Portrait of a Young Man

By E. K. Paul

Ethan, a boarding school student, learns his spring break trip with his father is abruptly cancelled by a call from his father's satellite phone. With few choices, he reluctantly decides to spend his break with his grandfather. His journey during becomes one of exploring his individuality and appreciation for others. He encounters opportunities to learn to drive and to fly representing growth in his confidence and ability to control his destiny. His grandfather teaches him about his heritage that leads him to learn a new dance. By the end of his trip he discovers he has made new old friends. He grows in confidence for his individuality while expanding his perspective of the people and possibilities in his life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: E. K. Paul
• Release date: Sep 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370260157

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Portrait of a Young Man

E. K. Paul

Copyright 2107 E. K. Paul

All rights reserved.

The scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

The commandments, You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:9-10

Chapter One: Change of Plans

Ethan woke in his dorm room and glanced at his alarm clock to check the time. Good, he thought, he had plenty of time to make it to the dining hall before they stopped serving breakfast. He noticed his roommate, Jovan, was still sleeping. He tried to be quiet as he got up.

He sat up in bed and removed the headgear from his braces on his nightstand. Glancing at his smartphone and noticed it was blinking, indicating he had a message. After washing his face and hands at the sink, he put on some shorts, a shirt, then stepped into his deck shoes. Picking up his smartphone, he proceeded to the dining hall.

Stepping out of the dorm, he was reminded how cool spring mornings could be. Returning to his room, he put on hoodie. As he left the room he zipped it up and pulled the hood on his head, then resumed his walk. While walking he turned on his smartphone that indicated there was a message from his father.

Ethan, this is dad, the message began, something came up at work so I won’t be able to get back in time for our skiing trip. Give your mother a call and see if you can go visit her during your spring break. Let me know what you’ve found out. Sorry this didn’t work for us. Love you buddy. Bye for now.

Crap, he thought to himself as he paused to call his mother.

Good morning honey, she said. How are you doing?

Fine, said Ethan, but there’s a bit of a problem. Dad called and left a message that my ski trip with him is off. Shall I plan to come home?

Where is he? she said.

He didn’t say, said Ethan.

As for planning, I’ve signed up to give some presentations at a conference. Do you want to sit in a hotel room at the convention center and go to conference sessions for a week? You could use the time to study and I’m sure they’ll have a fitness center and a pool.

Not really, he said despondently. Although I like getting the free stuff they give you. Do you have any other ideas?

You could go visit your grandfather, she said.

The idea of being it a small mountain village in the country with not much to do didn’t seem very appealing. Still, it seemed more attractive than hanging out in convention center hotel.

Let me think about it for a minute, said Ethan. What have you been doing?

I just got out of surgery on a homeless man who lives beside a dumpster, she said.

Is he going to live? said Ethan.

Yes, she said.

What happened? said Ethan.

There’s a dumpster behind a grocery store, she said. The vet was getting takeout from the dumpster when he was shot.

You know if they charged a fee to people who buy guns, maybe there’d be enough money to help innocent people when they’re shot, said Ethan.

That’s a good idea, she said.

You know mom, I was thinking, you do pretty good job helping people for being a seamstress, said Ethan.

Ethan, I can’t believe you listed my occupation as seamstress on your school application, she said. I’ve never been called a seamstress before!

How’d you know about that? said Ethan. I thought my part of the application was confidential.

Before you got your acceptance letter I got a call from the school and they wanted to make sure I’d be able to pay your tuition, she said. They told me you had indicated that I’m a seamstress.

I guess you can see that I really didn’t want to come here, but now that I’m here, it’s OK, said Ethan.

I’m glad, she said. Anyway, I had to explain to them what you meant and that I’m a surgeon.

What did they say about that? said Ethan.

They liked your sense of humor and your confidence, she said.

You’re the one who gave that to me, said Ethan.

How’d I do that? she said.

Remember when I wanted to take karate and you didn’t like the idea of my being hit in the head so you convinced me to take ballet, said Ethan. Some kids were making fun of me for taking dance until I showed one of them how high I could kick on day-I gave one of them a bloody nose.

You kicked another kid? she said.

Only after he kicked me first, said Ethan. "He never bothered me again after that. What I like about this school is that we’re taught not to be bullies and what to do if