Little Black Book

There is a saying when you do something for someone, never expect an award in return. I would never imagine the series of events that happen to me would change my life completely. It started a couple of years ago. I was getting lunch at my favorite sandwich shop. The line was long as usual because they had the best sandwiches in town in my opinion. I happened to look out the window and saw a homeless woman across the street. She was holding a sign begging for spare change so she could buy herself something to eat. Everyone was doing everything to avoid her. It was as if she did not even exist. I decided to get her a sandwich with bottled water. I cautiously approached her because I did not want her to be frightened of me. She did not realize I was there until I started speaking. Hi, my name is Tess. I saw your sign and wanted help. She stares at my outstretched hands with a sandwich of bottled water. I told her not to be afraid, just brought this from the sandwich shop across the street. She finally relaxed and took the food and said thank you and told me her name was Mary. She asked me if I would sit down next to her. Mary started to share with me about her life and how she had become homeless. A couple of years ago, she was married to a high school sweetheart for over 25 years. They both had high-paying jobs. Their life was good until she got sick and was no longer able to work. So, she and her husband went from a two-income family to one. Mary always spent so much time in the hospital. It caused stress in their relationship and ended in divorce. She stops caring about herself. What I see now is a broken woman just trying to make it through day by day. I told her there are shelters where she would have a clean bed, clothes, and food. She said I could not handle the fighting between the other ladies. And besides, she felt safer on the streets. I offered to put her in a hotel room where she would shower and sleep in a bed. She rejected it at first, telling me I have no money to pay you back. I told her she deserves to be happy again. And get her life back on track. After staying at the hotel, there was a change in Mary had started to embrace life. I would stop by from time to time to see how she was doing. My day started out like any other day is something I will never forget. I knocked on the door instead of seeing Mary. It was someone else in her room. I was thinking did she go back on the street. As I walked away in shock, trying to decide what to do, a housekeeper approached me and stated that her hotel manager wanted to speak to me right away. I had begun questioning her about Mary and why the hotel manager wanted to see me. She says I don't know and points me in the direction of where the manager's office is. I knocked on the door and he invited me in and offered me a chair. I wanted to know the reason for my being there. He finally cleared his throat and looked at me through his bifocals and said I don’t know how to tell you this but, your friend passed away in her sleep and she made me promise to give you a package. I was shocked I couldn’t believe it I started crying, he tried to comfort me, but I just pulled away. But, through my tears, I started to think at least she is no longer in pain. Once I calm down he hands me a brown bag with something inside. He said that they had become friends and she told him all about me and what I had done. And how grateful she was that I saw her when no one else did. I thanked him and left with the package. Once I got home I slowly unwrapped the brown package and inside it contained a little black book. I was curious what this could possibly be. I slowly opened it and inside was the little black book. There were handwritten notes from Mary expressing how lucky she was to have met me. That I was her angel and she wanted to give something to show how she appreciates my kindness. I turned the page and there was a check, folded in between the pages payable to me by Mary for 20,000. I kept saying this isn’t real she said that she was broke. I was excited and nervous at the same time. I never had a large sum of cash like that before. I waited for a copy of days before I went to my bank to deposit it. I waited to see a banker at his desk. I told him the reason for the visit and gave him the check along with identification. He verified that the check was real and it was deposited in my account. I walked out of the bank still in shock about Mary's generous gift to me. My simple act of kindness toward her was to return with a gift that would allow me to pay it forward to help others.