Referee's Reassurance

Kathryn listened to the sound of the phone ringing in her ear, until eventually someone on the other end of the line picked up.

"Hello? Clive speaking."

"Oh hi, Clive, it's Kathryn. I used to work with you in -"

"Councelling, yeah I remember. How have you been, Katie?"

"Yeah good. How's prison treating you?"

"You know, it's been really good. It's different, I must say. It's hard to get through to prisoners, but not impossible."

"Can't imagine what it would be like."

"You don't want to. How can I help you?"

"Um, we got a resume come in today. They put you as a referee?"

"Let me guess," Clive pondered a minute, "Nick Briggs."

"Er, yeah. How'd you know?"

"I thought he might be popping in there soon. You having doubts about his abilities?"

"Well, he was an inmate, you can't deny that."

"No, I can't. But I tell you the first time we met, he was straight out honest with me. Said he wasn't supposed to be there, said he didn't want to be there, said he was going to stay there, said he was going to bear the burden."

"He must've had so much in his past though, I can't see him coping in such a job. Honestly, can you?"

"Yeah," Clive disagreed, "I can. Otherwise I wouldn't have given him my referral."

"What makes a man like you so sure?"

"Because after a long few years, I got him to open up. He began to trust me and he would tell me things he never told anyone else. The way he handled such pain, such sorrow, such secrets! I was suprised he hadn't commited suicide, he would've had plenty of chances to do so. But he held every last piece together, and he never let it get in his way of hope. Of trying to help others."

"Helping others?"

"He'd help out youngin's in the prison, try and set them on the right track. He would talk to anyone who asked him to. He would break up fights that began with anyone in the prison, even if it meant risking his own safety."

"But councelling is a tough job, Clive."

"I know. Which made me wonder how he could be teaching so much even to me. At times I had to wonder who was the one being councelled. He would give his own occasional talks to others, he really gave something in here."

"Is he worth hiring?"

"You'd be stupid not to."

"He's been in pirson for sixteen years. Not many people are going to want to see to him as their councellor."

"You might be suprised," Clive commented, "I was."

He heard her sigh on the other end of the line, before he continued, "Just give the man a chance. He's had a rouogh life, and he's experienced it all. You might find him a big help to the team. Weren't you the one that told me not to judge a book by its cover?"

"Yes, but-"

"You won't be disappointed."

[506 words]