Angel In Aisle 3 by Kevin West & Frederick Edwards

Author:Kevin West & Frederick Edwards
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Howard Books

CHAPTER

* * *

Eight

“P EOPLE LIVING ON THE STREET won’t Gossip,” Don said to me one morning in the store.

“Why is that?”

“They know how it hurts because they are constantly shunned by society,” he said. “Gossip cuts very deep, and they don’t want to pass on that kind of destruction.”

Most everything Don told me was surprising and new.

“That’s not to say they’re completely disconnected from all that’s going on in the community,” he said. “In fact, they usually know more than most people.”

“How could they?”

“You mean because they’re living outside of the mainstream?”

“Well, yes,” I said.

“Don’t forget how they live. They’re always out and about talking to people. They don’t just stay within their own group.”

“I guess they are probably talking about my case with the bank.”

“Some are talking about it, but they never learned it from me,” Don said. “Realize, son, they may not have the money for a newspaper, but they’re interested enough to read the headlines through a dispenser window or pick up an old paper left on a bench.”

“So what are they saying about my case?”

“They’re discussing the details they know and are awaiting the outcome.”

I was really astonished. “Why would they even be interested?”

“They know you as the corner grocer. Those who have never been in your store still feel like they know you through those who are your occasional patrons.”

“I hate to admit it, but I never considered any of this.”

“They know the exact day when you first started managing the store,” Don said. “I don’t encourage discussion about your personal business, but I have heard talk among them. None of it is critical or even comes close to gossip, and it never will.”

“That’s quite a contrast to what most people do.”

As we were talking, a cab pulled up in front of the store, and the driver came inside.

“Driving day shift?” Don asked him, abandoning his usual shyness with adult customers.

“That’s right.” The man smiled at both of us. “You can’t beat the peaceful shift of driving during the daytime.”

“Day shift means transporting mostly senior citizens,” Don said.

The driver looked directly at Don. “Do you drive a cab?”

Don laughed. “Not now, but I did years ago. Nothing like the freedom of moving all over town.”

“That’s why I got into it,” the driver said. “I’d just waste away at a desk job.”

“Are you always driving daytime?”

“Sometimes I drive nights,” he said. “And that gets pretty rowdy with all the drunks.”

“I remember those times,” Don said. “During the day your destinations are grocery stores and doctor’s appointments. At night you’re moving between bars and nightclubs.”

“You sure got that right,” the driver said.

“We would say day shift was easy but never as exciting.”

The driver laughed. “Only a fellow cabdriver knows this.”

After the driver bought a cold soda, Don walked him to the door and waved good-bye. He stood at the window watching until the cab was out of sight.

I couldn’t help wondering how much Don lived inside his memories. Whenever he discussed his wife and children or crossed the path of someone like this cabdriver, he seemed highly drawn to his past.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.