Aid to Women is located above an East Indian grocery. I trudge up a flight of stairs, dismayed by the traffic already entering next door. Usually eight appointments are scheduled for nine a.m. at the abortuary. Thankfully I hear no noise through the wall. Linda Gibbons has agreed to an interview, but first I am shown around Aid to Women by Joanne Dieleman, the agency director.
Sunshine pours into the front living room and spills onto the comfortable sofas.
Stuffed animals are suspended on lines like cheerful laundry, and new picture books are on display. A huge applique of a mother and child covers one wall, while on another there is a large bulletin board crammed with photos of babies and young children, such as you see in the waiting rooms of obstetricians. This room doubles as a play area for young children when they come back for visits with their mothers. The third floor is crammed with children's clothing, winter snow suits, strollers and cribs. Robert also has a tiny apartment here.