Friday Fictioneers is always such fun, and I’m so glad when I can manage to take part. This week’s prompt is a photo by Claire Fuller. You’ll find it below, followed by my 100-word story. (Actually my story is definitely over the limit on words, but it relates an example of true events that are taking place on a regular basis with prisoners from a maximum security prison close to my hometown. I learned about these projects a few years ago and the difference they are making in the rehabilitation of prisoners — as well as in the lives of the people served by the end results. This week’s photo brought the projects to mind, and it’s worth sharing the concept even though it takes a few more words than is technically “legal.”)

A MAN OF VALUE

Eddie couldn’t hold back the tears as he stood at the building site, his hand gripped by Tony, an ox of a guy with tears in his own eyes as he thanked Ed for his part in the project. Tony and his family had lost everything and had no place to live. But today they’d received the key to a brand new home.

Eddie, serving the 7^th of his 25-year sentence, had worked in the carpentry rehabilitation unit for three years now, making prefab elements for these low-income housing projects. Getting permission to be present at the site for the presentation was a dream come true.

He’d considered himself scum for most of his life, but today – wiping tears away with his shirt sleeve – he began to see himself as a valuable human being with something worth giving to life. Dang, if he wasn’t actually looking forward to the next 18 years of helping create a better life for a lot of people.

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Visit our hostess, Rochelle, and get the scoop on how to participate:
http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/31-january-2014/

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