#Middlebury #Veterans #TinyHomes
The older veterans stood in a semi-circle in the rear parking lot of the coffee shop, watching the activity and drinking coffee. What they were watching was the creation of the first two tiny homes that would eventually launch the Veterans Village.
Sarge had found construction drawings in the trash done by one of his homeless dormitory veterans, David, who had finally confessed that, yes, he used to be the owner of a construction company.
“But that was before,” David said. Before his life took a nosedive. Before he’d ended up homeless.
“And this is now,” said Sarge, spreading out the drawings.
After many discussions, after conferences with Sarge’s attorney and banker, after breaking through David’s fear-induced resistance, papers were signed. The plan was to sell several homes and generate enough cash to buy a small piece of land. On that spot Veterans Village would rise, tiny homes for homeless veterans, all built by David. The construction site in the back parking lot was a busy place during the day, with experienced veteran carpenters doing the work.
The minute the roofs were shingled, a local man stepped up and asked how much the tiny houses were going to sell for. Sarge eased into the periphery of the conversation, staying silent but also staying nearby in case David faltered.
But he didn’t.
Instead, David smiled, confident and in charge, and said, “Now that’s going to depend on the finishes you’d want, sir. If you step over here, I can show you the flooring choices, the exterior cladding, the appliances you can choose from …”
One of the elderly veterans waved Sarge over and whispered a question: “Does he know yet?”
Sarge shook his head.
No, David didn’t know that the elderly veterans and their families had banded together, hunted for land and opened their wallets. David was closer to creating the Veterans Village than he ever imagined.
© 2021 King Features Synd. Inc.
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