The Park

The Park

“They did it again.” Alex said.

“Who?” Ben asked.

Ben honestly didn’t care. Ben didn’t have many friends. Alex was weird, but at least he was somebody to hang out with.

“Those two.” Alex pointed to a couple sitting on a bench eating.

“Well…” Ben started, “they seem fine.”

“They’re eating muffins, from Kinsey’s cart.”

“So, they bought muffins?”

“They walk around the park every day trying to get people to give them money. If they had any, they wouldn’t waste it on muffins. They need real food.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I live over there,” he pointed to the houses at edge of the edge of the park. “I see them a lot.”

“So, what does it mean?”

“They had no money today. They probably stole the muffins. Let’s go see Kinsey,” he walked away.

Ben was flabbergasted! Was Alex going to tell on them? Get them in trouble for being hungry enough to steal food? He rushed to catch up, but Alex was already at the muffin stand. Ben decided to stay out of it.

“Kinsey!” Alex greeted the guy, “How’s it going?

“I thought I’d be seeing you; you must have seen them…”

“Yeah. I saw them, yesterday too, they said they were moving to Boston. They think they can get some work there, there’s a shelter they can stay at.”

“Oh, that’s great! I still have eighteen bucks of yours, do you want it back?” Kinsey asked.

“Let’s wait and see if they actually go.”

Suddenly Ben saw Alex in a different light. A light he would like to be in himself. “Can I add my five to that? Just in case?” he asked.

Years later Alex and Ben opened their own shelter, they called it “The Park.” Nobody ever knew why, except Kinsey.