Tag Archives: new beginning

A RUN OF BAD LUCK AND A GREAT FUTURE

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I heard my alarm clock go off and blindly reached across my pillow to turn off the alarm. There is no more annoying noise than an alarm clock. I suppose that is its sole purpose in life, making a horrible noise that people can not sleep through.

As I lay there after I slammed my fist down on the alarm clock, I tried to think of a single reason why I should get up and shower and get dressed. And then I looked over at my desk and saw a stack of bills that could pass for the Leaning Tower of Pizza. I had recently been laid off from my job. Apparently, the company I had been working for was having its own run of bad luck. Since I found out the day I was called into my boss’s office and informed that, unfortunately, I was being laid off. Because the company was going bankrupt, apparently, the vice president had been slowly bleeding the company dry in the past year. And no one caught on until it was too late. Since, apparently, he had been cooking the books. Can you believe it?

Business towers

I slowly lowered my legs over the side of the bed and stood up. My head was spinning like a top. That’s when I noticed the empty bottle of Macallan Lalique whiskey, a bottle my father had left me in his will. It was probably the most expensive hangover I ever had. And at that moment, I realized that I had to get to the toilet now, not in a minute, this moment. Unfortunately, I didn’t get there fast enough. I felt tears run down my cheeks as I looked at my newly installed carpet, which would no doubt retain the smell of that Macallan Lalique whiskey until the end of my days. I  rose from the putrid puddle and slowly made my way into the bathroom and ran the cold water, and put a cold washcloth on my face. It was going to be a long day.

Just then, the phone rang, and I thought my head was going to explode. There was no way I was going to answer the phone, and it rang and rang until I thought I would lose my mind. And finally, the answering machine picked up. I heard my ex-wife’s strident and shrill voice speaking. Apparently, she was extremely annoyed that my last alimony check hadn’t arrived yet. God, would it ever stop?

Well, she was going to become even more annoyed when I told her I didn’t know when I’ll be able to send any more alimony checks since my cupboards were bare, as well as all my bank accounts. I was dead broke. And so far, I didn’t see any end to it until I was able to get a new job and start paying all my bills. And that she was at the bottom of my priority list. She could sue me, but it would be a waste of time and effort since I was renting my apartment and selling all my furniture and belongings that had any value at all. Not to mention that I also had to sell my wedding band and the gold watch I was given when I got my last promotion before my company went under.

I had already explained to her several months ago that I wasn’t holding out on her and that I was at the end of my string. Honestly, sometimes I felt like pulling my hair out. But that would be an impossible task since I had very little hair left on my head. In the last year, I aged tremendously, and I looked ten years older than I did before my wife asked for a divorce.

The only reason I have been holding on to my sanity at all is because of my children. They mean the world to me. And I make every effort not to miss any days that I am able to see them. In fact, I have spent more time with them since the divorce than when I was married to their mother.

When I was a kid, I was really into playing basketball. But, once I got married and was working long hours at a high-pressure job, I rarely spent any time with my boys. I worked late every night and had to go on business trips that took me away for weeks at a time. I missed so much of their childhood. So, after the divorce, I made it a priority to spend as much time with my kids as possible. I feel like I’m really starting to know them. Before the divorce, I barely knew them. And now I feel like I’m not just their dad. We have become friends.

I really had no clue what I should do next. I had sent out so many resumes that I ran out of companies to send them to. I called everyone I knew from my past employment and let them know that I was available for a new position asap. I was about to give up, but I realized deep down that wasn’t an option. If I just had to worry about myself, it would be one thing. But I couldn’t give up because my kids depended upon me to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

The other day I took a public bus, and I overheard two people talking who were sitting directly behind me. And the older guy was talking to a much younger man and telling him that he should consider applying for unemployment and food stamps. Because if he had worked and contributed when he was working that now that he needed this help, he should apply for it.

As I sat there contemplating the older man’s advice, I realized he might as well be talking to me since I was in the same predicament. It’s not that I didn’t know it existed. It was just that I never thought I would find myself in a place where I would need financial assistance from the government. I guess I was embarrassed to admit it. But, at that moment, I realized that I did need that help. And it occurred to me that I should also apply for a job through the unemployment office.

And that is just what I did the very next day. First, I applied for unemployment benefits, and then I went to the unemployment office and applied for a job. When I spoke to one of the employees there, I explained my situation. And I applied for a job at every business that might have an opening in my field. And now I was desperate, and I was willing to take any job to pay my bills and help pay my child support. I was asked to fill out a myriad of forms explaining my experience, previous workplaces, and what my income had been during my most recent employment.

The man who interviewed me told me that I had no reason to feel embarrassed because I had lost my job. Many people have found themselves in this position at some point in their working life. I filled out all the forms, and I told him I needed work right now. And he showed me several jobs that needed help right now. He also told me that the pay rate was lower than in my previous jobs. But I could start working by the end of the week if I was willing. I said, “yes, I’m more than willing. And he picked up the phone and called, and then he said to me, “well, here is a job that you can start today. But be aware this is not a corporate job. This is a small business owner that is looking for a partner. It is a small restaurant. Have you ever worked in a restaurant?”

“Well, I put myself through college working in a small restaurant on campus. And, of course, my experience in the corporate world gives me the experience of how to grow a business. I have many contacts with companies that might be interested in using the restaurant’s services for corporate meetings. What do you think?”

“That sounds like a good fit or a least a beginning for you with an opportunity for you to move up if and when this restaurant owner wants to enlarge his restaurant or add more locations. Here is the address. You have an appointment tomorrow morning at ten thirty. Make sure you arrive on time. It never looks good if you are late for an interview.”

The restaurant was only a twenty-minute bus ride from the Employment office. I was somewhat nervous about the interview. And then I realized that I had no reason to be. I had been talking and dealing with heads of major corporations for years. And keeping that in mind, I calmed down. About five minutes later, I got off the bus and looked up and down the street, I saw the restaurant was at the end of the block, and it looked larger than I thought it would.

I walked down to the restaurant, and I could see that it was more upscale than I thought it would be. This lightened my heart and put a spring in my step. I pulled open the door and approached the young woman at the front. “Hello, my name is Adam Carter. I have a job interview with the owner. Oh, yes, Mr. Argento has been looking forward to meeting you. I’ll let him know you are here. “

I only had to wait a few minutes, and then I saw a rather rotund man with jet-black hair coming from the kitchen area. He was wearing a white apron with what looked like sauce on it. “Bonjourno, Mr. Lombardi, I am so happy to meet you. Can you tell me a little about yourself and your background?”

“Well, I have a long history of working in large Corporations. But unfortunately, my most recent employer laid me off last year along with about one-half of the staff that had been working for him for years. Apparently, he had invested a great amount of money in the wrong investments, and he lost it all. As a result, all the higher-echelon employees who earned the highest salaries were let go. I was one of them. I have spent the last six months looking for a new position with no luck due to a downturn in the economy. Or at least that is what I believe happened. If you take a look at my resume, you will see that I have always excelled at whatever challenges I face. Unfortunately, the only restaurants I ever worked at were when I worked my way through college. And as it turned out, it was an Italian restaurant. Here is a copy of my resume.”

“Yes, I can see you have many years of experience behind you. And you have done quite well for yourself. It is so unfortunate that it came to an abrupt and unfortunate ending. I would like to hire you as I can tell you are a hard-working, intelligent, and experienced man. However, I am unable to pay you the salary you have earned in the past. But, what I can offer you is an opportunity for a steady income and an opportunity to become a partner in my restaurant, which I intend to open a chain of restaurants across the North East. Here is an explanation of your pay, benefits, and a plan for expansion of this restaurant and where I plan on expanding. And what your responsibilities will be and your future with my company. Be aware that it will take time and hard work. What do you say?”

“I say thank you for offering me this opportunity, and I accept. I promise I will not let you down. And I believe we can build a strong and durable partnership. And over time, we can look forward to a bright and successful future. When do you want me to start?”

“Well, how about tomorrow at 7 AM? That is when I go to the market and purchase vegetables, fruits, meat, etc.”

“Well, I have to admit that will be a challenge. I have a lot to learn. And I will be here first thing tomorrow morning at 7 AM. I thank you so much for this opportunity. They shook hands. And the owner of the restaurant said, “Bye the way, please feel free to call me Carmen, And may I can you Toni.”

A family is eating dinner at the Pizza Parlor—part of the Utah RedRockaLypse4 North.

“Of course, I look forward to tomorrow and all the days that follow it. I’ll be here tomorrow bright and early. Ci vediamo domani come prima cosa.” (See you tomorrow first thing).

 

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A CLEAN SWEEP AND A NEW BEGINNING

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Harold unfolded himself as he withdrew from the driver’s seat of his ancient Peugeot. When he stood up, he rubbed the small of his back and groaned. 

He slammed the car door closed hard. Since it hadn’t closed properly since it was side-swiped in the motel parking lot last month. The sign in front of the hotel blinked MOTEL over and over. He sighed and said, “just another day in paradise.”

As he walked through the hotel door, the bell jingled once, and then it fell to the floor. He left it there. As he walked up to the front desk, he pulled out his wallet and looked for his one and only credit card. He thought he might still have credit available on it. There was a worn-out-looking man with a balding head. The few strands of hair he had left were combed across his pale and shiny scalp. He was slouched over the front desk. He had barely enough energy to say, “good evening.” And then he reached out and grabbed Harold’s credit card. “We have one room left in the back.”

“That will be fine, I’m only staying for one night, and then I’ll be heading home to Atlantic City, New Jersey, where I live. I’m going to my mother’s funeral. She died from lung cancer. I told her to stop smoking, but she never listened to me. She smoked two, sometimes three packs a day. The hotel clerk barely heard Harold talking. He long ago lost any interest in the lives of the people who stayed at this third-rate hotel. He felt they were below him in some way. He slapped Harold’s credit card down on the faded and chipped and faded counter. “This card is no good. Do you have another one or cash?”

Harold looked through his wallet, hoping against hope that he would find some money or another credit card. He was just about to give up when he found a forgotten Visa gift card that still had fifty dollars on it. “Try this.”, he said and sighed. It went through, and the clerk grabbed the room key from one of the hooks on the wall behind him and shoved it  in Harold’s direction. He was so surprised he jumped back. And he said, “what the hell is wrong with you?”

The clerk said, “check out is nine o’clock, not a minute after. And then he turned and walked into the back room. Harold heard a TV playing, and it sounded like reruns of Gilligan’s Island. He headed towards his room, not expecting anything more than a bed with broken springs, a table, a lamp, and a toilet and shower. But he was not wrong. There was a bath towel, a hand towel, and a dirty glass on the bathroom counter. The shower curtain was torn and stained. The bathtub was indescribable. He wondered if it had been cleaned since the day it was installed. It didn’t look it.

He took a leak and then pulled his shirt and pants off and hung them on the crooked hook on the bathroom door. And then he flopped wearily onto the bed. He fell immediately into a dreamless sleep. He gave up hoping for good dreams twenty years ago. He whispered a silent prayer not to wake up. He was absolutely sick of his monotonous life. He couldn’t think of anything he had to look forward to except more of the same.

He was awakened by loud screaming in the middle of the night. It sounded like a barroom brawl in the hotel room next to him. And then he heard what sounded like a gunshot. He couldn’t decide if he should take a run for his car and get the hell out of Dodge. He decided to hide in the bathroom right after he called the hotel manager and report shots fired. Shots fired this was a new low for his career.

What next? Harold was afraid to contemplate what other horrendous things could occur in this hole-in-the-wall, last stop before hell. He decided to continue sleeping on the bath towel and what passed for a bathroom floor mat. He closed the bathroom door and kicked it for good measure, and then pushed the ratty hamper against it. And he fell into a deep sleep and didn’t wake up until he heard his alarm clock ringing and ringing and ringing.

Harold rubbed his crusty eyes. He felt as if he had just fallen asleep, yet he could see the morning sun peaking through the thin and dirty curtains that crookedly hung from a curtain rod. That was held up only by a single screw on either side of the filthy window of his even more disgusting hotel room.

He had to admit he had reached a new low, even by his standards. He wanted to go outside to get a fresh breath of air. But, he was afraid that the gunfire might start up again. On the other hand, his stomach was growling since he hadn’t eaten anything since the hamburger and fries he ate for lunch yesterday. He decided to go to the restaurant next door for a hot breakfast. He hadn’t eaten a real meal in several days. He wasn’t a connoisseur. On the other hand, he didn’t enjoy eating food that tasted as if come out of a dumpster.

He grabbed his suitcase and opened it on the bed, and took out a relatively clean shirt, underpants, and the least wrinkled pants that still remained in his suitcase. He sighed deeply and shoved his feet into a dirty pair of socks and his loafers. He was about to leave when he realized he didn’t have his wallet and couldn’t remember where he put it.

He had a habit of just putting things down and then forgetting where he put them. He finally found it lying under his pillow. He must have stashed it there in an attempt to hide it from would-be robbers. He couldn’t count how many times “the cleaning help” in hotels had “cleaned” him out of his last dollar.

As he stepped out the door, he took a deep breath, and he was surprised to find it was indeed fresh. Probably had something to do with the fact that this crummy hotel room was so far off the beaten path that the highway was nowhere near it. It raised his spirits a bit, and he walked next door to the little restaurant with a smile on his face. He hadn’t smiled in so long that his face hurt. When he pushed open the door, a little bell rang, and that made him happy too.

He plopped down in the first empty booth he got to. The table was covered with a red and white checked tablecloth and had a small vase in the middle with a single rose in it. The rose looked like it came from someone’s garden. He leaned over and breathed in its perfume. A forty-something waitress came over to his table and said, “good morning, and how are you today, sir?”

Harold was so surprised to have anyone say anything pleasant to him that he couldn’t think of a single thing to say. So he just gave her his biggest smile forgetting that he hadn’t put his top teeth in that morning. And that they were probably sitting on the bathroom counter in his hotel room, totally forgotten. He thought, “oh well, such is my life. One dumb mistake after another.” He tried to shake that thought out of his head. And the waitress said, “are you alright, sir?”

“Yes, sorry. I just woke up, and I didn’t sleep very well last night. There was some kind of kerfuffle in the hotel room next to mine last night. I thought I heard a gun go off. And I ended up sleeping on the bathroom floor. Then his face turned all red. He had no clue why he was telling the waitress what happened to him. He was usually a closed book. And never shared anything with anybody about his life. He didn’t know what had gotten into him. “Sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into me today. Could I just get a fried egg with ham and toast and a strong cup of coffee?”

“Oh, course, sir. By the way, my name is Kathleen. Let me know if you need anything else.”

About ten minutes later, his meal was delivered to his table. “Thank you, Kathleen, it looks great. I haven’t eaten since lunchtime yesterday, and I was starved.”

“No problem, just raise your hand when you want some more coffee or anything.”

After Harold finished eating and drank his last sip of coffee, he felt like a new man. He raised his hand to let Kathleen know that he was finished, and she came over and handed him his check. He pulled out his wallet from his pocket, and that was when he remembered he didn’t have any money left.

He looked around, and he started to panic. He didn’t know what to do. He thought about making a run for it. But decided he was too old and too slow for that kind of stuff. So, when Kathleen came over, he said, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but I just realized I don’t have any money left, and I maxed out my credit card yesterday when I checked into the dive next door. “

“Oh dear, that’s unfortunate. Let me have a talk with my boss and see what he has to say, OK.”

Harold sat there and began to feel more and more upset and depressed. He had no one to call for help and no way to get any money. And then, it occurred to him that he still had two strong hands, and he used to work at a restaurant when he was just out of high school. And he knew his way around a kitchen.

He raised his hand and waved at Kathleen. She noticed him and walked over to his table.”Listen, Kathleen. It occurred to me that I could work here for the day to pay for my breakfast. Back in the day, I worked at a busy restaurant in my hometown to make money. I was a pretty good cook, and I know how to clean at the end of the day in the kitchen and the dining area. What do you say? Can you ask your boss if I could do that?”

“As a matter of fact, my boss suggested the same thing. He’s a good guy. So, after you finished your coffee, come on back into the kitchen, and I’ll give you some clothes to put on so you won’t mess up your work clothes, and you can get to work.”

“Really, well, that’s great. Thank you so much.”

“Well, follow me, and you can get started.”

Kathleen led him into the kitchen and handed him the clothes and a long apron. And then she said, that’s the men’s room down the hall where you can change. And then come back here, and I’ll show you what’s what. OK?”

“Yes, I’ll be right back. ” After he changed and put on the apron. He headed back to the kitchen. And Kathleen motioned to him to come over. “Great, you will fit right in. Why don’t you start by sweeping the floors before the rush comes in, and then you can clean the front windows. If you see anything else that needs some cleaning, please take the initiative to do it. If you have any questions, let me know. I’ll talk to you in a little while.”

Harold got busy. He forgot how much he liked working at a restaurant, the camaraderie, the laughter in the kitchen, the workers making remarks about the people that came to eat, and the smells. He wished that he had continued working at his old restaurant now instead of going into sales and spending long days driving and trying to make sales. It was a lonely life.

At the end of the day, he looked around and saw that what he didn’t had really made a big difference in how the place looked. He was about to go over and ask Kathleen if there was anything else that he could do when she waved at him to come into the kitchen.

“Harold, my boss wants to talk to you for a minute.”

“Oh, oh, didn’t I do something wrong?”

“What? No, not at all. Just go talk to him. He is in the back near the freezer.”

Harold made his way to the back of the kitchen and saw a giant of a man with a handlebar mustache standing there smiling at him. Harold walked up to him and said, “thanks for giving me the opportunity to work off my food. I completely forgot that I spent my last dime at the hotel yesterday.”

“That was my good luck. Your name’s Harold, right?”

“Yes, Harold. I was named after my grandfather. But, all my friends always called me Harry for some reason.”

“Well, Harry. You did a great job today. I was wondering if you might be looking for a job because we are really short of workers. And there is a room in the back where you can stay for as long as you like. What do you say?”

“Well, as I was telling Kathleen once upon a time, I used to work at a restaurant, and I loved it. I don’t know why I ever quit. Thank you I would love to do that. When do you want me to start? Well, why don’t you finish out the day and help with closing the restaurant, and then you can start fresh tomorrow morning? And I’ll talk to you about the pay and the room after we close up. how’s that?”

“That’s great. I’ll talk to you later. I’m going to stop by my room next door and pack up my stuff, and then I’ll come back here in a bit.”

Harold walked back to his room and threw all his stuff in his bag and brushed his teeth, and took a deep breath. He threw the keys to the room on the bed and closed the door behind him. He felt a lightness in his step and a brightening in his heart and knew that today was the first day of a new life. He smiled and walked next door to his new life.

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THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

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It’s the first day of the rest of my life. Today is my first day of retirement. I worked hard all my life and saved money so I will be prepared for a happy and secure retirement.

I wake up at 6:30 AM. At the same time, I have been waking up for the past thirty-plus years. Old habits are hard to break and all that. I stumble out of bed and make my way into my bathroom. I look in the mirror at my reflection. I’m still trying to come to terms with the face that stares back at me in that mirror. There’s a similarity to the face I expect to see but still, it looks like a stranger, even if it looks like a familiar stranger. In fact, I look a couple of decades older than I feel.

I expect to see my bright, blue eyes, a ready smile, and a youthful countenance. I guess the youthful part is what’s missing.

I made a commitment to begin every day of my new life by exercising. I start by doing some warming-up exercises like doing deep knee bends, sit-ups, and stretches. And then I get on my clothes and walking shoes, grab my keys and head out my kitchen door to walk two miles.

I have to admit I’m somewhat out of shape and my feet are killing me even though I bought expensive walking shoes. I have no doubt that tomorrow my back and legs and feet will be killing me as well. But I will not let that stop me. I made a promise to myself that I will get in shape within the next six months.

My intention is to get in shape and stay in shape and live for at least another twenty years. I just wish that my face would cooperate and get in shape. If that is even possible. While I’m walking my miles, I consider the next steps to take to rejuvenating my body from head to toe. And decide that I will call my hairdresser and make an appointment to get a haircut and maybe some highlights in my hair. And perhaps a facial as well.

As I’m heading towards the last block I have to walk before I head home for breakfast, I see someone, a middle-aged man looking in my direction. He is standing next to a car that has the trunk open. I wonder if he is having car trouble? I keep walking but quicken my pace as I get closer to the man standing on the sidewalk. He looks at me and I nod and keep going. Maybe I’m just being paranoid, but you never know what might happen. I decided that when I’m out walking alone, I will keep alert, not wear headphones and maybe even keep my keys in my hand at all times just to be safe. I suppose I’m being paranoid, but better paranoid, than dead.

As I continue my walk, I decide to cross the street just in case. As I cross the street I glance over and I see the man get in his car and drive off. I feel a sense of relief. Maybe I am a little paranoid. But still…

I’m only halfway through my walk and my legs are starting to ache a bit, probably from all the years I sat working at my desk. I did have a sedentary job. I should have made an effort to do some kind of physical activity, but I can’t change the past so I’ll just have to do better now. As I’m walking along, I start thinking about all the things I missed out on because I spent the last thirty-something years working to support myself. I never got married, didn’t have children. Didn’t even have a pet, since I often had to go on business trips.

And then the solution to my newly retired lifestyle comes to me, I need to get a pet. I consider getting a cat. But then I think if I get a dog, he can go on walks with me. And I won’t be as nervous because I won’t be walking alone. And that is when I decide that when I get home, I’m going to look on the internet for all the local shelters and go looking for a dog. I haven’t had a dog since I was a kid. I feel excited. I step up my pace and head back in the direction of my house.

According to Google, there are a couple of animal shelters within a mile of my residence. I go to each site and write down their addresses. I jump in the shower and then throw on my clothes. I can’t wait to find out who will be my new best friend.

I forgo breakfast and head out to my car and turn on my GPS to the first animal shelter. I’m the first person to arrive at the shelter. In fact, the volunteers and the employees haven’t even arrived. I listen to a podcast while I wait for the shelter to open. About thirty minutes later a woman pulls up in a Volkswagen. A woman well over six feet tall unfolds herself and steps out of a tiny car. I’m amazed that she fit in the car.

I jump out of my car and quick-step over to where she is emerging from her car like a butterfly out of a cocoon.  I say, “good morning” in the cheeriest voice I can muster up. And she almost jumps out of her skin, because she had no idea I was standing there. She screams, at the top of her voice. “Dear god, you almost gave me a heart attack.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I thought you would have seen me waiting in my car.”

“We don’t open up for another twenty minutes. And I need to have a cup of coffee before I will be able to interact with another human being. Why don’t you go around the corner there is a small coffee shop there and have some coffee and a donut. And by then I will be fit to talk to.”

“Sure, I’ll do just that. I’m sorry if I startled you, I’m just so excited to find my new companion, I just retired, today in fact. And I want to get a dog and—–“

“Please, can you just come back in about a half-hour?”

I look at her, and I realize I better give her the half-hour or she may just put the kibosh on me adopting a dog. “I’ll see you in a little while.”

I decide to walk around the block rather than driving and then having to look for a parking spot and then having to drive back here. It’s a beautiful Fall day and I haven’t been in this area before. I see a shop on the corner called, “HITS THE SPOT.” And I think that must be it, what a clever name.

I push open the door and I hear bells ringing. I look up and I see a bell attached to the chain on the door. There is something so cheerful and inviting about doorbells, I just love them. As I walk through the door, I hear laughter. And to my surprise, there are about fifteen people sitting at the counter. There is a man about my age behind the counter and he seems to be the center of attention. His hair is a mixture of red with white highlights. And he has a red beard. There has always been something about beards that I like. He flashes me a toothy grin and says, “Hey guys move over and let the lovely lady take a seat.”

I can’t believe it but I blush all the way to the roots of my hair. I probably haven’t blushed in thirty years. I smile and take a seat.

“What can I do for you? How about a cup of the best coffee in thirty miles to start?”

“Yes, that sounds great, I haven’t eaten anything today.”

“Well, then how about the house specialty, creamed beef on toast or shit on a shingle like they used to call it in the old days. What do you say, sound good?”

“Well, I’m trying to lose some weight, but since it’s my first day of retirement I think I’ll make an exception and have the house specialty. It sounds great. I don’t think I’ve had that since I was a kid.”

“Well, this is a day for a celebration, how come I never saw you around here before?”

“Well, as I said I just retired and I had to go to work, and I don’t live in this area. I just came here to visit the Animal Shelter. I decided I needed to get a dog since I will be home from now on. I arrived before the shelter opened so the woman who works at the shelter recommended your restaurant to me since I had some time to kill.”

“Oh, well that was nice of her. Was she kind of grouchy?”

“Well, yes. But I was early and waiting for the shelter to open, and she wasn’t too thrilled by that.”

“Well, that’s Madge for you, but she gets better as the day goes on, she usually comes here for lunch every day. OK, let me get busy and make you the best Shit on a Shingle you ever had. I’m sure you’ll be back tomorrow for more.”

I sit quietly and listen to the conversation flow around me. It’s a mixture of retired men and the occasional working stiff that stopped in for a cup of coffee on their way to work. I was enjoying the comradery.  And before I know it, my breakfast was ready. I said, “oh that does bring back memories of my childhood, we used to have this every Friday night for dinner when I was growing up.”

I start eating, and it was even more delicious than I remember. I didn’t say a word, while I was eating. And then I just sighed. Then the cook said, “by the way, my name is Harry and this is my place, and you are welcome to come back anytime, in fact, we would love to have a beautiful lady such as yourself come share breakfast with us. “

“You know, I was going to start the day with a long walk, and I think I will do just that it is about a mile from my house to here and I could stop and join you guys for coffee and occasionally have breakfast since I’m trying to lose weight. By the way, my name is Kathleen. And I’m happy to meet you Harry, and the rest of you as well.”

“So, what kind of dog are you going to get?”

“Well, I don’t know, I don’t know what kind of dogs they have available yet. And I haven’t had a dog since I was a kid. I guess I’ll know when I see him or her. I’m really excited about it.”

“Well, after you get your new best friend stop by and introduce him to the rest of us.”

“I will do just that. What do I owe you? That was the best meal I’ve had in a long time.”

Harry slides the bill over to Kathleen, and says, “the first meal is on the house, but only if you promise to become a regular customer.”

“Really, oh this really has been a great beginning to my retirement. Kathleen looks around at all the smiling faces and says, “the day I get my new dog, I’ll stop and have a celebratory meal. Is that alright, Harry?”

Kathleen waves goodbye as she goes out the door and gives them all a big smile. She can’t believe what a great start she’s having on her first day of retirement and now she’s walking back to the shelter to meet her new best friend.

Kathleen wants to walk faster but she’s afraid she ate a bit too much and she doesn’t want to feel sick so she takes her time getting back to the shelter.

As she walks through the front entrance of the shelter, she can hear dogs barking. Then she hears a young woman’s voice call out, “good morning, can I help you?”

Kathleen is relieved that she doesn’t have to speak to the woman that she met earlier. “Yes, I just retired, and I want to adopt a dog. I wasn’t ever able to have one before because of my job and the hours I kept and business trips.”

“Well, that’s wonderful. Do you know what kind of dog you want?”
“I had a Cocker Spaniel when I was a kid. Her name was Naomi, and she was so sweet and intelligent. Do you happen to have any kind of Cocker Spaniel or even a mixed Spaniel?

“Well, as a matter of fact, we do. And I think that you will just love her. She is about five years old. She has a wonderful, loving nature and is smart as a whip. Do you want to go meet her?”

“Really, she sounds great. Can I see her now?”

“Of course, lets’ go see her. How about if I take her out of her kennel and you can meet me outside in the back. That way she won’t be distracted by all the other dogs. How’s that?”

“Great, oh I can’t wait. I’ll meet you outside.”

In about five minutes, Kathleen hears someone open the back door of the kennel and the woman she talked to comes out with the most adorable dog Kathleen has ever seen. She’s in love the second she sees her.

Oh my, isn’t she precious? I love her.”

“Why don’t you walk over slowly and she will get to know you. I think the two of you will be a great pair.”

Kathleen slowly walks toward the little dog, And the dog starts wagging her tail and smiling at her. Kathleen gets down on her hands and knees and approaches the dog. She slowly moves her hand toward her and the dog licks her hand. She moves her hand and slowly pets the dog from head to toe.  “Oh, aren’t you the sweetest little thing? Can I walk her around a bit?”

“Yes, I’ll stand back here and let you two get acquainted. Take your time. You want to be absolutely positive that this is the dog for you. You don’t even have to make up your mind today. If you want to you can meet some other dogs too.”

Kathleen spends almost a half-hour quietly talking to the little dog and getting to know her. She is such a calm, yet happy little dog. She knows that they will get along together. “Thank you, for being so patient with me, I definitely want to adopt her. So, we can get the paperwork started and I can find out what I need to do. Did she get spayed yet or are there any problems I should know about her?”

“Let’s go inside and do the paperwork, and I’ll tell you her history and by the way, you can change her name if you wish, but her name is Goldie.”

“Oh, that’s perfect. I love it. Let me start filling out the papers, and pay the fee and find out any health issues. And oh, does she up to date on her shots?”

“OK, let’s take one thing at a time, and I’ll take Goldie in the back and have her get the latest flea treatment so you won’t have to worry about that. And I’ll give you all her paperwork and let you know her history. It won’t take that long.”

About thirty-five minutes later Kathleen heads out the door with Goldie and begins her new life with Kathleen. It’s a new beginning for both of them. “Come on Goldie, we just have to take a short walk to my car and maybe meet some new friends of mine. And then we’ll be on our way home, and wait until you see your new backyard. You’ll never have to be chained up again.  And they take their first step towards their new life together. A beginning neither one of them expected when they woke up that morning. You never know what good things lie ahead of you in life.

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TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE

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I met someone so unique and so special. She changed me for the better. And it all began with her smile.

I met her by chance, really. If I had arrived at the park an hour earlier or an hour later, our paths might never have crossed. I recently moved to the area and didn’t know a soul. I had been unemployed for several months. And then finally, finally, I received a call asking if I was still interested in a job I had applied for two months before. 

I barely remember applying for the job. I could paper the walls with all the rejection letters I received for my job applications. Anyway, I think this job has something to do with selling high-risk auto insurance. Not my dream job, of course, but when you’re desperate and need to pay your rent and keep body and soul together, you can’t afford to be that picky.

The interview is scheduled for today at ten o’clock sharp. They told me not to come too early or late because they had interviews scheduled back to back. I decided it would be better to arrive early and wait than to arrive late and miss out on my job interview.

I had to take public transportation to get to the office for the job interview. My car broke down several weeks ago. It turned out that the transmission needed to be replaced. I don’t have the money in hand, nor did I have a credit card that isn’t maxed out.

I took the bus across town that would bring me closest to my destination. As I arrived,i t started to drizzle. I glanced at my watch and realized I was a half-hour early for my appointment. I didn’t bring my umbrella, so I just pulled my jacket hood up over my head.

As I stepped down from the bus, I noticed a park bench that was situated under a large flowering tree and thought it might offer some protection from the rain until it was time for my interview.

I walked across the grass towards the tree, and I noticed there was someone about to sit down on the bench. The rain started coming down harder, and I picked up my pace and ran toward the bench.

I was out of breath by the time I arrived and more than a little damp. I plopped down on the bench and took a deep breath. I kept thinking, why, oh why do I have such bad luck?

Apparently, I said it out loud without realizing it, and the girl sitting next to me turned toward me and said, “Hello, my name is April. How are you today?”

I was somewhat taken aback by her appearance at first. She had straight brown hair, parted in the middle, with bangs high above her eyebrows. Her eyes looked somewhat unusual. They were tilted up somewhat. At first, I thought she might be Asian. But I couldn’t put my finger on just what made her face so unusual.

I’m not the most socially outgoing person, and ordinarily, I don’t feel comfortable talking to strangers. But there was something about her face, her smile that is so welcoming, so endearing that I couldn’t imagine not answering her. She seems so open, so innocent somehow. Although I can see now as  I‘m looking at her more closely, she isn’t a child at all but a young adult. She has narrow shoulders. Her hands are small, almost like a child’s, and folded in her lap. And I can see that she’s petite, less than five feet tall.

She smiles again, a sweet smile. The smile reaches her eyes. I smile back at her. Her smile is contagious. I can’t remember the last time I smiled. I have been so distracted by my unemployment and lack of funds in the last months.

I have always been told I was reticent. In other words, I’m not the type of person that starts having conversations with people I don’t know. I realize now that’s probably the reason I haven’t made any friends since I moved here.

I say, “hello, April, my name is Jeanie.” At first, I’m so shocked by the fact that I’ve spoken to her that I laugh out loud. And then she laughs too. Then, we were both laughing at what I don’t know.

She says, “I have an umbrella.” And she picks up her umbrella that had been resting next to her feet. “Would you like to share it with me?”

“Really? Yes, I really would. I have a job interview across the street in about a half-hour.  I forgot my umbrella, and I really don’t want to go in there soaking wet.”

She smiles again and moves closer to me so I can share her umbrella. I hear her humming under her breath. It sounds like When April Showers Bring May Flowers. I can’t remember all the lyrics but I find myself humming along with her.

She looks over at me and says, “I hope you get the job.”

“Thank you, I hope I do too, I really need it.:

She says, “I will keep my fingers crossed for you.”

I smile at her again. I can’t remember the last time anyone said that to me. Probably when I was a kid. In fact, there’s something childlike about her. As if she hadn’t been tainted by the thousand negative experiences, we all have as we grow from children to adults.

I look over at her, and I can hear her still humming quietly to herself as she looks around the park. I look in the direction she’s staring, and I realize she’s watching three kids about eight or nine years old. They’re swinging on the swings and going up and down the sliding board, over and over again. They keep yelling out “yey” every time they slide down the sliding board.

I can see her mouthing “yey” when the girls yell. She seems to be enjoying it almost as much as they do. I watch her in wonder and think who is this young woman?

After about fifteen minutes of watching the kids, I realize I better be on my way to my interview. I stand up and say,” April, I just want to say thank you for sharing your umbrella with me. I enjoyed meeting you so much.”

“Oh, do you have to go?”

“Well, April I have to go on that job interview I was talking about earlier. Wish me luck.”

“Good luck, Jeanie. I  know for sure you’ll get that job.”

I headed toward my interview with a lighter heart than I had arrived and sat down on the bench in the park. I walk across the street to the office building through the swinging doors and up to the receptionist’s desk.

“Hello, my name is Jeanie Haskell. I have an appointment with Mr. Peabody for a job interview.”

“Oh, yes Ms. Haskell, I see a note here, it says you are to go straight to his office. His office is number 254. Just take the elevator up to the second floor and make a right and walk down the hall until you see office number 254.”

“Thanks so much. Wish me luck I’m applying for a job.”

She looks up at me and smiles, good luck Ms. Haskell, I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

I wave at her and smile and walk toward the elevator across the room. As I walk over there, I start thinking what in the world is going on with me? Wish me luck.

And then I think, well, she was so friendly to me, maybe because I talked to her like she’s a person just like I am. Everyone wants to be treated with respect and kindness. In the past, I rarely talked to people unless I absolutely had to. I was always afraid that they would ignore me or reject me. Maybe I’m the one that has to change how I interact with people I meet.

I arrive on the second floor without any incident. I’ve always been somewhat frightened by elevators. I hate the closed space, and the possibility that it might fall and crash and I’ll be killed. And then I start laughing because even if it fell it would only go to the first floor or maybe the basement and I wouldn’t die.

The elevator doors open after the bell rings and I step out and look from right to left. I see an office marked 254 to my right and walk over to it. I take a deep breath and open the door. I walk over to the receptionist and say, “Good afternoon, my name is Jeanie Haskell. I have an appointment with Mr. Peabody.”

“Yes, we’re expecting you. You’re right on time. Do you have your resume with you?”

“Yes, I have it right here.” And I take it out of my purse and hand it to her.

“Well, Miss Haskell, have a seat it will just be a few minutes.”

“Thank you.” And then I sit down across the room from her desk. I take a deep breath. And I say to myself, so far, so good. At least the waiting room isn’t packed with twenty other people applying for the same job.

About five minutes later, the receptionist called out my name. “Ms. Haskell, Mr. Peabody will see you now.”

I walk up to Mr. Peabody’s door, and as I’m about to open it, I turn around and say, “thank you, Miss Turner.” I had noticed her nameplate sitting on her desk.

“Good luck, Ms. Haskell.”
I knock quietly on the door. And I hear a deep male voice call out, “Come right in.”

I take a deep breath and quietly pull the door open. There’s a thirty-something man sitting at his desk, which is piled high with folders. “Good morning you must be Ms. Haskell, have a seat.”

“So, thank you for coming in today. I see here in your resume that you have some experience that might be beneficial to my business. However, there has been a recent gap in your work history. Would you care to explain that?”

“Well, my mother was sick, and I had to take considerable time off to take care of her. And then I couldn’t find a job. Well, that’s not entirely true, I found quite a few openings but there was so much competition for the jobs. I had that big employment gap and that made it more difficult to get hired.”

“Yes, I can see how that would and does happen. Do you feel that you are able to be a reliable employee now? Or do you think you will still be missing work because of your mother’s health issues?”

“No, I don’t. My mother passed away. And that is when I began searching for a job full-time. But I haven’t had any luck. I promise you I will be a reliable and trustworthy employee. I’m a hard worker.”

“Yes, I can see that all your past employers said you had been a highly reliable and diligent worker. Have you ever sold high-risk auto insurance.? I don’t recall seeing that on your resume.”

“No, but I have had jobs with customer service and sales. And I don’t think that selling high-risk auto insurance would be that different from my past work experience.”

“I agree, are you able to start working immediately, say this coming Monday?”

“Yes, I can start today, if you like.”

“No, I think Monday would be just fine. Would you ask Ms. Turner to give you the forms that you will need to fill out before you leave? I look forward to working with you Ms. Haskell. I’ll see you at 9 am sharp on Monday.”

As I left his office I sighed with relief. I somehow feel lighter and less weighed down by worry. When I arrive at Ms. Turner’s desk, she said,” Well, Congratulations Ms. Haskell. “I had a good feeling about you. Here’s the paperwork. You can sit over at that desk and fill out the papers and then bring them back to me.”

“Thank you, Ms. Turner. I’ll take care of that right now.”

After I finished the paperwork, I brought it back to Ms. Turner with a big smile on my face. Thanks so much. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Thank you too, by the way, my name is Kerry. I look forward to it.”

“See you then, Kerry.”

I take the elevator down to the first floor. Honestly, I feel twenty pounds lighter. As I walk across the street, I decide to talk to the young woman sitting on the bench. She waves at me as I came closer to her.

“Hi!” she says with that smile of hers that goes from ear to ear.

“Hello, I just wanted to let you know that I got the job. She smiles again and says, “I was about to eat my lunch. I have two peanut butter sandwiches; would you like one?”

“Well, I didn’t have any breakfast. Are you sure?”

“Yes, I always bring an extra one for a friend, just in case. You can sit here with me and eat it.”

“I would love that, April. I haven’t had lunch with a friend for a long time. Do you eat here often?”

“Well, yes I do, I come here for about an hour every day until it’s time for me to take the bus home. Here’s your sandwich, and you can share my drink too.”

I take the sandwich gratefully. ” Thanks, April. So tell me about yourself. How far do you live from here?”

I take the 424 bus until I get to my street and then I get off and walk a block to the second building on the left number 63 Harrington St.”

“Oh, this sandwich is great, I don’t remember the last time I had peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I used to eat it all the time when I was a kid. Thanks, April. Maybe we could eat together again sometime. I’ll bring lunch. What do you say?”
“I say great, I like cheese too, or peanut butter and jelly.”

“Well, how about next Monday at noontime? When  I have my lunch break?”

“Yes, I would like that. It’s good to make a new friend.”

“Yes, yes, it is April, and today was my lucky day when I met you and got a new job. I think you are my lucky charm from now on. I’ll see you then.”

As I walk toward my bus stop, I turn around and wave at April she’s watching the kids again, I wave at her and smile. I realize she’s the one who put a smile back on my face. I look forward to spending more time with her. I find myself humming When April Showers Bring May flowers and smiling from ear to ear.

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The Stoop

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“Jilly go outside and play. Stop moping around the house.”

Jilly flops down on the top step of the porch and looks up and down the street. There isn’t anyone in sight.

The boarded windows of the house across the street are tagged with graffiti. Broken bottles, beer cans, and trash are strewn across the overgrown, dead lawn in the front yard. The steps are covered with yellowed newspapers in various stages of decay. Unopened mail tumbles out of the rusty mailbox. The sad truth is it isn’t the only house on the block that looks abandoned. This neighborhood is the poster child for urban blight.

Jilly isn’t shocked or disturbed by the condition of the neighborhood. She has grown up in similar neighborhoods, some worse than this one. This is her third foster placement in the last year. She had to be moved here because her last foster mother overdosed and was taken away in an ambulance.

Victorian home

Sadly, this isn’t the first experience that Jilly had with junky foster parents. It was just the latest edition to a long line of looser adults that promised redemption but delivered empty promises.

Jilly’s glad that she had finished the second grade before being moved to this new place. Unfortunately, now she doesn’t know any of the kids in this neighborhood because she didn’t attend school here. It was a Catch-22 situation.

Something is tickling her foot. She looks down to discover a black ant marching across her feet and into a crack between the bricks on the steps. The ant is soon followed by several more of his six-legged comrades.

She watches the ants as they hurry along the step and over to a discarded crust of bread. Each one of the ants picks up an immense portion of the crust and carries it just as quickly back to the crack in the step and down into their tunnel.

Jilly is so entranced by the activity of ants she doesn’t notice a cat that struts on the sidewalk in front of the house and down the street. Until he lets out a loud yowl as he passes the rusted gate.

She looks up and sees him. He’s staring right at her as he yowls again. It almost seems as if he’s calling out to her. She reluctantly leaves the ants to go and meet the cat.

She wrenches open the rusty gate and steps onto the sidewalk. Jilly leans down and scratches his head. She notices that the cat has scars and is missing patches of fur from his face and all the way down to his long-broken tail.

“Hi, kitty, what’s your name? My name is Jilly. I just moved here yesterday. Where do you live?”

The cat swishes his tail back and forth and continues his walk down the street. He looks back at Jilly one last time as he moves forward. Jilly calls out, “wait, wait for me.”

The cat walks past two houses and then stops in front of a big old house that has a wide wrap-around porch in front. It’s the only house on the block that looks as if someone cares about it.

The grass is cut and there isn’t any trash in the yard. There are flowers growing all along the white picket fence that surrounds the front yard. There’s an arbor that’s covered in climbing red roses. It smells like heaven.

Jilly is startled when the cat meows again loudly. A very old woman comes to the door. She’s wearing a long-flowered dress and has white hair pulled tightly back in a bun.

“Good morning Frank. I’ll be right out. Sorry I overslept this morning.”

Jilly looks around the yard she can’t believe how beautiful it is. How different from all the other houses and yards on the street. She looks over at the cat and he’s rolling on the grass. Then he starts grooming himself. He licks his paws and then washes his face and whiskers.

Jilly laughs at him. “So, your name is Frank.” Jilly walks over to Frank. And he allows her to stroke his head and scratch behind his ears.

The old woman makes her way carefully down the porch steps holding onto the railing with one hand with a dish in the other. “Well, who might you be? I see you’ve made friends with Frank. He’s a wonderful friend to have. He and I have known each other for many years.”

“Hi, my name is Jilly. I just moved into the house down the street. The one on the corner with the old fence around it.”

“Did you, and how do you like living there?”

“Like living there? Well, I don’t know. I just moved here a couple of days ago. I guess it’s all right. I have my own bed this time. And Mrs. P that’s the foster mom hasn’t yelled at me or hit me so far. And she cooks things besides macaroni and cheese out of the box. So that’s better than the last place I lived in. And I don’t think she’s a doper. So that’s good too I guess.”

“Oh, I see, well it’s nice to meet you, Jilly. And how did you meet my friend Frank here?”

“Well I was just sitting on the step watching the ants and he came walking by. He called out to me to follow him. And here I am.”

“Well Jilly, I’m so happy Frank brought you over for a visit. I’m very pleased to meet you. My name is Mrs. McFarland. Would you like to come to sit up on the porch and have some lemonade and cookies? I just made them and was about to have my afternoon snack?”

“Cookies, yes I would love some.”

“Well, Jilly has a seat. Let me give Frank his lunch and then I’ll go get our snack. You can sit right there at the rattan table and chairs. I’ll be right back.”

Jilly watches as Mrs. McFarland puts Frank’s dish on the sidewalk and whispers something in his ear. Then she stands upright and walks back to the steps and into the house. As she opens the screen door she looks over at Jilly and gives her a warm smile. “I’ll be right back Jilly.”

Jilly watches the door afraid that Mrs. McFarland won’t come back out again but then she hears her say, “Jilly dear could you open the door for me?”

Jilly jumps up so quickly she almost topples the rattan chair. She pulls open the screen door and holds it back. She peeks into the house and sees a beautiful old piano and overstuffed chairs and a red velvet couch. There’s a wonderful glass lamp next to it that has pansies painted on the lampshade. Jilly has never seen such a place in her life.

“Well, here we go Jilly. Have a seat, I hope you like these cookies. They’re chocolate chip with coconut.  And here my dear is the fresh lemonade, enjoy.”

Jilly looks down at the cookies and the frosted lemonade glass. She feels like she’s died and gone to heaven. She doesn’t ever remember having homemade cookies before. She takes one bite. It’s so delicious she can’t help but eat the whole cookie.

“Jilly dear, slow down. We have all the time in the world. Why don’t you tell me about yourself? I would love to know all about you.”

“You would?” Jilly can hardly believe her ears. No one has ever asked her anything about herself or listened when she tried to tell them anything. As Jilly starts telling Mrs. McFarland about the second grade Frank comes up on the porch and lies down next to Jilly’s feet.

Jilly leans down and pats his head as if she has been doing it all her life. She can hear Frank purring softly. She looks over at Mrs. McFarland and she has a sweet smile on her face. Jilly is finally here, she has found her home.

“Oh, these cookies are the best I’ve ever had. Can I have more lemonade?”

“Of course, you can.” Mrs. McFarland sits back in her chair and says softly,” continue on with what you were saying, Jilly.”