Brother Broken


Welcome to the new series: Alf Reads

The move to the city…

Saskatoon is known as the Paris of the Prairies, Stoon, and Bridge City. If the province could grow body parts, Saskatoon would be the heart. On a map, road lines radiate from the centre of a large dot resembling a starburst in the centre of Saskatchewan. They lead to and from the city in all directions like arteries—which explains how it got its other name, Hub City.

If there is a contest, Saskatoon wins the award for being the pretty city. It has class, with natural and historic features. It is a city of progressive thinkers who promote the arts and education.

Denis’s appreciation of academics fit it well, so he adopted Saskatoon as his new home. He settled into a respectable routine. He relaxed and felt more secure about his future. Every so often, he was shuffled between group homes, which meant more adjusting and adapting. He resolved to make the transitions, and for the most part, things worked out for him.

One of his new homes, however, was less than suitable. The group home was managed by some rather exuberant evangelical Christians. They provided all the necessities, but their focus extended beyond serving the basic needs of the unfortunate. Their mission was to win souls to the Lord.

Perhaps Denis proclaiming to be the Antichrist didn’t go over so well, or maybe his standard of reverence didn’t meet their satisfaction. Whatever the cause, one wintery day in November 1980, they abruptly evicted Denis, turning him out on the street.

He wasn’t alarmed he’d been kicked out. Denis took the abuse as if it were a regular occurrence. The street was no stranger to him, though he preferred not sleeping on park benches or taking up residence in cardboard condos. He used his cunning to work out a survival plan.

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