The Mountain News – WA

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a residential foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House are about to form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

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Chapter 6 – Boy Scout training comes in handy

Day Two – 11:15am

From the CNN broadcasts we learned about the “7-10 rule,” which was to become critical to our survival. For every multiple of seven hours, alpha and beta radiation decreases by a factor of ten. Hence, the danger from the dust was one-tenth after the first seven hours, and then one-hundredth after forty-nine hours.

I had an educational opportunity with the guys on this one.

“Seven times seven hours is how many days, guys? Hint: what is seven hours, times seven hours?”

“Forty-nine hours.”

“Okay, good. Now, forty-nine hours is how many days?” Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House are about to form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

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 ~

Chapter 5 – It gets real

Day Two – 9:07 am

I woke up around nine o’clock, pretty late for my guys, but I’m addicted to my sleep. I have to get eight good ones, which isn’t always easy since I have frequent nocturnal sweats and nightmares. My first night in Unity House was no exception, so I slept-in a bit. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House are about to form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

Chapter 4 – Who will stay?

Day One – 3:20 pm

Terry and I sat back in her office’s big, stuffed chairs. “What now, boss?” I chimed.

“Wait and see, I guess,” replied Terry. “Angie said she’d be leaving after supper. She lives only ten minutes away on Pilgrim Street, down by St. Casimir’s. That’ll be seven o’clock-ish. I think she’ll be okay. Gina? I don’t know about her.”

I leaned over and opened the door to the staff office.

“Gina,” I called out. “When you thinking of leaving?” Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor of Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House are about to form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

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Chapter 3 – Washing off the dust

Day One – 12:45 pm

Kevin A, 14, and Kevin P, 15, stomped their feet and brushed their shirts, depositing dust all over the foyer. Grinning, they announced as we ran up, “Hi everybody, we’re home. We’re nuke busters!”

“Yee-Gawds, gentlemen,” shouted Terry, “shake yourselves off outdoors. That dust is radioactive, and we’ve spent two hours vacuuming this place. C’mon!”

The Kevins stepped back outside for a ritualistic de-dusting, but the damage had already been done. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

~

Prologue

My name is Dave Stein. At the time of the nuclear bomb attack on Worcester, Massachusetts, I was a psychotherapist for the Unified Alliance of Worcester, and assigned to Unity House, their foster-care residence for juvenile male sexual offenders.

This story is my account of how my clients and I survived the destruction of our home and city, and formed the rescue group known as The Men of Honor of Unity House. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor if Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

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Chapter 23 – Who believes in God?

Day Five – 3 pm

Following Montoya’s instructions, the first deuce and half backed up to our main entry at the Commons room.  Ryan and TT were ready to receive it, while Naleef and I stayed outside since we were wearing our rad suits, and we helped in the transfer while the other soldiers were hooking-up the all-important water lines.

In two hours, we had the cargo trucks and Humvees unloaded.  Naleef and I took off our rad suits in the portal to take a break, and when we walked inside Unity House, we didn’t recognize the place.

The Commons room was turned into a twenty-five-bed hospital ward with another thirty cots downstairs in the basement.  The dining room was transformed into a surgical operation theater.   

Stacked and packed. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor if Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke has exploded in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House form the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, to keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

********************************************************************

Chapter 22 – One of the Men of Honor falls

 Day Five – 1 pm

I was in the kitchen fixing tuna sandwiches for lunch when a Gator pulled up with TT and Trey on it, both of them wearing rad suits. Through the window I saw TT put his arm around Trey’s waist, and help him walk into the main portal.

“What’s wrong?” I shouted, running to the door.

“Trey’s sick,” replied TT, pulling off his helmet. “Help me get Trey out of his rad suit and put him to bed. He’s really weak, and he’s having trouble walking.”

Trey was wobbly and semi-conscious, and said nothing as we escorted him down the south corridor to his room. We gently laid him down on his bed and pulled blankets over him. His eyes had a glazed look. Continue reading →

By Bruce A. Smith

The Men of Honor if Unity House is a novel based upon my experiences as a therapist at a foster care facility for young men coping with sexual assault charges. In 2001, during the Anthrax scare that followed 9-11, my agency’s director and I mapped out a plan for how we would deal with our men, aged 12-18, if we had to go into lockdown in the event of a local terrorist attack. The following pages are based upon those discussions.

The plot so far: A 2-kiloton suitcase nuke explodes in Worcester, Massachusetts, and the staff of Unity House from the Men of Honor Society for two purposes: One, keep the twelve teen-aged boys of Unity House busy and not fighting each other, and two, to act as a rescue group to the local neighborhood. Due to the destruction and radiation, the police and army can not get into this section of Worcester. The people living on Marion Avenue and Plantation Street only have the Men of Honor aiding them.

To read more of the Men of Honor:

https://themountainnewswa.net/category/the-men-of-honor-of-unity-house/

*******************************

Continue reading →