The Little Black Book

Feeling beaten and let down Jessie slowly climbed up onto the downtown bus. He followed the same pattern everyday. Climbing on the bus each morning, resumes in hand and trying his luck at any business lucky enough to be hanging on during the pandemic gripping the world.

Another day spent looking for a job without any luck. It was hard luck losing his job at his uncle's restaurant a couple month's ago. His uncle had decided to shut the doors after 30 years unable to cope with the loss of customers due to covid.

Jessie had been trying ever since to find any job so he could keep up with bills, pay his rent and buy enough food to keep his little family fed. He was starting to get worried as his savings were almost completely used up and jobs were scarce unless you were trained in the health sector. Weary with another day of defeat on the work front he was headed home.

He sat down in the middle of the bus and it was then he noticed a little black book tucked between the seat and the wall.

The bus was empty so he picked it up and thumbed through it thinking he might be able to identify the owner.

His eyes opened in surprise when he read the words printed on the first page. "To the explorer who has discovered this treasure follow the instructions inside and you will be rewarded. I am lucky enough to have wealth and I wish to share it during these trying times."

Jessie quickly flipped to the next page.

Instruction #1: Get off the bus at stop 22 and find instruction #2. It will be below the bench inside the bus shelter.

Instruction #2: There is a playground a few blocks down find your way and dig around. Off he went down the street until he saw a park and in the middle of it was a sand box. He noticed a pink ribbon sticking out and there he dig out an envelope wrapped in a pink ribbon. He dusted it off and carefully opened it.

Instruction #3: Walk 2 blocks to the west and stop where water flows each spring there you will see a golden key

Jessie knew immediately he was headed for the water fountain that flowed from spring to fall and quickly headed west.

He searched the shrubs that surrounded the fountain and sure enough he found a key. On the key was a tag with locker #3 on it and the logo of a gym not far away.

Excited now he hurried on and entered the gym. He was met at the door and informed the gym was drop in only and he needed to pay the $5.00 drop in fee. He pulled out the last of his money and handed it over.

Once in the change room he slowly put the key into locker #3 and hoped he wasn't wasting his time on someone's idea of a joke. Before his eyes was a pile of 100 dollar bills and when he counted them he found himself $20000 dollars richer.

Jessie was amazed at his good luck and warmed by the kindness of a stranger. He headed back to the fountain, put back the key. Then back to the bus shelter to put the clue back in place. And finally back on his bus where he tucked the notebook back into the space between the seat and the wall.

Smiling he headed home knowing someone would be $10,000 richer tomorrow and the warm feeling he had grew even greater.