The Benefactor

Aurelia ‘Ory’ Brooks, 32, was working as a waitress at Hammond’s Caribbean Café in East Harlem for five years. Friendly, charming, helpful, confident were the words of her customers, most of whom would confirm her good looks, disarming smile, proactiveness and social skills as her trademarks. She was the first to open up shop and the last to leave. She once talked an armed burglar from robbing the restaurant.

One wintry day in January, after closing to passengers, she was cleaning up in the kitchen. She remembered brown, puffed envelope her boss, Trevor Duncan, referred her to prior to leaving for the day. She opened it up. The contents were a little Moleskine® black book, a flashlight and a designer pen. She opened up the book to find there was nothing written in it. Puzzled, she switched on the flashlight. There was no light. She paced around the room wondering why she was given an empty book and a flashlight which did not work. Then, the thought occurred. She could point the flashlight on the book. She re-opened the book, switched on the light and read the following:

“Aurelia Keisha Brooks, your life is about to change...”

She was completely shocked, considering she had never informed anyone of her middle name.

She read on: “Please, don’t be alarmed and forgive the drama. You’ll find the pen works, too! These three items are results of advanced technology. The flashlight and pen, which is inkless, are solar-powered. The pages of the book are nano-technology interwoven in each page. It reacts only to the pen, which can only be seen through the flashlight. It responds to your command and is also a calculator. Go on, give it a try!”

She was impressed. Positioning the flashlight in her mouth, she picked up the pen and inscribed:

“Who are you?”

The response materialised a few seconds later:

“Someone who really wants to be your friend. You are required to do a massive favour. First, write the number 555-4357 and 8513#. Write bold full stops next to both numbers. Press your pen on the full stop.”

She felt suspicious, at first, but with a sense of calm, did as instructed. The book speed-dialled the number. She was instructed to activate the code, which, she guessed, was to press the pen on the dot.

She then heard a rather calm female voice emerge from the book with the following message:

“Yes! The book’s also a cellphone! Hello, Aurelia. I’ve heard a lot about you. Right now, I need your help. At present, the sum of $20,000, tax-free, has been forwarded to your account, but cannot be used until midnight. Please check it on your book before you proceed to the next page.” The book clicked.

She checked it. It was all there.

She turned the page which revealed the following instructions.

“You are expected to help people who are in need within and exactly half an hour, on the following conditions:

1. Do not pay said people in cash, directly. Use it to buy the things they need.

2. Do NOT take the credit for helping them. If you’re found out, deny it.

3. Help as many people as possible, no less than 20, no more than 50 (one of whom has to be Melissa).

4. Do NOT reveal to any person/s the contents of this book (not even Rayon!).

5. There is one undisclosed condition, which you have to figure out yourself and you will be rewarded, once followed to the letter. Failure to do so will require you to refund the entire money.

6. Breathe. As said earlier, don’t be alarmed. It’s a lot to take in. There is no catch. There’s no drug or tainted money involved, no room of pain and definitely nothing illegal…none of that! As you may have gathered thus far, the tasks are nothing less than random acts of kindness. You have been specifically chosen because you have an amazingly good heart.

7. Make a record of all the people you helped in this book.

8. To accept this request, dial the same number and punch in the same code, both of which you must not forget, especially if and when you need help throughout the stipulated time. Follow the same procedure upon completion of the tasks, once the cash has been completely spent.”

She took a deep breath. She was curious. Yes, she watched The Matrix. What if the rabbit-hole had no depth? She asked herself. She looked at her book dialled the number and entered the code and it was the calm voice again:

“Well done, Aurelia! The time is 10.58pm. Your time starts at midnight. Your train is in two minutes. When you get home, use this time to fulfil Rule No. 7. Good luck!”

The phone clicked again.

She took a brief pause, stared at her watch and ran to the nearby 116 St. Station and boarded the 3 Train, seconds before the doors closed, to Harlem. When she returned to her apartment in Lennox Avenue, it occurred to her she could help some people she knew. She jotted down a list:

Her sister, Rayon, needed $3, 432 to cover health insurance for her 12-year-old niece, Melissa, who urgently needed a heart transplant, also at Mount Sinai.

Carlos Delgado, a fourth (and final) year medical resident at Mount Sinai Hospital, was $4,582 short on his student loan. He had been working overtime to make ends meet but was still unable to meet his target.

Janya Jasmine Jain, nutritionist, Yoga and Pilates instructor, who was required $3,037 to expand her studio.

Rinascita, an institute for troubled kids a few blocks down from her apartment, required renovation following a leaking roof and a shootout, which totalled $4,725.

She remembered a phone conversation she overheard between her boss at Hammond’s, Trevor Duncan, who was warned he had four days to pay $7,672 in rent or face foreclosure of his restaurant.

She realised she needed 15 more people to make the and the total was already $20,016, but she could not dial the number yet as the time was 11.47pm.

She waited. At midnight, she called the number and punched the code:

“Hi, this is Aurelia! Look, I appreciate you wanting me to help but I’m sorry to disappoint...”

She then revealed the contents on her list and continued:

“You asked me not to take credit for giving, so wouldn’t it be better, rather than being seen, if I paid this money into the accounts of the people they owe. It’s the 21st century, everyone’s got accounts!”

“Check your email with the book. Remember to use the pen to scroll down if you have to.”

She did just that. She saw all the information she needed.

“But this is confidential information. This is way too much access. How did you…? Never mind! their lives are gonna change as mine has, so give me a few minutes while I make the transfers. Don’t hang up!”

True to her word, she made the transfers at the 29th minute.

“Congratulations, Aurelia! You kept your promise. Get some rest. We’ll keep in touch!”

The book clicked.

“Now that really freaks me out!” She said as she took a shower and, afterwards, went to bed.

Her phone rang at 1.06am. It was Rayon, screaming hysterically.

“Ori, Ori, Ori! Oh, my God!!!”

“What happened, Ray?

“Missy! It’s Missy!”

She got up and asked, “What happened?”

“We’re at Mount Sinai. I don’t know how, but we got insurance! They’re operating on Missy right now! She’s gonna be okay, Ori! My baby’s gon’ be okay!!! Thank God for Dr. Carlos!

“Did you say Dr. Carlos…as in Carlos Delgado?”

“How many Carlos Delgados do you know? He’s one of the doctors operating! Gotta go, O! Come down as soon as visitors are allowed, okay? Love you!”

“Love you, too!” The phone clicked.

Half an hour later, her book rang.

“Hello?”

“Good morning, Aurelia! Sorry to ring you earlier than expected. You probably have a lot on your mind, including your niece, Melissa, whose operation has concluded and is expected to make a speedy recovery.”

“I’m really overjoyed to hear this, but if you don’t mind me asking, why me?”

“This is what you’ll find the rest of your life figuring out. One question, what are your thoughts on the joy of giving?”

“I get goose bumps when it happens. It’s amazing when a life is improved or saved. There’s so much joy!”

“True. Open your book. You’ll see someone familiar, seconds after being told his debt was settled.”

She saw, in black-and-white, a near-perfect footage of an overjoyed Dr. Delgado on his knees, crying and praising the Lord in Spanish, hugged by two of his colleagues. She cried, too.

“Do you see?”

“I do.”

“You saved his career. He saved your niece’s life. Do you see the difference love makes?

“Yes”

“The same way as you went overbudget with the payment by $16, which was a selfless act. It’s also noticed you didn’t spend any of the money on yourself. Excuse me…”

She heard a few sniffs on the line.

“Wait, are you…? It’s okay…it’s okay!

“You fulfilled Rule No. 5.”

“I still failed you. You said no less than twenty people”

“Hammond’s, as you well know, has a staff of seven and Rinascita has 9. You met your target. You didn’t fail. Please check your account after this call. That’s for you and you alone and tax-free. We will give you a separate amount if you want to continue doing your good work. It’s not a contract. You’re not bound. You’re in control. You’re free to continue or leave. The choice is yours.”

“I’m in, for as long as it takes! But I do have to meet you at some point”

“Are you sure you want to? That might defeat the purpose.”

“That’s the only condition. I won’t tell a soul, not even myself!”

(Laughs) “All in good time, Ory. Get some rest. Goodnight.” The phone clicked.

She checked her account and found a massive $60,000. She screamed soundlessly, so as not to wake her neighbours.

Through the book, Ory eventually met her mentor, multi-billionaire inventor and philanthropist Amy Jenkins. She said she felt compelled to act following the Black Lives Matter protests, the current pandemic and the invasion on Capitol Hill. She felt talk was cheap in offering solutions and handing money was not an option because of how quickly it is spent and how easily it corrupts. She chose Ory because, all her life, she had helped people without asking for anything in return and not making a public display. Amy said she was also surprised how she supported Kayon and Melissa whilst studying Law at Harvard on scholarship, where she graduated, magna cum laude. She turned down multiple offers to work at law firms, because she felt most of them were not in touch with everyday people. This is why she chose to work at Hammond’s.

Amy was impressed with Ory’s story and concluded she was the right person for the task, but she warned there was trouble afoot.

She showed her images of a journalist, Jed Knight of the New York Times, who had followed the trail of their benevolence and was about to run a story. He was provided information by Gail Drucker who did the exact same thing Ory was assigned to do but was obsessed with money she did not do most of what she was asked to do, she was more interested in living on the fast lane. She was jailed for two years for tax evasion. She was released two weeks ago.

Amy, glad Ory accepted her proposal, warned her of the difficulties she was about to face, and was told to guard her book, as it was a link between them and unlimited resources, with help allocated to her, whenever required.

Ory began to realise, at that point, a foundation was laid for her to become…

…A BENEFACTOR.