Elijah shrugged. "His mother is the only one who works. She does laundry for people. His father drinks all day and his siblings are too young."

"Aye, that's hard." Ben had grown up under very similar circumstances. "Can his mother not make 'im help with laundry. Shame 'im into being responsible?"

Elijah shrugged. "I think she doesn't think about that. She has a little one that she focuses on and she doesn't have your patience. Probably of she even tried she'd yell at him to go the moment he messed up or asked a question."

Benjamin sighed. "So that kid's bound for prison or worse..."

Elijah sighed. "I haven't given up but I haven't found the key yet. If I could find something to turn him away, like a passion. It would change everything, but he doesn't care about any of it."

"Ye can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved, Elijah." he said. He knew that from experience.

Elijah felt a lump in this throat
"I think... being saved can mean different things to different people, Ben."

"He's got to want to help 'imself. Or at least want to listen and learn. If that's not there..." He shrugged and shook his head. "Leave it, and focus on the kids you can help..."

Elijah sighed l. "Sorry but I have to disagree. I don't wa t to see a kid throw their life away because they are a dumb kid and can't think clearly."

"None of it wants it, Elijah. But what can ye do?" Ben said quietly. "Apart from hoping the father drinks himself to death soon." Was it a christian thought? For the sake of the family it was.