3
Sofia had to admit, getting up before the crack of dawn to help her mother crack eggs for breakfast was going to take a bit of getting used to. It was only ten and her eyes were burning from lack of sleep. Of course, it didn’t help that she had tossed and turned all night.
Dreams haunted her again. That money she’d been given, five hundred dollars, needed to get out of her apartment. It didn’t belong to her. The stranger had thought he was helping someone in need. That’s exactly where the money should go, to the homeless.
Her mind was made up. After her shift, Sofia was making a quick stop at her apartment for the money, then heading into the city and dropping off the money. The coins from that sweet little girl, well, that was different. Sofia had put them in her jewelry box. Although it didn’t add up to even a dollar, it was priceless to her. It would always be a reminder of what a true compassionate heart was.
“You don’t have to stay, you know. You covered for me by coming in early. That’s why I’m here now. I owe you,” Emily said.
Sofia smiled. “I really appreciate you doing this. But it’s going to be a real long shift Emily.”
“Oh I know. And one day I might have to ask for another favor. So please, let me pay this debt while I can. Besides, things are slow today. Your mother will freak out if she sees staff hanging around with nothing to do.”
“Don’t I know it. The last time, she pulled out the silverware and had me shine them all again, even though they were already spotless,” Sofia said with a sigh. “If you’re sure, then I’ll go. There are a few things I needed to take care of anyway.”
“Hopefully something fun,” Emily stated.
Sofia took off her apron and hung it on the hook on the wall. “If you insist, then I’m out of here.” She knew better than to just leave. Popping her head into the kitchen, she said, “Mama, Papa, Emily is here and I’m heading home.”
“Okay. Go and have some fun. I’ll see you in the morning,” Mama shouted across the room, not even looking up from her pasta machine.
As she headed out of the restaurant, she couldn’t help but wonder, why was everyone telling her to have fun? She had a life. So what, she hadn’t been out for a while, but that was the price for working nights. Emily was about to learn that herself. The difference was, Emily probably would’ve been home with her little girl if she wasn’t working. Sofia had no responsibilities except for herself. Not even a pet.
She looked at her watch. It was too early to call Charlene to do anything; she was still at work. Sal was on duty too, not that hanging out with her brother was considered fun. Sitting in her car, she pondered: which thing on her list did she hate least? Getting chores done might not be fun, but hell, it was productive at least. Laundry. Hate it. Food shopping. I can eat at the restaurant. Housework. No one sees the place anyway. So much for her list. Nothing appealed to her.
As she placed her purse on the passenger’s seat, it tipped over. She tried to grab the wallet, but her hand got tangled in the straps and the wallet tumbled to the floor. Change went in one direction and the bills in the other. There was no longer a need to wonder what her plans were.
Leaning over, she scooped everything up and crammed it into the purse. She’d sort out the mess later. Right now she wanted to get out of this uniform and get on her way to the city. It was time to make a difference in someone’s life.
While she was in the city, it might be a good idea to check out things around the theater. Sofia had been many times to see shows, but she always went directly home afterwards. Rehearsals could run late, and she wanted to make sure she found a coffee shop close by. The last thing she needed was to fall asleep behind the wheel. It’d be great if she could take a break from the restaurant altogether, but she was thankful that Emily needed to switch. The stars were all lined up in her favor, and she wasn’t going to miss out on one thing this adventure was about to bring.
Once she had scoped out what she needed nearby, she decided to make one more stop before heading home. Sofia was tempted to hand the money over to the person who had been sleeping in the cardboard box in the alley. That would help, but not enough. It wouldn’t help get them off the street, maybe one night, but not permanently. This had to go to a place that would take care of many, not just one.
If she were back home, she’d know exactly where to go. Here in the city was a different story. So, she did the only thing she could and pulled out her cell to search for a local soup kitchen, one that fed the poor. There wasn’t anything like that close by. These were all backed by large companies and one that looked very familiar, Lawson Steel.
It was nice to learn Sal’s friends weren’t just rich, arrogant bastards. They were giving back to the community. Of course in her eyes, that was easy to do when you have more money than God. Don’t judge them for being rich. To her it was no different than placing judgment on the homeless. What you wore and what you had didn’t define who a person was. At least it shouldn’t.
Sofia opted to go to one of the local charities that wasn’t well known. They offered the homeless a place to shower and wash their clothes for free. They also handed out socks and such. Putting food in someone’s belly wasn’t the only way to help, and this seemed like the perfect fit for her. Besides, it was only eight blocks from where she was. That was walking distance.
When she arrived, Sofia found the place was extremely busy. People were lined up to use the facilities. Why hadn’t she ever thought about doing such a thing back in her hometown? Maybe because they were in the restaurant business, so food was their first thought. I’m going to need to mention this to Mama and Papa. There was so much more they could be doing too.
Granted, they weren’t rich like the Lawsons, but they never had to worry about where their next meal was coming from, and the restaurant was doing well. Her parents told her that wasn’t always the case. When they first got married, they barely could pay their bills. Papa worked in a grocery store stocking shelves, and Mama in a laundromat washing and folding other people’s clothes. It was their faith in each other that got them to open the restaurant. It didn’t hurt any that they both were fantastic cooks. But it took a lot more than that. Years of blood and sweat, long hours and a lot of sacrifice went into making it what it was, the staple of that small community. They didn’t need to be known all over, but in town, everyone knew and loved her parents.
I’ve got big shoes to fill. Impossible ones.That was one of the reasons why she needed to break away, make her own way. Sofia didn’t want to always be referred to as the daughter of Maria and Filippo Marciano. Although she loved them and was proud of them, she needed her own identity. That wasn’t going to happen back home.
“Miss, can I help you?”
Sofia turned around and saw a woman standing there wearing an apron that said, ‘Make a new friend everyday’.
“Hi. I’m looking to make a donation,” Sofia said. As she looked around, she added, “And give a lending hand today, if you could use one.”
“Oh that would be wonderful. We are short two people today, their kids were home sick from school. What are you good at?”
“Taking orders,” Sofia replied.
The woman laughed. “Then you’ll do great, because Patty is great at giving them. She’s the woman over there cutting hair.”
“You provide haircuts too?”