The Soup Kitchen

It was beautiful outside. Mother loved this time of year, but it sometimes made her sad - that Sidney, his dad and she were no longer a family, but she still had Sidney. She prayed every day for her situation to change, for happiness and enough to take care of herself and her son, but she never gave up hope. "One day," she thought, "One day".

Thick snowflakes fell as Sidney stuck his pink tongue out to catch them. Mother pinched his button nose as he lifted his chubby face towards the sky. He closed his eyes as the flakes danced upon his face. He skipped beside his mother as she balanced herself as if walking on a tightrope, desperately trying not to fall. Every day after school, no matter the weather they walked through the park to the neighborhood soup kitchen. On warm days Mother watched as Sidney slide down the sliding board or climbed on the monkey bars. During the summer months, she took him to the pool before going to the soup kitchen were cold sandwiches and lemonade was served. The rest of the year, it was hot soup and sandwiches. Sidney's mom volunteered four afternoons every week, helping to feed those in need and those who just wanted a warm place to socialize. The other three days she volunteerd at the local Senior Citizens Home. After the death of her beloved grandmother, she decided this was something she wanted to do. Besides, Sidney loved going with his mom; the people fascinated him. Especialy, Old Man Jake.

One day Old Man Jake walked into the soup kitchen, sat by the window and took a particular liking to Sidney and his mom. Sidney pitched in whenever he could but only on one condition, he got to serve Old Man Jake. "He's a world of information, Mother, he knows everything." Sidney told her, "And he's the nicest man I've ever met." She didn't mind Sidney talking with Old Man Jake; she didn't want Sid pestering him with his many questions while he was trying to eat. But Old Man Jake didn't mind at all; he actually welcomed the company.

The snow was piling up, and Sidney loved the crunch sound underneath his feet. Sidney ran ahead of his mother, flopped down into the snow and began making an angel for her. He did anything to make his mother smile. Sidney noticed that she had not smiled much since his father left them two years ago, so making his mother happy was his first priority. He waved his arms from side to side while opening and closing his legs to create the perfect angel. As mother slowly approached he felt something strange bump against his arm from under the snow.

"What is it Sidney?" Mother asked.

"I don't know. But, if I pick it up, I'll mess up your angel."

"It's okay, son, you're my angel. Just be careful getting up. I don't want anything happening to you, especially if it a piece of glass."

"Okay, Mom," he said as he shoved his hand a little deeper into the snow. "It's a little black book. Mom..." he said suprised, eyes widening, "Mr. Jake said he read in the newpaper about little black books being place around the city and one having a $20,000 check inside."

Mother didn't believe a word Old Man Jake said, he was a nice man and all, but just an old man seeking attention. "He should be in a nursing home," Mother thought to herself.

"Let me see that. If it is, our luck just changed." Mother grabbed the little black book from Sidney's hand and began screaming as if being mugged on a New York City street. She clutched the book to her chest and continued hollering at the top of her lungs. "Thank You." She said as she held her hands up triumphantly. "Come here, baby." She says as she stretched her arms out to him. As she pulls him towards her, his glove slips off his hand causing her to fall back into the snow. Sidney scrambles to his mother, knelt next to her as the both burst out laughing. She hugged him and for the first time in two years, his little heart burst with joy to see a smile on his mother's face.

"Come on, Sidney," she said dusting snow off her coat. "We're going to be late, but first, listen to me," She said taking his chubby face between her hands. "Don't tell anyone about what we found."

"Not even Old Man Jake, Mother?"

"Not even Old Man Jake. I'll tell him when the time is right. Until then, this will be our little secret. Besides, we don't even know if we've won. I don't want us getting our hopes up high when there are may be other little black books out there somewhere each possibly being the $20,000 winner."

"Okay, Mom. Our little secret."

(2)

Mother put the black book inside her red backpack. She could not contain her excitement. The thought of winning $20,000 would help her and Sidney considerably. The drawing was two nights away, and the chance of them finding a black book was like finding a needle in a haystack. Mother couldn't help from thinking that someone knew they would be walking through the park and deliberately place the black book where they would find it. But on a snowy day, she thought, with Sidney running directy to the area it was hide, well... Was once in a lifetime. Strange, very strange, she thought. But if she won, she could finally afford the down payment on that one bedroom apartment she has been wanting, move out of their cramped studio apartment, seriously look for a job; oh, and buy new clothes for Sidney. Her poor little Sidney was bullied by boys in his class and some girls, too. But he never complained. Sidney spoke to Old Man Jake about being bullied but no one else. His mother suspected bullying but he denied it each time she brought up the subject. She felt sorry for her son. Old Man Jake was a big help to her. He talked to Sidney about everything from self-denfense, compassion, empathy, and helping your fellow man or woman whenever they were down and out.

Sidney bursted through the door of the soup kitchen and ran straight to Old Man Jake. He wanted desperately to tell their news, but promised his mother he would not. Their little secret.

"Hi, Mr. Jake, how are you?"

"I'm good for an old man," he said, chuckling. "How's my little buddy today?" Patting Sidney on his shoulder.

"Good, Mr. Jake, very good."

"Sidney, leave Mr. Jake alone and come help me with these tables." Mother said.

"Okay, Mom." Turning back to Mr. Jake. "Do you always help your fellow man or woman when they're down and out?" Sidney asked.

"I do, to the best of my ability. My father taught me when I was a little older than you."

"That's what I want to do when I grow up; help people who need it. Excuse me, Mr.Jake" Sid said smiling. "My mother needs my help, thank again."

(3)

The following two days were happy for Sidney and his mom. She spoke to everyone who passed her on the street. She worked extra hours at both the Soup Kitchen and Nursing Home; she was so happy. Mother rubbed her thin hands together as she walked to where Old Man Jake sat to tell him about her black book. She pulled up a chair and sat down oopposite him.

'Mr. Jake..., Sidney found a black book two days ago." Mr. Jake smiled as she began to talk. "It was so weird because it was at the exact same place Sid stopped to make an angel in the snow. Did you..." She paused. "Never mind." She said as she stared directly into his eyes.

"You deserve this." He placed his hand over her thin hands folded on the table. She wasn't sure if it were his word or his touch, but she knew then everything would be alright.

(4)

"Mother, when are we going to open our black book."

"As soon as we get home, son. Let's enjoy this.... whatever it is while it last just in case we don't win."

"Mom, we have to win."

"I know, son, it would be wonderful."

"Come on, Mom, let's hurry home; I can't wait anymore."

"Yes, let's go. I'd race you, but there's too much snow out here."

(5)

Sidney pushed through the door of their small studio apartment straight to where Mother hid the black book. He took it from underneath the clothes in her tiny maghongany dresser and handed it to her.

"Here goes, Sid."

As she slowly opened the book inside was a check made out for cash in the amount of $20,000.

"We won, Mom."

"Yesss," she said.

"Put your coat back on Sid; we're going to the soup kitchen to see Old Man Jake. We gotta thank him. If it hadn't been for him, we would have never known about that book."

They hurried back through the park more excited than they had been in two years. Sidney and his mom skipped through the park stopping only to look at the place Sidney made his snow angel. She looked at the faint image then bent over and touch it.

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, son."

(6)

"Mr. Jake," Sidney yelled as they walked through the door at the soup kitchen. "Mr. Jake, where's Mr.Jake, Miss Pearl?"

"Who?"

"Mr.Jake, you know, he always sat by the window alone."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry, Sid, but he left. His daughter had been frantically looking all over New Yor for him."

"Pearl, are you sure? he never mentioned a daughter." Pearl gazed straight into her eyes sympatheically. "Yes, honey, I'm sure. But you will never believe who he is?"

"Who?" Sid and his mother said in unison.

"Jakeson Elkayam, the owner of the Elk Yam Superstores and philanthropist. His daughter said he was visiting places around the country picking out people who he wanted to help in some way or another. She said he found a mother and her son here and placed a black book in the park they walked through everyday, but it had begun to snow and he was afraid they wouldn't find it but they did. So, his time was up here and onto the next place."

"Thank you Pearl, but I can't believe he left without us telling him thank you."

Pearl smiled at them and said. "I am sure he knows."

(7)

"I can't believe it, Sid." She says looking down at her son. She put her arm around her sons shoulder as they walked out the soup kitchen, happier than she had been in a long time. Snowflakes began falling as Sidney ran through the door and stuck out his pink tongue to catch them.