A hungry youngster, drenched in rain, begged a wealthy stranger for help but was turned away. Thirteen years later, they meet again, but this time the boy can alter lives. The rain was so bad I couldn’t see past the next streetlight. A rain that made your clothes stick to you and your shoes spongey. I waited outside a restaurant with gold doors and beautiful window music. My stomach churned as I watched others devour heated meals through the glass. I was 10. Cold. Wet. Tired. Mostly hungry. My cardboard read “Hungry” shakily. Please assist.” Some passed without looking.…
Author: World Wide
A poor, lonely old woman named Emma started getting daily presents from an unknown source. She had no children with her late spouse, so she didn’t know where these deliveries came from. Emma Richards was crushed when her husband died seven years ago. She had to care for herself for the rest of her life as no one else would. She and her husband John have no children to care for her. When asked why, Emma always shrugged and avoided answering. Emma was watching TV in her bedroom when the doorbell rang. Since she wasn’t expecting guests, she went to…
A blonde and a brunette decided to r.o.b a bank, and after some planning, they put their scheme into action. The brunette drove up to the bank, turned to the blonde, and asked, “Do you remember the plan?” The blonde sighed and said, “Yeah, yeah, I remember…” The brunette went over the plan one more time before letting the blonde out to do her thing. Just before the door slammed shut, the brunette shouted, “Be in and out in 5 minutes!” The blonde ran inside, and the brunette waited in the car… and waited… and waited… and waited… Finally, after…
Visiting my sister to meet her fiancé was exciting, but nothing prepared me for the shock at her doorstep. I had to decide whether to protect her happiness or risk our relationship by revealing my past secrets. Some choices affect everything. I flew to meet my sister Carol’s fiancé. I was excited to meet her future husband. My younger sister was entering a new chapter, and I wanted to see her happy. I felt distracted. I thought of my trip, which ended a week ago. He seemed wonderful, and I had a brief but thrilling affair with him. I imagined…
Natalie’s boyfriend always ‘forgets’ his wallet when they dine out with his kids, leaving her to pay till she has enough. After losing her patience and money, she takes a stand and reveals his actual nature. I thought Evan was wonderful when we started dating. At 39, he was charming, humorous, and a loving father to Liam and Emma. As a 32-year-old without children, I admired his grace. Or so I thought. The holes in his immaculate persona were revealed months later. Started tiny. We took his kids to supper weekly. Evan always chose eateries, sometimes informal, sometimes expensive.…
I bought milk, chicken, and raspberries that morning. Although weird, it was what I needed. Milk for coffee and breakfast, chicken for dinner, and raspberries for my husband’s favorite raspberry and white chocolate cupcakes. I went to the supermarket for groceries but left with a secret. Our neighbor stood in the dairy aisle. Recent divorcee, blonde, young. She was browsing the yogurt options, smiling like nothing was wrong. To be honest, she probably didn’t care. Mother’s earrings hung from her ears. I choked on my breath. My gut curled with sickness. I thought my hands were white as I clutched…
My height has always been a concern, especially when flying. A fellow traveler on my most recent trip didn’t care about my agony and willingly made it worse. But this time I had a clever answer! I am tall for my age, 16. Just over six feet! Every time I fly, I expect a terrible ride. My knees are pressed against the seat in front of me before we take off because my legs are so lengthy. It’s not enjoyable! What happened on the last flight was the highlight. It began like any other excursion. My mom and I…
When a poor janitor gives her daughter an antique toy from a flea market, she hears a cracking sound. She cries over what she finds. “I love this. Eve will love!” Pauline shouted as she passed a toy vendor. Pauline was a janitor and single mother to Eve, 8. Since her husband died of cancer years earlier, she had raised Eve alone. Pauline noticed the doll at the flea market and thought it would be Eve’s best birthday present. She had no money to buy anything expensive, so the flea market was her only bet. Pauline didn’t scrutinize the doll…
Despite our partnership, my husband turned on me when we had our first child. I was close to leaving him after his treatment of me worsened when something awful happened in front of family and friends. Outside help caused a major transformation that saved our marriage. I, Mary, 25, had one of my most embarrassing and eye-opening events recently. Let me rewind. We had our beautiful baby Tilly three weeks ago with my husband Jake, 29. Really, she’s my world. In response to my requests for help with Tilly, her father answers, “Let me relax; my paternity leave is…
