Regretless Choices

There was absolutely no mistaking it. The man in the topcoat that got into the limo DEFINITELY dropped it. What “it” was though, he had no idea. Martin Stackhouse had been on the streets long enough to recognize something while not giving away that he had seen something, and then found a way to capitalize on it. Living on the streets, that kind of skill was necessary to survive. Fortunately, this was the time of day when there weren’t many pedestrians or other traffic that might come by to scoop up what was about to be his. Martin stayed sitting against the wall he called “home” and waited a good minute after the well-dressed man’s vehicle passed to make sure he was gone before getting up and casually walking over to the gutter where the item was dropped before crouching down to fiddle with his shoes and pick up the item and casually stroll around the block before returning home. Being homeless had its advantages in cases like this, because who wants to get close to someone who looks and dresses (and smells) like him. People generally gave him as wide a berth as possible, which was perfectly fine as he had experienced that kind of treatment all his life. As he rounded the corner, he heard a plane fly over from the nearby airport, and it made him remember what he had, and what he had lost.

Martin was never what one would call “socially graceful”. He had grown up an only child to parents who were loving (in their own ways), but never truly supportive. He had very few friends growing up so he never truly learned how to socialize with others in ways that at times didn’t come across as odd or awkward. So, he learned to be alone, and eventually, he found he rather enjoyed his own company to that of others. Sure, he was smart and capable, but he knew he would have a difficult time in corporate America, so he joined the military after he graduated. Military life suited him, life in the Air Force even more so. He couldn’t fly because of his vision, but he loved planes. He worked as an aviation mechanic and he took great pride in his work, making sure everything he did was perfect, precise, and unquestioningly immaculate. He excelled at it so much he was promoted to the lead of his crew in short order. But one week one of his mechanics that worked on the avionics systems rubbed him the wrong way. They got into an argument which sadly led to tempers flaring, insults traded, followed by several punches, time in the Disciplinary Barracks, a Dishonorable Discharge, and ultimately the end of his marriage. All over a stupid little black box. Black box…black…book? Black book? Black book!

Pulled out of his memories and back into the present, Martin looked at the black book he now held in his hands. It was a very well-crafted book, closed with a leather strap and silver clasp. He had only ever seen books like this in older TV shows with more historical contexts. Martin looked around again to make sure he was still invisible to the world, and once he confirmed that fact, he opened the clasp to see what contents such a vessel would hold. As he opened the book, a sealed envelope fell out of it and landed at his feet. He picked it up and saw the very front page had been written on, so that took his attention immediately.

“To the new owner of this book:

Inside you will find enclosed the sum of $20,000 in a sealed envelope. This book and envelop are now yours to do with as you desire. Consider this a new brand of social experiment. While I have no desire to see my money returned, I have every desire to see what you will do with it. From the moment you came into possession of the book, my staff has begun observation of you. They will not involve themselves with you or communicate with you in any way, so please feel at ease.

I have made arrangements with the bank outside which I left this book to open an account for the bearer of it and the money with no questions asked so you may safely deposit your new funds. Regardless of your background, my only interest is in your actions as of now. Consider me a student of human thought and action, and I am most anxious to see what I learn from you.

Warmest Regards,

Brandt”

Martin stared at the words for a moment, then remembered the envelope in his hand. He opened it thinking it was surely NOT what the book said it was…but it was; $20,000 in cash, all $1,000 bills. Immediately, his reaction was to put the envelope back in the book and put it back where he found it. Martin’s mind raced through more scenarios at once than he had ever done before. He was being watched, possibly investigated, but he had never seen let alone held so much money before! He could get off the streets and start rebuilding his life again…but what if someone found out about him and questioned where he got the money? And just because he had money didn’t mean he had credit, which was more important in the modern world, so it still didn’t guarantee success. So many possible outcomes, almost too many to consider at once. He looked around the corner at the doors to the bank and considered walking in and depositing the money, but decided to stay and wait. To think and consider and plan. This was not as easy a thing to deal with as movies and TV would make it out to be. It was starting to get dark so Martin put the book in his jacket pocket and went to the soup kitchen he frequented for dinner before coming back home to sleep on his decision.

Dawn came and woke Martin with the familiar scents of morning dew, car exhaust, and the trash dumpster from the Chinese restaurant at the end of the alley. He sat up and wiped his eyes, stretched his arms out, and made sure the book was still in his pocket. Assured that both the book and envelope were still there, he went to his belongings and looked for some paper and something to write with. The pen was one of the most important things he felt he could have because without one he was unable to try to find work, not that it helped with his military discharge status. People just weren’t willing to give him a chance because of it. But with pen and paper now in hand, he could try formulating a plan to counteract what he had done to his life. He began with what he felt the right end goal should be, and then reverse-engineered the solution to a starting point…which was to take the money to the bank. With the money in the bank, he now had financial security. With that, he could buy some new clothes, get a haircut, get cleaned up, get a room someplace, and hit the reset button on his life. As he put the lid on his pen and felt satisfied with his plan, he stood up ready to act…and heard a baby crying.

Martin looked around for the source of the baby. He walked to the end of the alley where he heard it and peered around the corner and saw a young woman sitting on a bench with a young child, her new baby, and what could only be described as all of her belongings in trash bags surrounding her. As she tried to quiet her baby, the young mother was herself crying based on the size of the bruise he could see where her left eye was. The thought of a woman being hit like that enraged him. But as he watched and listened to the woman, her voice trying to calm the baby also managed to calm him. And with that calm came clarity. And with that clarity came a new choice. Martin had ended up at this point in life because of his choices and actions. She didn’t. No woman with young children would make a decision that would result in them being forced out on the street. That decision was made for her by someone else, someone petty, vindictive, vicious, and without morals.

He felt the book in his hand again and knew that what he was about to do was the right thing. Knowing how he looked and smelled would cast him in immediate suspicion, so he approached very carefully. As he got close to the mother, she noticed him and he said hello. As delicately as he could, he began a conversation with her so that he could tell her why he had started talking to her. She was obviously uncomfortable and skeptical of everything, so when Martin showed her the black book and the envelope of money, she was literally shocked into a silence that lasted for what seemed like an eternity for them both.

“I’m giving this to you. You have much more of a need for it than I do. Please…take it Martin said as he put it on her lap. The young woman looked at it, then back at Martin as if to ask “are you crazy?!” She put her baby in the stroller, picked up the book, and opened the envelope. The reaction she presented could be described as nothing less than the honest, heartfelt emotional tears a Hollywood actress would display if she won her first Academy Award. Tears flowed and her cries could be heard by many around now. Her young son sat next to her in amazement and wonder, not truly understanding what happened. Martin smiled, knowing he had done the right thing. After she regained some of her composure she stood up and hugged Martin so tightly she could have broken a rib had he been a much thinner man than he already was. She started to thank him and he stopped her mid-sentence. “You don’t need to thank me. You need this far more than I do. I made my mistakes; I deal with them. You and your kids need this far more than I do.” She still thanked him anyway. Martin said he would look after her belongings while she went to the bank, so she eventually acquiesced and took her kids, the book, and the money and walked into the bank.

As he sat there, surprised how calm he felt at having given away the very thing that could have helped him so much, a limo pulled up in front of him. It looked almost like the same one from yesterday…because it was! The window for the passenger rolled down and the distinguished-looking gentleman that dropped the black book addressed him. “Mr. Stackhouse, might I have a word with you?” Martin looked at the man, amazed that he already knew his name. “I thought you said you wouldn’t try to contact me,” he said. The gentleman smiled, “I said my staff wouldn’t contact you. Obviously, I am not my staff.” Point to the gentleman. “Can I assume that you would be Mr. Brandt then?” Martin asked, already assuming the answer. Brant replied “Yes, and I would very much like to discuss with you the possibility of joining my firm. I have never seen someone simply give away money as you did. Especially when it could do much for their own situation. I find that to be fascinating, and very much the kind of thinking I would like within my ranks. What do you say?”

The door to the limousine opened for him, and Martin looked at it, and then back to his alley. What choice is there to make? Martin’s mind raced once again…