Friday, December 28, 2012

The Lost Paycheck

Robert checked his watch. 8:30A.M. He had just enough time to stop in at Arlene's to pick up a coffee, before clocking in at Vegload Press. Three minutes for chitchat with Arlene, the owner.

"Hey, Arlene, how's it shaking this morning?" Arlene picked up the tips jar and gave it a toss, back and forth.
"Pretty slim, but it's only 8:30. We got all day to fill this baby!
"Well, here's a boost," Robert took a $5.00 bill  from his wallet and stuffed it into the tips jar.
Arlene gushed, " Awww, Bobby......on your way out, grab a cheese danish, You're too sweet!
Robert waved goodbye and ran out the door. 

Clink-clack. 9:00 at the time clock.

Robert was relieved...right on time. It being payday, well, late would have been a"bad look." The office was quiet. No one in his section had arrived yet. He settled in with his coffee and savored the peace. He heard Diane, his assistant and Betty, the high school temp aide, get off the elevator.Yak, yak, yak. Diane had been with him for eight years, but Betty just came to help a couple of weeks ago.

"Good morning. " Robert threw Diane a kiss and she reached up in the air to catch it.
"You two are so corny." Betty was not impressed. Matter-of-fact, nothing really impressed Betty. The only time he saw her exhibit any kind of excitement, was when she'd tell Diane about some jazzy dress in the window at Macy's or about the "fly" boots she had on lay-a-way at Filene's. Seemed to him, Betty had a chip on her shoulder. They'd gotten her through a city-sponsored program that helped juvenile, recovering addicts get jobs. Who knew what she'd been through.....He  let Diane supervise her. So far, so good.

"Diane, I'm going to HR to pick up the checks. It's 9:30; they should be ready." Diane nodded her approval and off he went.

He was humming on his way back from HR. Payday made him hum. He was planning a weekend trip to Martha's Vineyard and today, instead of depositing his check, he would tell the teller, "All 50's...cash please!" He didn't want to use his credit cards this weekend-all greenbacks!

"Somebody's happy!"
"You know what payday does for me, Diane!"
"I thought only ghetto people felt that way." Betty, really.
Diane glance over at Robert and his look of distaste didn't surprise her. She tried to calm the situation.
"Yea, well you know Betty, we're more alike than different. Work hard and payday is the happy reward...that's universal."
"Whatever, I'm off to cash my check...see y'all around two." She threw up a peace sign with her fingers and exited.

"That girl is trying my last nerve...what's her problem?
"She's juggling a lot, Robert. Recovery, school, motherhood....
"Motherhood....that girl's a mother???
"Yes, that WOMAN has a three year old son at home. Sharing a place with six other people. She's trying but it's hard.
"I'm going to trust your judgement, Diane, but she might be a better fit in another department. She doesn't seem to be too happy with us.
"That's just her way...give her some time, she'll come around.
"Fine, here's the deal....I'm off to the bank...see you in about an hour!"

The bank wasn't crowded. Robert was in and out in an half an hour; ten 50's and five $100 bills lined his coat pocket. He had to remember to put the money in the safe, once he got back to the office.
Back upstairs, he found his cubicle to be empty...no Betty and no Diane.

"2:30, where are these ladies? Oh, well,I'm not going to let them ruin my Martha Vineyard mood!"

Sitting at his desk, finishing up some reports, he looked up and Betty was coming through the door.

"Sorry I'm late. The line at the check cashing place was all the way down the street."
"Why don't you think of opening an account at the bank?No long lines and no check-cashing fees." He started looking through his drawer for a sign-up application for her.

"Hold up, Mr. Robert. Right now I can't do "banks". I'll think about it for the future...thanks.

"Okay , Betty and .... that reminds me. Hold on a minute." Robert ran to the closet to check his coat pocket. He checked the right pocket, then the left one- nothing. He pulled the coat off the hanger and shook it. No $1,000.00. He looked all around the closet floor-nothing. He came back to his desk and calmly sat down. Betty was making copies at the Xerox machine. A few minutes passed...Diane entered the cubicle.


"La la la, you know Robby, that payday song...I got some slick lyrics myself! Money, money, mo....What's wrong, you look sick!

"My pay is missing outta my coat pocket! Every dollar of my $1,000. is gone." He was out of breath and now his attention was directed to  Betty at the Xerox machine.
"Calm down! Did you look carefully, all around the floor? May be it dropped out on the street!
"It was in my coat pocket. I felt it in my pocket on the ride up here. I hung up my coat and forgot to put the money in the safe! She came right in behind me!" He pointed over to Betty at the Xerox machine.

"You blaming me, Mr. Robert? I didn't take your money..CHECK ME!!!"
"No, he won't check you...go to the cafeteria and wait for me there, okay? Me and Mr. Robert going to talk." Betty exited. Robert glared at her as she left the room.

"That girl stole my money. You know it and I know it."

Diane sat down besides Robert."

"Today, Betty told me she owed a lot of money to a drug dealer she used to sell for-somebody from her past. He threatened her son's life and he said he would shoot up the house if she didn't get the money to him by 6pm today. She was so desperate, she asked me for the money, but I couldn't get my hands on that kind of money by 6:00. She's trying to make a clean cut, from an old life. Please, Robert,maybe you dropped it on the sidewalk, on the way into the building." She started bawling.

"Diane, you're taking this so hard...I didn't know you connected so strongly with this young girl."

"That young WOMAN was me some 20 years ago, Robert. Only the kindness of strangers saved me. Be that stranger for her, Robby." He held Diane. She was trembling.

"The money fell on the sidewalk. You take that young woman under your wing and mentor her while she's here. Let her know what she means to you and how much you care. Right now, girlfriend, I gotta get to the bank and stop by Arlene's to check up on that tips jar!"   



THE END







 

Friday, December 21, 2012

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Shining!

GOOD MORNING!!!!! \O/
I saw an ad, this morning, "Broken china made into elegant jewelry..."
I immediately thought about Father and His amazing way! He'll take your broken life and turn it into "elegant jewelry" for His kingdom!
Roman 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."


Have a wonderful day~ SHINE!

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Monday, December 3, 2012

When I was a little girl,we didn't have Jiffy Pop or Orville Redenbacher; our family used a pot, popcorn seeds with a little cooking oil in the bottom. If I close my eyes, I can still smell the pungent odor of the popping kernels. I can still see Dad standing by the stove waiting for the last grain to explode!

"Here he comes!", hot pot in hand. I anticipate the crunchy morsels, waiting to salt them. I turn right, he turns left and the pot edge slides down my forearm.

"Ouchhh!"

A slender red line, horizontal to my pinkie, immediately appears. In a mad dash, Dad runs to the medicine cabinet for ointment. But I smile hoping he takes "the long way around" 'cause I'm not even thinking about that burn, the hot pot or nothing else as the puffy salted "pillows" sneak down my throat and into my soul. They settle in waiting to be revived and labeled, "Favored Memories'....