. And … from what I have read and researched about Mr. Ken Thomas, I truly believe, in my heart, that he is … a true hero. And, if you will all bear with me … I want to give him … a special blessing.

Then, as the archbishop raised his right hand high into the air and began making the sign of the cross, he prayed, “Mr. Thomas … may the Lord watch over you, and protect you, and keep you in His heart for you do what many a man have failed to do, for the littlest of His flock. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

And as the archbishop said the word, “Amen” the majority of the people around him, whether they were Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, or of any of the other faiths, said the word ‘Amen’ out loud with him, as if they were all in church. Then, it got extremely quiet there at the Pavilion.

More and more of the Picnics guests came over to the Pavilion, now, asking what was going on. When they heard that the archbishop just gave their host a special blessing, they were disappointed that they missed being there to witness it.

Ken Thomas was flabbergasted at what just happened to him. Then another round of applause began. His ‘boys’ began patting him on his back, not knowing the significance of the special blessing their ‘dad’ had just received from the archbishop.

Mr. Ken then went over to the microphone and looking at the archbishop and smiling, thanked him for that wonderful and unsolicited request for God to watch over him.

Continuing, Mr. Ken looked away from the man of God and appealed to his guests, “Now, let’s all go back to enjoying this wonderful Memorial Day Picnic, renew friendships, and make some new ones, as there are a number of new faces here today.

“And don’t forget to eat up the scrumptious foods we have on the other side of the Pavilion, and you can also hit any button on either of the drink machines to get you choice of a cold beverage. Come on everybody, the Cove Skate Park is open and so is the indoor pool, so let’s have some fun!” encouraged the day’s host.

Judy Turner was the first person to get to Ken and hug him and tell him what a wonderful thing the archbishop had done for him. She told him that this is something that won’t ever be forgotten by the people who were there that day to witness it.

The Director of Children’s Protective Services was followed by numerous other people who also understood what just happened there at The Cove that Saturday in May. It took Ken Thomas about a half an hour to get away from the throng of well-wishers.

Phillip’s grandmother, Adeline Flores, was happy that her grandson had been taken to live there at that huge estate, and was given the chance to experience things he would never have had the chance to, while living with his mother.

But now that the archbishop had given the boy’s foster dad, the man the boy now called ‘dad’, a special blessing, in which the archbishop called on the Lord to watch over and protect the man, she knew deep in her heart what the significance of that special blessing meant. She couldn’t wait to tell her daughter.

When the hoopla over the telling of his being shot and the blessing by the archbishop wound down, Ken Thomas began to feel like himself again. He was able to talk to his old friends and coworkers about the Picnic, some of which were there for the first time.

The saga of Three Finger Cove continues. Let Chowhound know you are reading his story: Chowhnd at Gmail dot Com

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