The Journeys of Bumbly Bear
Page 24
Chapter 24
“Nutmeg” becomes Katy Braidon of Marin County
It was a cool, breezy October day in Marin as I headed toward the County Civic Center where the Family Court is located. A rather famous Frank Lloyd Wright building with clear arching ceiling and a lovely planted atrium, this was a building I often visited, sometimes with dread, and sometimes with great joy. Hopefully, today would be a day of joy and happiness for the little girl whose life Children’s Garden had turned around.
I saw the family, including the new grandparents, dressed in Sunday best, outside the Courtroom’s large carved double doors. They greeted me anxiously as Katy ran to me, took my hand, and asked very seriously: “Miss Helen, will everything be all right this time?”
“I’m sure it will.” I said giving her a quick hug, and turning to the family. “This is your day to shine,” I said. “Just be yourselves and all will go well. I have spoken to the advocate attorney and he’s very strongly on your side,” I said to reassure both parents and grandparents.
“Things better go just fine,” said Grandfather Braidon, winking at us, “Or that judge and I will have words at the next Rotary Meeting.”
“Now, now, let’s not mix politics and family matters,” his wife responded in a joking manner,
“Yes, please,” Jack Braidon seemed a bit perturbed by his father’s remark.
“Not to worry, now – it’ll all go well,” I said as the doors were opened and we were ushered in by a court clerk.
We were all seated at a large oak table to the left of the Judge, a rather large balding man with a gentle smile. “Next case” he said from his perch high in front of us.
A small man with round wire-rimmed glasses stood and announced: “Case number 1143, Judge. In the matter of the adoption of one ward of the State of California Katy Millin to Marin County adopting parents, Susan and John Braidon at the request of State of California, City of San Francisco Department of Social Services, sir.” The little man looked at the judge, who nodded and the little man sat down.
Katy looked at me, her eyes questioning, and I took her hand under the table.
“So,” boomed the large voice of the Judge. “And who is Miss Katy Millin?”
“I am,” said Katy with a near whisper.
“Speak up, girl!” The Judge said.
“I am -- I mean I WAS Katy Millin. Now I am Katy Braidon, sir.” Katy stood up and spoke in a very confident manner to the Judge.”
“Ah, I see. Well, Katy, I am the one who decides that. Would you like to come with me to my chambers and tell me why you want to be Katy Braidon?”
“If I have to---” Katy responded slowly. We had prepared her to go to Judge’s chambers and assured it was all right, but she was still a bit shy and untrusting about this.
The Judge laughed, lowered his voice, and said: “Indeed you have to Miss Katy. I promise I will not hurt you.” And he came off the bench toward us, hand extended and a big smile on his face. “Come along now.” He nodded to the parents, “We won’t be too long.”
Katy took his hand, went with him behind the courtroom, and we waited for what seemed hours, but by the clock was only 20 minutes. After the Judge returned Katy to her seat at the table where we all waited, he went to his Bench and sat down, rifling through a stack of papers.
“Miss Helen Kelly, I have read your report. Have you anything further to say to the Court concerning this matter?”
“No sir, we strongly believe that we have secured a fine and lasting placement for this child, with parents trained to help her through her growing years, and we urge the Court to accept our recommendation.”
“And Miss Jelson, your comments, if any?” he asked of the San Francisco DSS Social worker.
“Only to say, sir that we did consider the issue of race in this placement, but were convinced by Children’s Garden that this placement was best for this child. She has previously refused a Black placement, Your Honor.”
“Seems to me all that is irrelevant to this case now, Miss Jelson.” The Judge spoke rapidly and rather harshly.
“Yes sir.” Pat answered somewhat meekly.
“And Attorney Peterson, your report indicates that you as this child’s Advocate to this Court, feel that she wishes and is in fact placed in the home which is in her best interest for the remainder of her minor growing years?”
“Your Honor, having spent over 30 hours with the child and her current foster parents, Susan and Jack Braidon, and meeting with the extended family as well, I find no fault or danger for this child. Katy has been quite adamant to me that this is her wish and desire, and in fact, that she wishes no other options ever in her young life. I concur with her and her current family that the love and guidance available herein is what Katy wants and needs and that she should, finally, be granted the adoption she seeks today from this court.”
“OK fine, enough verbiage,” The judge intervened.
“And Miss Katy, will you stand please?” Katy did so, her knees shaking.
“Now Miss Katy, is it your wish and desire to become the adopted forever child of Susan and Jack Braidon and to join in this family as your family now and forever?”
“Oh yes, Judge, Oh yes, now and forever.” replied Katy loudly and proudly. I’d never before heard him use the word “forever” in these proceedings and could only conjecture that he had heard it so much from Katy that he felt it important to use for her sake.
“And Mr. and Mrs. Braidon, please stand.” said the Judge with a grin growing bigger by the moment.
“Now, Sue and Jack Braidon, do you take this child, Katy Millin, as your very own forever, and give her your name, that she may be known today and forever as Katy Braidon?”
Both parents answered together “We do, Judge.”
The Judge stood, smiling broadly, “And one more thing -- I don’t suppose, Doc Braidon, there’s anything else I should ask?” he asked looking at Jack Braidon’s father with a twinkle in his eye.
“No, Judge, just do your job.”
At that the Judge had a hearty laugh, came around his podium to embrace Katy and Jack and Sue. “So I now pronounce that Katy Millin is no longer a ward of the State of California and has today become Katy Braidon, the legally adopted daughter forever and ever of Susan and John Braidon.” With that, he planted a large kiss on Katy’s forehead and said, “Congratulations, kid, you got a nice family here.”
“Oh thank you, thank you, Judge.” Katy threw her arms around Judge Bradley and then ran to her family and shouted “We did it, we did it! I am forever yours ...we DID it!”
“Yes, darling, we did it,” spoke Sue softly. “And we couldn’t have done it at all without Children’s Garden and Miss Helen. So won’t you all come back to the house now for a little celebration?” she asked as Doris, our director joined me and the family up front. Doris, always one to be there quietly for her staff and kids, had quietly snuck into the back of the Courtroom after we were seated and we’d had no idea she was there for the event. We were very glad, though, as we all knew that without her incredible healing agency, none of this would have happened.
We were a bit teary, including Doris, when we heard Katy ask her sister Kim “Why are all the grownups crying? This is a HAPPY day, not a sad one.”
PART TWO