It was 7:45 pm 2009, Joe was going to his nightly job as a construction worker in Manhattan on 13th street. It was a Wednesday;
the day that Joe got his pay check for the rest of the month. His
income, due to the Economy, had fallen dramatically over the months. But Joe knew that if he quits his job and went out in pursuit for another one; he would have no luck finding on and have nothing to depend on but himself. Well Unfortunately Joe was already on the streets with no house and very little money.
Joe was freezing. It was winter and unfortunately Joe had no coat or really anything that could protect him from the cold frozen world. The only thing that protected him was his worn out jeans and red plaid
shirt. Those worn out jeans and his red plaid shirt were the only
things protecting Joe from the outside world. As He rounded the corner Joe came to a stop. There right before Joe's eyes was a fight. About a dozen teenager kids where crowding around two kids. The kids were covered with blood and bruises; they lined the outline of their small aggravated faces. Joe had not been in this situation before so he just walked around the bunch of kids until one said -
“Hey, you! With the white beard!”
“Yeah, what to do want from me?” Joe said frightened.
“Aren't you going to stay and watch the fight?”
“No, thank you.” Joe said “I have to get to by job.”
“Can’t you just be a little late? Your boss won't be mad” The kid said as he grabbed Joe's shoulder.
Joe didn't know what to do. Not once had he been pressured to watch a fight. Not once in his entire life had he'd been pressured at all really. His parents were drunk alcoholics that never looked out for him nor care for him. So then he reacted in the best way he could at the current time. Right then and there Joe turned around frightened
and slugged the guy who grabbed his shoulder right in his left cheek. The kid fell to the ground almost unconscious. From above Joe could see the black and blue mark already forming on the kids left cheek. In the corner of his eye he had been able to catch a glimpse of the other kids crowding around the fight. When the kids heard the hit is when they turned around and stared at Joe in what seemed like the Devils stare. If Joe was any more tired he could of sworn he saw horns started coming out of the kids heads. Then the injured kid got up and yelled-
“What was that for?” He said in a scream that could shatter glass at
the first sound. By then even the kids fighting each other up got up from the cold side walk and stared.
“Oh. I'm so sorry! You have to trust me when I say that!” Joe mumbled.
“Oh you better be!” The kid said as all the kids looked at each other as if they were telepathic communication. Just then they all ran toward Joe. Taking this as a threat, Joe sprinted off into the night running down the block and rounding the corner onto 11th street. He kept running until he found an alley large enough for him to sit in. As he sat down he heard Tap. Tap. Tap. On and on down the street. At first Joe thought the noise coming down the street was the fighting teenagers looking for him. The noise being a weapon the kids are carrying; probably a baseball bat tapping against the ground. To Joe's surprise it was a woman in her mid-40. The noise was her high heels tapping against the old concrete. There was a jet logo on the busines suit that she was wearing. At first she passed him. A few seconds later she walked back to where Joe was sitting in the alley.
“Hi.” She said. “What are you doing out here?”
“I have nowhere to go.” he mumbled.
“That can't be true. You must have some home” She said as she sat next to him.
“You're looking at it.” He pointed to the cardboard box next to him.
“That’s not right. My name is Dylan Green” She said.
For the next hour or so Joe and Dylan introduced themselves about
where they work, what they like to do and what are their hobbies.
Dylan’s was she worked for a jet service.
“Here, take this.” She offered as she handed him a 1,000 check. “Take
this and start over your life.”
“Thank You” He said.
And with that Dylan got up and walked down the old concrete street of 11th street. A few minutes later Joe got up and walked in the opposite direction that Dylan went in. With the help of Dylan, Joe now knows he has the confidence to start over his life starting with the 50 dollar bill that Dylan gave him.