“The RoseBouquet”

(introducing a character from my novel, Ruthe’s Secret Roses)

Just Gord, plain medium everything, except for his dull-steel eyes. That’s how
Cathy first introduces him to Ruthe, the main character. Gord is one of a group
of three young men who do things together, mainly looking for fun, when the rich
kid, Lloyd, doesn’t have a personal date with Cathy O’Brien.

I’m leaving some parts out, so as not to spoil the surprises for you when you
read the whole book, but later when Cathy is taking Ruthe to visit the three in
Lloyd’s apartment she remembers some more about Gord’s background.

She didn’t know much about Gordon. Just that he presently boarded with an
elderly couple, the Adams. Mr. Adams had an auto wrecking concern in an
industrial section. “I don’t know if it’s true, but I heard he found Gordon one
morning sleeping in a wreck on his lot and invited him home.”

Cathy was on a roll and hard to stop. “I also heard that he has a photographic
memory. Lloyd says if Gord once sees a car or motor he has it memorized. Guess
that’s why he picked him up as a friend; he can get customizing and tuneups as
often as he wants.”

Although Gord says little, and that very seldom, Ruthe’s intuition senses his
need to be included and accepted like the others, and she urges the others to be
kind, and to stop to explain things for his benefit. They’re rewarded by
discovering how guileless and loyal Gordon truly is.

Since Gordon was tossed from one foster home to another, then group homes for
troubled teens, he has never learned to read or write, or think any deep concept
through. Because of Ruthe’s concern, Lloyd and Graham explain things to him
privately, and he even comes to her for advice on his romantic feelings for a
certain girl in his neighbourhood.

Later on Gord pays Ruthe a very big compliment by asking for a peculiar favour.

Whoops, I may be saying too much! Why don’t you get the novel and read it all
for yourself? Gord’s story is just one of many extremely interesting friendships
in this book, Ruthe’s Secret Roses.