A BETTER VIDEO
In hindsight, I should’ve done this from the beginning. But if your name is Derek Fallon, you usually take the long, windy road to success instead of the short, simpler one.
This time, I’m doing a vlog—but not for YouTube—for the lucky person who’ll end up with Frank as a companion.
I start in the kitchen where I go through Frank’s favorite foods—mangoes, bananas, sweet potatoes, and turnips. “But you have to make sure to chop everything really small to fit into Frank’s hands,” I say into the camera. “And if he doesn’t like his monkey biscuits, you can soak them in orange juice and he’ll eat them right up. He also really likes mealworms—but not too many at once.”
Next, I go through how to clean Frank’s crate and to make sure it double-locks. “Frank is VERY curious,” I tell the camera. “If the crate isn’t secure, he’ll definitely be able to get out.”
Dad comes inside from getting the mail and nearly drops it when he sees me filming. “Please tell me you are NOT posting videos of Frank again.”
I shake my head and tell him what I’m doing.
His face relaxes. “That’s a great idea.”
With Dad as my assistant, the rest of the video goes much faster—except the part about Frank’s favorite movies and TV shows. I want to make sure wherever he is, Frank still gets to enjoy the Westerns he loves, so I really take my time.
In between shots, Dad and I talk about who Frank might end up living with next. A kid in a wheelchair like Umberto? An elderly woman who needs help getting things down from shelves? Someone with a spinal injury like our friend Michael? Whoever it is, Dad and I agree he or she will be lucky to have Frank.
After I edit the footage, Dad and I watch the rough cut. I decide to go the extra mile and add some music, fun sound effects, and graphics. The video might only be for an audience of one, but that person will be a part of Frank’s extended family, so I want to do my best.
An hour and a half later, we’re laughing at the finished piece as Mom comes in, wearing her scrubs. At first she’s surprised to see new footage of Frank, but as she watches, she breaks into a huge smile. When it ends, I’m shocked to see her eyes are misty.
“I’m going to miss him too,” she says. “Very much.”
We spend our last weekend with Frank taking turns holding him, watching TV, and giving him his favorite snacks. Bodi continues to sense something’s going on because he follows Frank from room to room like a shadow.
Matt and Carly stop over to say goodbye. Carly tells us all about the taping and that the show will air on Monday. None of us can believe she and Umberto got to meet Hugh Jackman in the green room!
Because the show is on at three—the same time as Mr. Ennis’s class—he said our last class can be a viewing party. My mom’s so happy for Carly that she reschedules a meeting so she can watch the show when it airs.
With multiple visits from Carly, Matt, and Umberto, it’s a busy weekend. When I put Frank in his crate Sunday night, he heads straight for his blanket to fall asleep.
From his first day with us, I knew Frank would have to leave someday. We were a foster family, a place to live with people before beginning his real work to help someone with disabilities. This day was always coming—I just hoped to put it off as long as possible.
“Good night, buddy,” I tell him. “The pleasure’s been all mine.”
FAREWELL
Mary shows up like clockwork first thing Monday morning. Mom said I could go to school late so I can say goodbye to Frank, but I think it’s because she wants me to apologize to the director in person.
I hear them talking about Mary’s flight as I walk toward the kitchen with Frank to hand him over—the same kitchen where I first met Frank two years ago.
The woman who brought Frank here then was an older woman who seemed like a grandmother. The next person from the foundation who came was named Wendie. She visited us after Frank had an “incident” with swallowing one of my action figures and getting semi-kidnapped by Swifty who used to go to my school.
This new director looks different than I expected. Her hair is short, shaved on one side with bangs falling across her face. Frank must remember her, though, because he leaps out of my arms and into hers.
“Why, hello there, Frank.” She holds back, waiting to see if he’s comfortable with her, but he nuzzles her face like he just saw her yesterday.
She takes a step toward me and holds out her hand. “You must be Derek. I’m Mary.”
Her hand barely has time to touch mine before I blurt out another apology.
She listens to everything I have to say before she answers.
“You know what we call that at monkey college?” she asks. “A teachable moment.”
“That’s what we call them here too,” Mom says.
Mary looks me straight in the eye. “The point wasn’t that you were pretending to feed Frank hot sauce, the point is that you had him on a treadmill, loose in the yard, and you were using him for your own gain. You know posting videos of your friends without their permission isn’t cool, right, Derek?”
I now feel even worse than I did when my parents first caught me. Whether it’s because Mary runs the foundation, or that her voice is so calm, I really take in everything she has to say.
“It’s not like Frank could sign a release form,” I offer. “And he DID have fun.”
“Like a greyhound has fun at the
