You Must Be The Change You Wish To See In The World

“Spare a penny, young lady?” the old man asked, proffering a tin cup that had seen better days twenty years prior.

Furtive eyes glanced quickly toward him, then away as high heels clicked past, their pace quickening.

“Whore,” the old man grumbled, shaking his cup half-heartedly in their owner’s direction.

Too many rejections over the last few days had taken its toll, and he threw his cup angrily at the brick wall across the street. The metallic clatter set his teeth on edge, so he grabbed his bedroll and headed to the river. Now and then, you could find a few cents there – even dollar bills on a good day. He shivered against the cold and pushed his hands deep into his well-worn pockets.

When he arrived, the trees stood thick beside the riverbank, but he slipped among them with practiced ease, his eyes ever on the ground, looking for that familiar glint even while steadily making his way toward the small clearing he sometimes frequented. If you went at night, you’d occasionally run across the young lovers who dropped the coins he sought, which could result in consequences he’d rather avoid. But it was early yet. Visibility was high, and the chances of the spot being taken were low. He was much surprised therefore, when he saw her there.

She was simply standing, silhouetted against the river when he arrived. So breathtaking was she that he didn’t even look around for the man who must be with her. His eyes seemed unable to leave the painted canvas of her face. She turned her head toward him, her dark eyes glinting with hidden knowledge as she smiled.

“Hello,” she said, taking one small step in his direction. “What do you seek in this place?”

The moisture left his mouth under her steady gaze, and it was the best he could do to dumbly repeat, “What do I seek?” before her words fully soaked in. “Oh!” he said, flushing with embarrassment, both at his confusion and at the answer to her question. “I . . . I was hoping for some change,” he stammered.

The young woman’s smile morphed into a grin before a laugh broke through, spreading her mouth wide. “Then change you shall have!” she declared. She raised both hands into the air and thrust her face toward the heavens. The old man took a step back in surprise, then jingled and jangled his way to the ground, nothing more than a pile of coins, covered over by the torn, disheveled clothes of a well-known beggar.

The woman gazed thoughtfully at the coins for a moment. Then a satisfied smile spread across her beautiful face, and she giggled softly, amused by her little joke, as she returned to the waters from whence she’d come.

Author's Note: I wrote this story as a contest entry for the JBaz Twisted Unofficial Challenge. I hope you enjoyed the read. I'd love to hear what you think, so please feel free to leave a comment, click the heart, and subscribe!