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Topic: Soul (07/13/06)
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TITLE: Serving Macaroni | Previous Challenge Entry
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07/20/06 -
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The next person in line was an old man. He looked at her with a toothless smile, and said ‘thanks sweetie’.
Gross! I’m not his sweetie. Why do they have to look or talk to me? Kylie wanted dropped the silver ladle and run.
The stream of people walking through the soup line seemed endless. Each one a different look, a different smell, and a different story. Kylie didn’t care. She just wanted to fulfill her community service hours so she could get back to her friends. It had been bad luck that she got caught snitching that hundred forty-dollar bracelet.
Kylie knew the supervisor, Mary, was watching her, making sure she was doing her job. . Mary looked ready to chase Kylie if she bolted.
Mary went up to Kylie, “Say, I see you’re doing a good job.”
“Yeah? What’s so good about it? Just throwing this slop on their trays. Big deal. When this is over, my serving the community is done. I’m out of here.”
Plop!
“Sure, Kylie. Well, I would really appreciate having you come back tomorrow and helping. I always need the help.”
“You’re kidding, right? I’ve got better things to do. I ain’t never setting foot in this place again.”
Plop!
“All right, but you’ll always be welcomed to help, Kylie.”
Mary walked away; someone needed her over at the beverage table. Kylie sneered at her proposal. She wants me to come back and help. She’s nuts.
Plop!
When it was clean up time, Kylie could have screamed. She wanted to leave. Taking a trash bag, she went around throwing away the littered plates, cups, and plastic silverware. One table was still occupied by a mother and her three children.
Kylie noticed the sad eyes even though the lady smiled. Looking at her, a memory of another time nagged at Kylie. “You’re so wonderful to help and give us food. I don’t know what I’d do without this. My children and I are so thankful.”
“Uh, yeah, you’re welcome.” Now leave so I can go home.
“When I found out about this place, I said it was an answer to my prayers. It’s so hard to keep food in the house. I’ve got a job, but it only pays so much and I stretch it as far as I can.”
Why she telling me all this stuff? I just want to get her stuff cleaned up.
“This isn’t supposed to be this way. My husband got caught stealing from the company and is in jail. They had no sympathy for him. I never understood why Frank lifted stuff. I think it goes back to when he was a teenager, and taking things from stores and what a thrill that was.”
Her voice sort of broke, like she was struggling with tears. Lowering her voice, “That thrill latched onto his soul, took over his mind, changed him.”
She helped her youngest daughter wipe her face, and then gave her a hug.
Glancing at Kylie, she said, “Oh, I guess you are waiting on us.” Then to her children, “Well sweeties, lets go home and get your homework done. We got school tomorrow.“
Kylie slowly cleared the table. Those eyes. Kylie just remembered when she last saw that “what am I going to do’ look. It was when her mother bailed her out of jail. Stealing…the thrill of it…in his soul…mind. The words repeated over and over in her head. Would that be her in a few years…like Frank…in jail?
Kylie found Mary and though her pride said walk away, her heart won the struggle. Smiling, she said. “Hey Mary, I’ll be back tomorrow.”
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