I've Got Your Wallet

I've Got Your Wallet    

 By Cyndi Woods

 Imagine if you will, a busy and crowded intersection. Perhaps in a very populated place like New York City. People are walking, running and just generally moving quickly up and down the streets. It is just getting to be sunset and dusk is upon the city that never sleeps. The street lights and store signs are a flashing whirlwind of colors. Cars are honking, people are shouting, and you are among the madness. Getting jostled about and bumping into people as you try to work your way down the street to your hotel. You’ve come here to experience what life would be like in the Big Apple and quickly determine that it’s far too crowded. No one seems to know you are even there. It appears there is no meaning here for you.

   In the fury of bodies traveling to and fro, a man rounds the corner in a rapid movement and plows into the person right next to you. He apologizes profusely, but the man he ran into blows up at him and proceeds to hurl words at him that would make a sailor blush. They go their separate ways and you stand there a little dumbfounded at the exchange between the two men. You realize that you were startled by the altercation and dropped the package you had under your arm. Bending down to pick it up, you notice a wallet on the ground beside your bag. You pick it up and turn it over in your hands. One of the men must have dropped it in their collision. You quickly look up and around to see if they are still nearby, but you don’t even know which one of them it belongs to. You flip the wallet open to look for identification. You recognize which man it was. You also notice a very large sum of money in the wallet. You stare at it for a moment. Shaking off the temptation to keep it, you hurry off in the direction of the man who was so obviously distracted.

   All manner of thoughts about how much money and what you could do with it are flooding your mind but you want to do the right thing. After all, that man must be frantic at the idea of losing that much money. But in a big city like this, how are you ever going to find him? He was probably only going to spend that money on something frivolous anyway and you could really use the money. You came here to see if you could make a better life for yourself and this money surely would be a good start to that. Even though you have no intention of staying in New York, it would help you until you made a decision on what to do next. However, doing what is right keeps you from stuffing the wallet into your bag and heading back to the hotel.

   Then you think you see the man just up ahead on a bench. You can’t really be sure though because this man has his face buried in his hands and appears to be crying. You stop short at the scene. Not wanting to make a fool of yourself, you wait to see if he lifts his head to get a better look at him. But he only seems to be crying harder. Slowly you walk towards him and for a brief moment he looks up at the sky before dropping his face back into his hands. You are now certain that it is him. Your steps quicken but you are still feeling awkward at approaching him in this emotional state. While you are but a few steps away, you ask in a compassionate voice, “Sir, are you alright?” His head snaps up and he wipes his tears away with embarrassed and frustrated strokes. “I don’t mean to intrude…” you begin, but he interrupts and says “No that’s ok, I’m sure I was making quite a spectacle of myself anyway, so I’m glad you happened by before I made a complete fool of myself.” He says while rising to his feet. “Are you sure you’re alright? I mean sometimes it’s easiest to talk to a stranger and I’m in no hurry.” You have no idea why you just offered to hear a complete stranger’s problem but you feel compelled to do so. He stares at you for a moment and you see the wondering of why you care written on his face. “Really I don’t mind.” You say with a genuine smile. For some reason, he trusts you and sits back down on the bench and begins his story.

Stay tuned for part 2 coming next Tuesday!