Ben

 He was an angry and very bitter 9 year old boy. Just a few days earlier, He had attended the funeral and burial of his father.His father was murdered, killed during a drug deal that went horribly awry.

 This boy wanted his father's killer and all the men there that night dead- He wanted very much to be their killer and executioner. This was the story I was told by this boy's mother when she brought him to his first Alateen meeting. This meeting was held 20 years ago at the Unity Club in Down town falls Church, Virginia. The name of that Saturday group was Superkid and I was its founder and sponsor.

Ben attended a number of meetings, but seldom said anything. I worried about him, but his mother assured me that he was getting a lot out of the meetings.

 I know that Ben became a Christian around the age of 13. That seemed to calm down some of his fiery intensity. I lost track of him shortly after than, but I did hear a few years later that he joined The Marine Corps.

 Earlier today, I ran across Ben's mother on a Bus. She told me that Ben left the Corps after serving for 4 years. He settled in Los Angeles and is now serving as a member of The LAPD.

I'm so proud of his courage and progress. His mother believes that I had SOMETHING to do with that- I', inclined to not take that too serious. She did tell me he wants to get in contact with me and gave me his number.

 Ben- A tragic boy turned Guardian, Protector and Hero.