the call comes out of the blue.
i was on the mexican hammock half asleep quite content to let it ring out, i think some mad professor was playing in the background or some sort of weird dub music, emma threw the phone onto my chest, 'it's for you.' 
lydia introduced herself as i tried to find the remote to turn the music down, she had tracked down my contact details through various services and made some enquiries about me, she said she was impressed and that i must have made an impression on father o hare when we had met. it was on his suggestion lydia had rang me. i was not sure whether to be flattered yet so i let lydia continue, she was offering me a job, a part time position with the sex offender program which now had a name, turning point.'
looking back lydia was very sure of herself, no small talk, just kept it professional. she spoke at a million miles an hour, it was difficult to keep track of what she was saying, i was not used to so much information in sentences but she mentioned an interview process, a police check, (to unearth the skeletons in my closet, i thought) do various assessments and see if i was suitable to start the training program along with the other members of the team, apparently i was the last person to complete her team. 
for a part time position they were going to a lot of trouble, i hoped their police checks didn't extend to overseas, i had an outstanding weed issue in new york, but that was a long time ago and very minor. 
so in my new found optimism and relationship with the universe i agreed to everything casually, it did sound like a good project for a guy like me, after all when you have had a professional life descending the depths into human suffering and misery (i'd done enough work with survivors of sexual abuse and encountered various young criminal types) the lowest rung off the ladder must be sex offenders.
was this was my challenge? my appointment with fear. fucking sex offender kids, i laughed to myself, the universe sure works in mysterious ways. 
lydia finished up by telling me the program had been on hold for one year, until they had found a suitable location, the site was, yes you guessed it, elma house. the priest had fucking lied to a room full of people, he had fucking lied to the trust, he had set the whole meeting up and it was all a lie. 
i wasn't sure if i liked him a little more, the man was committed that was certain.
lydia requested that i tell no one about the program or the fact i may be working for it, she wanted me to lie to my friends and family, she said the project is off the radar and if anyone found out it could close down. she gave me an interview date and i scribbled it down and hung up as emma returned with a joint,
she passed it to me and i took a long hit, the gravity of the conversation with lydia suddenly took hold,'fuck emma, you got anything to drink?'