Thread: Table scraps (Attn: Anyone) 7-20-10

Marzanna was walking through the area, just wandering, trying to clear her head. She stopped and looked up at the cathedral admiring the building. She wanders on farther down and spots the man and the boy. A frown appearing on her face as she reads the sign in front of them. She looks over them both, compassion filling her eyes, she reaches into her pocket and pulls out 2 $100 bills and puts them into the cup in front of the boys feet. She smiles a bit at them both and slowly begins to walk on down the street.

The man reaches forward taking the two bills out of the cup and looks around quickly at the woman who is statring to walk off.

"Thank you so much, You don't know what you have just done for us."

He coughs for about ten seconds.

"Really you don't. Thank you," he says after he pretends to catch his breath.

She turns back to the man, smiling. "You are welcome. It was the least I could do. Not everyone in this city is harsh and cold. Honestly, I wish there was more I could do." She nods politely and turns away again, not moving but looking off down the street.

"You've done so much already...I can buy my boy new shoes now."

The man looks down at the boys feet which have shoes but the soles are falling off and they appear that they may be too small.

"He has to have so much before school starts this fall and I just can't pay for it all." Caiaphas begins coughing again and shakes his head.

She turns back again, he will notice people going out of their way to go around where she stands on the sidewalk, flicking nervous glances in her direction, she doesn't seem to notice them. She frowns looking at the boys shoes, pain flashes in her eyes briefly before its gone, she smiles. "Well, then I feel even better for giving you that money. He needs a good pair of shoes." She doesn't turn away this time, but she doesn't stare at them either.

The boy bows his head slightly and doesn't make eye contact with the woman. The man notices the reaction of the pedestrians and the boy and offers up an excuse.

"He's so shy...but who can blame him. I didn't want to be a friend to people in our position when I was young either." The coughing continues for a moment and he rubs his left wrist. "Just look at all of those people, they won't even look in our direction because we are dirty and undesirable. Because they have running water and hot showers to go home too."

The man shakes his head again.

"It makes me sick, probably why this cough is killing me. Never had this problem before, but thanks to you I might be able to get into a truck stop and get us a shower, then take him shopping for pencils and paper."

The boy looks up and whispers "And a computer?"

The man looks down at him with some amount of hurt in his eyes. "Not yet son, not yet."

She watches the people move around them, refusing to look at the two, disgust fills her eyes as they narrow. She steps closer and says softly enough that only they hear, "That is because most people are generally worthless, wastes of flesh, air, that cannot see past their own selfish needs and desires. To help someone less fortunate is apparently below them. But, karma is a bitch and will come back to bite them in the ass some day." She smiles, handing the man another $100. "I unforunately cannot help with the computer, but this will get you more of the necessities that you need. I am sorry I cannot do more."

The man hesitates as he holds out the next hundred but then takes it and shoves it into the pocket with the other bills.

"Oh thank you, I would never expect someone to buy my boy a computer, espcially since we don't even have a home to take it too. But you've done so much. If the rest of the night turns out as well I may be able to put a roof over our head for a couple months while I look for work."

He coughs some more.

"That Kharma stuff? You believe in that?"

There are so lower rent apartments near the pit that may not cost much, I would be willing to look into them for you if you would like me to. Would that be something you would be interested in? They operate on a sliding scale fee. Which means they only charge what you can afford.

She smiles, yes I believe in kharma. She smiles, don't you?