Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I'm grateful to this group. I wrote a story instead of a poem and want to share it. It's not finished. If you read it, let me know if you think it's worth finishing.



Magic Meatball

"The day I met your great-grandfather, it was raining cats and dogs..."

That's what I'll write, she thought. She stared at the man standing in the middle of the Philly street. He held one hand in the air like a crossing guard as he scowled at the cab that nearly took his life. It was the squealing tires and blaring horn that brought her to the curb. She saw the man bend and scoop something from the ground and hold it protectively against him. The cab was going too fast! Her hand flew to her mouth and she cringed in horror. She was sure he was going to die. But he didn't. It stopped inches from his leg.

Sal stood in front of their apartment building in a puddle as icy water poured over her stocking feet. Her neighbor -- Jack? John? Jordan? she couldn't remember -- ignored the cabbie who screamed obscenities at him. He turned and walked in her direction. When he saw her standing there, mouth open, no umbrella, drenched, he broke into a wide grin.

"Look what I found," he said. Tucked under his right arm was a tiny, furry, and very bedraggled bundle. One eye poked open and a little pink tongue flipped out to sample the rain. Sally's heart melted.

"You're crazy," she said, but she couldn't stop grinning. "That cab nearly crushed you. You would have died for this pooch?" Rain flowed over them both and neither seemed to notice.

"Sure, look at him. He's just a baby."

Sal reached one hand slowly toward the puppy. He whined and licked her fingers. She was in love but she wasn't sure with which -- dog or man.

"Now what?" she asked. "You travel don't you? I mean, sometimes I notice you arrive with suitcases." She stammered. Her cheeks flushed with heat. The cold rain felt good on her face.

"I do travel. That's where you come in." He smiled, hugely. Big smile. Great teeth. "Let's get into dry clothes and I'll make us coffee. See you at my place in a few?"

"Sure okay." Sal smiled back. She was shy and didn't really talk to men except at work. There she just said things like, "More coffee?" or "Would you like dessert?" She wrote love songs in her off hours and dreamed of having the guts to sing in front of an audience.

She was nearly to her door when he called her back. "I was wondering..." He looked embarrassed.

"Hmm?" she asked. Uh oh.

"Do you have any bones? Or meat? Something this guy might like?"

"Oh. Well. Not really. I'm a vegetarian. Cheese maybe?"

"Sure that'll work in a pinch. Maybe some milk?"

"Sure why not," she said. "Actually, I'll run over to Fred's for puppy food if you like."

"Nah just a bit of cheese and milk and he'll be out like a light. I'll pick the puppy stuff up later. Thanks though." He smiled again, waved, and headed to his door, just across the hall from hers.

"Sure, see you. Soon." Sally waved but he was already inside. She looked at her hand in the air and felt silly. She never was good at ...this stuff. People stuff. Books yes. Music, always. People made her nervous. It was like they were speaking a different language most of the time and she was only getting every other word.

------

Coffee was good and he was easy to talk to, mostly because he talked and she listened. His name was John but his friends called him Jack. He was an engineer for (she already forgot the firm's name) and was new to the city, relocated from Chicago. He was the oldest of four, but rarely saw his siblings. They'd all gone to Ivy League schools.

She brushed away questions about college (dropped out, no money) and her childhood (only child, not counting her insane step-family) and her job (schlepping tables, who talks about that?) by saying, "I'm new too," or "Tell me about ..." whatever. They had similar tastes in movies and music, and had read most of the same books, though he gave her the names of a few new ones that really interested her.

"Yeah, The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. Great stuff. Helps you rethink things. I get up at 5:30 to start my day."

"Mmm, me too. Well, 5. Like Mary Kay."

"Who?" Laughter in his voice.

"Mary Kay Ash. She founded Mary Kay Cosmetics. She woke up every day at 5:00 AM and started a "5 O'clock club."

"Oh, she sounds interesting."

"She was amazing," Sal said. "My mom got interested in sales because of her book. She was never much into makeup so she took up selling Tupperware."

"Perfect, I need containers. Can you hook me up?"

"Sure," said Sal. Seriously? Containers? "I'll get you a catalog."

"Great! More coffee?"

They ended up ordering Thai and talking until way past her bedtime. He thanked her again when she left for her help that day. The little dog had loved the milk and cheese and, as Jack predicted, had slept since then.

Poor thing must have been on the street for days, thought Sal.

"We need a name for him," Jack said. He bent to check on the little pooch and Sal's heart flipped over.

"Meatball?" Oh geez! Why did I say that? It was the first thing that popped into her head.

He laughed and beamed at her. "Perfect! I love it. Meatball it is. Thanks again for everything, Sally. I'll see you soon." He smile at her with so much warmth she felt herself blush again. 

"Sure no problem. Bye. Bye Meatball." Oh wow lame. Bye Meatball, the sleeping pooch. She left hurriedly and all but raced across the hall to her apartment, his bright smile still large in her mind.

"By ten that night, the rain had stopped, but their life together had just begun..." Sally said in her empty kitchen then laughed out loud. Some day I should buy a journal, she thought.

She yawned and headed for bed.

Gratitude
Grateful for you, every person in this challenge. There are 30 counting me! I've loved every day.

♥.