Check for Honesty

The breeze was light that afternoon. Carly and Gerald walked hand-in-hand along the concrete path of the park, the same as they did every Thursday afternoon. They always had to shuffle slowly through the park to get to their favorite bench, but they did not have a hired aid or nurse, and never accepted offers from younger park-goers.

They had selected this particular bench because of the panoramic view. They could see the playground, the food truck and picnic area, the gazebo where some couples chose to get married, and the small pond where there were always lively ducks and the occasional buff swan. The bench was within a few feet of the path.

“This is a nice day,” Gerald waved his hand in the air as Carly joined him on the bench. Carly glanced around the area at the families and individuals who had already crowded into the park. “It is,” she agreed, smiled, and pointed to the playground. “So many lovely families.”

A man hoisted a small girl into the tire swing and she squealed as he gently pushed it into the air. A set of twins hovered near the edge of the sandbox, disinterested in getting their hands dirty, while their nanny unfolded a checkered blanket in the grass behind them.

The rush had ended for lunchtime at the food court, but there were still latecomers placing their orders, and others sprawled out among the picnic tables as they finished their meals. Gerald and Carly were always able to spot which couples were on awkward first dates, and which had been together for years. They liked to base their suspicions on body language and the way the couples ate in front of each other.

“Table number three is a first time for sure,” Gerald announced. “Look at the way she eats? He’s been done for a while and she’s still eating that hot dog. Too slow to be a comfortable relationship.”

They had created a numbering system for the picnic tables to avoid having to point when they wanted to bring one to the attention of the other. Carly checked table three and nodded to confirm Gerald’s finding. “I’m sure she regrets ordering a hot dog on their first date, too,” she added, with a smirk. “A nice boy takes you to the park as an innocent first date and you think a hot dog is the right choice?”

Gerald laughed. He continued his rounds and began to watch the goings-on of the field closest to their bench. It was typical for a variety of visitors to occupy this space; sometimes an intense game of frisbee would take place, primarily among members of the fraternity from the nearby campus, who took up a game after their food truck adventures cured their hangovers from the night before, and sometimes individuals would spread out on the grass and read or attempt a crossword puzzle. The most curious individuals to Gerald were those who simply stared at the sky from the grass while wearing headphones, as they seemed oblivious to their surroundings.

Today, the lone occupant of the grassy field was a man in his thirties, dressed in khaki shorts and a graphic t-shirt. His flip flops were neatly together in the grass at the edge of his microfiber towel. Gerald had often noted the two types of people who removed their shoes when going into a picnic blanket area or the beach; some kicked off their shoes the moment they stepped foot into the dedicated shoe-less arena, and left them strewn about in the general proximity to their chosen spot, while others did not remove their footwear until they had been properly seated on their blanket or towel. These individuals always lined their shoes at the very edge of their spot, as to avoid an interaction between their bare feet and the dirt.

“That young man in The Grass is reading the bible,” Gerald commented. Similar to the picnic tables, the two had codenames for the different areas of the park around their bench. Carly peered over to The Grass and nodded to confirm.

Teddy usually spent his afternoons reading scripture or journaling on his days off from work. Sometimes he would do so in his home office, but since he worked alone from home, he would oftentimes take his hobbies out into the world as a means to be outside and around other people. He could see the park from his condo, and could usually check if it was too crowded before walking over. He usually took off one day during the week, and one during the weekend. Sundays were reserved for spending time with his three cousins. They would meet for lunch after church, and once a month would attend a local soup kitchen to help provide meals to the less fortunate. Teddy was an only child, and had always been grateful to have relatives close to his age.

Teddy had leapt to his feet when he spotted the elderly couple making their way along the concrete to the bench. He watched them for a moment, with the intention of rushing to their side to help them. As Teddy slipped into his sandals however, Gerald had already taken his seat on the bench. Teddy realized he was too late to help and decided to let the matter go.

“I’ve never seen him before,” Carly continued, as she studied Teddy’s face. Unlike most of the other people, he wasn’t wearing sunglasses or a hat. A bottle of sunscreen and a reusable water bottle were next to him. He looked up as a passing bird left a large shadow on the grass, and Carly saw the sunlight sparkle through his blue eyes before he returned to his reading. He was perched on the towel with his back straight and his legs crossed in front of him, the bible resting in both hands on his ankles. “He’s the one.” Gerald nodded in agreement. “I think you’re right, my dear.”

Carly retrieved a checkbook, pen, and a small black notebook from her purse. She filled out the check, scribbled her signature, and copied the check number into the notebook. She put away the notebook and pen, and kept the check clutched in her hand. “Time to find out,” her tone was joyful as she stood up.

Teddy had been particularly invested in his selected passage for several minutes. When he finished, he put the bible down on the towel and stretched his arms. The bench was empty, and he felt bad that he had missed the elderly couple depart, as he had hoped to have a second chance to assist them. He noticed a piece of paper on the bench and went to the bench to pick it up.

With the check in his palm, Teddy glanced around furiously, trying to spot the couple. He couldn’t see them anywhere. He paused, overwhelmed, and stared again at the check.

Carly Dunham’s signature was at the bottom, but the recipient was blank, and it was for twenty thousand dollars. Teddy flipped the check back and forth in his hand in disbelief.

Teddy noticed the contact information in the top left corner of the check. It did not have a phone number, but did have their address. He plugged the street into the map on his phone; it was walking distance from the park. He pocketed the check and made his way to the Dunham's house.

Carly and Gerald had reached the top of their porch stairs when they heard Teddy’s voice behind them. They turned slowly, and feigned surprise at a visitor.

“Hi,” Teddy panted. “My name is Teddy. I was sitting near you at the park and I found this after you left. He handed the check faceup to Carly. She dropped her purse and grabbed Gerald’s arm in shock. “I can’t believe I’ve done this!” she shrieked. Gerald touched her hand reassuringly. "It's okay, my love."

Gerald then turned his attention to Teddy and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Please come inside for some iced tea, son. We want to thank you for your honesty.” Teddy nodded, retrieved Carly’s purse, and followed the Dunham’s inside.

Teddy’s eyes paused on the room to the left of the foyer and noticed several stacks of neatly folded clothing. The clothes did not appear to be age-appropriate for the Dunham’s. Carly noticed his gaze and slid her arm through his. "We've had a lot of guests," she explained as she led him away from the open doorway.

They proceeded down a hallway and into an enclosed porch. The large room overlooked a private lake owned by Gerald and Carly. “Oh. Like a B&B?” Teddy continued. “Something like that. Sometimes there’s breakfast,” Gerald responded. “Or dinner.”

The three sat together for almost an hour, as they drank glasses of peach tea, admired the water, and shared stories. After Gerald revealed he had noticed Teddy reading the bible in public, Teddy recounted stories of the missions he had taken with his church groups. He shared details of the holidays he had spent at the local soup kitchens and the care packages he had created for underprivileged children.

“And now you’ve returned our check to us, Teddy,” Carly raised her glass. “You’re a true saint.”

The clock on the wall chimed. Teddy glanced at the time and became startled. “I’m very sorry, Mr. And Mrs. Dunham,” he said, putting his glass on the side table. But I need to be getting home. My cat takes a medication every night at 6:30 and I’m cutting it close.”

“Of course, Teddy,” Carly said. She and Gerald remained seated. “Please do visit us again sometime. And don’t be a stranger in the park.” The three exchanged final pleasantries and Teddy headed to the front door.

As he reached for the doorknob, a trapdoor beneath his feet suddenly opened. He fell through, violently crashing into the concrete floor below. The bear trap snapped around his right leg, and he heard the pop echo through the room as it cut through his bone. He couldn't stand, and he screamed in agony and fear.

Gerald and Carly turned on the lights as they rushed into the room. The room had two medical tables in the center, but the countertops that lined the walls contained kitchen appliances and pantry staples. Carly quickly began retrieving items from the counter and cabinets and moving closer to the stove, while Gerald began examining instruments at the medical tables.

Teddy noticed how quickly the couple maneuvered throughout the room, in complete contrast to their physical limitations at the park. His breathing increased. “What is this?!” He screamed.

Gerald and Carly did not respond. Carly had the water running to fill a large pot, and had started heating a pan with garlic and herbs on the stove. The aroma filled the room as Gerald picked Teddy up from the floor.

Teddy flailed and tried to escape, but the pain in his leg was unbearable. Gerald hoisted him onto the medical table and dispassionately strapped him to the cold surface. Carly had retrieved greens from the refrigerator and had started arranging them decoratively on two plates.

Gerald removed Teddy's clothes. He tossed the bloodied jeans into a pile in the corner, and neatly folded the rest of Teddy's unstained clothing. Teddy suddenly realized why the other guests had left so many items behind. “Why are you doing this!” He screamed, as Gerald retrieved a bone saw from under the table. “I returned your money!”

Carly stopped and joined Gerald next to the table. She gently touched Teddy’s wrist. “That’s exactly why,” she smiled. “You see Teddy, Gerald and I have been doing this a long, long time. We’ve found that honesty really is the best policy...when it comes to flavor.”