One Day, At the Local Wal-Mart

“Jesus Harold Christ, William, why do you insist on touching everything? You’re freakin’ thirteen; we aren’t getting anything but what’s on our list, I have told you already!”

“But I need this box for my Yu-gi-Oh cards. I don’t have a box for them yet. And this one comes with a free duel pack.”

“William, you have an old treasure chest to put the things in. You have way too many of those flipping cards as is.”

“But Mooooom, I really want it, please? Please please please please please? I’m going to keep on saying please until you say yes.”

“And if you say please one more time, I am going to take away the computer for a month. Is that clear?”

“But you got Lizzy a new binder, I should get something.”

“I got her that new binder because hers fell apart! Now stop begging, I need to pay for this stuff.”

“Oh.”

“Oh is right. Now clam up and let’s get the heck home before one of the dogs craps in the floor.”

“Oh, God, mom look at that man over there!”

“Geesh William, could you have said that a bit louder?”

“Sorry. Look at him, he’s trying to jump in that dumpster.”

“For Pete’s sake, he could injure himself, we better get over there; one time an old man fell into the dumpster at work looking for bottles. If Jose hadn’t been emptying crates and heard him, he may have died.”

“NFW, really?”

“Yes, FW, and it scared me senseless.”

“Man, that’s harsh.”

“You ain’t kiddin’ bub.”

“Sir! Are you okay?”

“I’m jumping in a dumpster two days before Thanksgiving, does it look like I’m okay?”

“Dang, he’s mean!”

“William! Shhhh!”

“Sorry.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Not unless you got a million and a Mercedes.”

“Would a cup of coffee and a hot meal work?”

“Well, I only got twenty bottles today, maybe it would lift my spirit’s a tad.”

“Come back inside with us, and we’ll buy you dinner.”


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


“Lady, why are you being so nice to me? I smell, My clothes reek, and I’m mentally ill.”

“Sir?”

“Call me Ben”

“All right, Ben, I have had to scrounge for bottles to get enough money to buy a gallon of milk for my kids. I can only imagine what you‘re going through, but I'll try to help.”

“Yeah, and besides, my mom smells and she’s mentally ill, too.”

“William!”

“Haha! Your son is quite the man!”

“Yeah, I think I’ll keep him.”

“Mr… Ben?”

“Yes, son?”

“You can have this.”

“But, this is twenty dollars.”

“Yeah, I was saving it to buy a video game, but I think you need it more.”

“And here’s a few quarters. I’m writing a number down, and I want you to call it. They helped me out when I really needed it.”

“I really don’t know what to say.”

“Just call that number.”

“You’re an angel!”

“Naaa, just someone who was close to being there.”