Doing Good [FICTION]

Sometimes I let my friends convince me to be a better person. We always end up somewhere I wouldn’t choose to be. This time, I find myself in the dusty basement of a stale-smelling church, surrounded by boxes and bags of yard sale rejects.The pastor assigned me to sort the chafe from the wheat by type while making the final decision to toss anything that even the craziest bargain shopper won’t pay a penny for. My solution to this last piece of advice was to label a box with a handwritten sign declaring EVERYTHING MUST GO: ONE PENNY. I will let the purchaser decide if I mean for the entire box or each piece. I have tossed a few almost destroyed books into the box thus far and a shoe with no mate. I add another unsalvageable volume, placing it with exaggerated care.

I move on to the next item in the pile. I murmur appreciatively at what great shape the small, leather suitcase is in. It only has a couple of scratches on the outside. I hold my breath as I open it and peek inside. I slowly take in a breath, relieved that no noxious fumes assail me. I have already had a couple of unpleasant odors that I instantly vanquished into the trash can this morning. I check all of the pockets, finding nothing until my fingers connect with a folded sheet of paper tucked into the skinny pocket on the outside.

Curious, I unfold it and begin reading the contents.

“February 20, 2021

“Dear world,

“It is with a sad heart that I write this, but you don’t care. You never did. You never will. The blip that was me will go unmourned. I doubt even my family or friends will notice that I winked out of existence. If they do, I’m sorry I am gone, but had you wanted me to stay, you would have let me know. So in accordance with all the melodrama expected of a last missive, I say goodbye cruel world and all those who didn’t get me or want to.

“No longer yours,

“Niall Early”

“Niall,” I mutter, pulling out my phone. “I swore I talked to him a week ago.”

I scroll through my texts which assure me that Niall responded to some banefully dull text I sent last week. The reassurance only goes so far though. I start to send a text and reconsider. This is the sort of issue people need to discuss in person. I tuck the letter into my pocket and finish my shift.

As soon as the pastor releases me from the day’s duties, I shake his hand and head over to Niall’s house. It looks as well-kept as ever, possibly more so. I tiptoe along the pristine stone path, envying the lush green lawn and perfectly arranged flowerbeds on either side. I ring the bell and wait.

“Coming. Coming. Keep your pants on or take them off if you’re a pretty girl,” Niall’s deep voice greets me from the other side of the door.

I blush despite the fact that I know my pants are staying where they are. The door swings open and I find myself looking into the grinning faces of Niall Early, looking well and happy. He perks up when his eyes rest on me. 

‘Well, hello, Susie Sunshine. Did you get too much sun? Those cheeks are are very red today.”

I bristle at the childhood nickname, but remembering the content of the letter, I manage to calm my anger. I ignore him as he says a few more suggestive things. I wait for an opening and slide the note from my pocket. He looks at it curiously but fails to find words to ask about it. 

“So I was volunteering at the church today and I found something in a piece of luggage…” I start, slowly unfolding the note, so he can get a good look at it.

He reaches for it and then realizes what it must be and drops his hand like I just offered him a ball of fire. “Oh. Yeah. That was just a joke.”

I watch his face, which doesn’t echo his words. “If you say so. You can keep that then.”

He takes the paper, folding it up and sliding it into his pocket. “Thanks. I won’t need it.”

“I hope not.” I reply, letting a pause linger between us in the hopes that he will speak if he needs to get something off of his mind.

He holds my gaze, trying to keep his lewd smile firmly in place, but it slips. “Okay. I had a rough February, Susie, but clearly I am fine. I totally forgot about that letter and clearly I didn’t follow through with anything.”

“But you did feel that way…” I struggle to find the correct words.

“You keep trying to help me with this and I might think you care,” his male bravado gives way to defensiveness.

“Nope. Not at all. I drove over here after a long day volunteering just to see your pretty face.” I opt for the lower road, the one he prefers.

His lips tilt upward just a little as he opens the door. “You make a good point. You can come inside if you want.” As I step over the threshold, I can feel his eyes scanning my form. “You can leave your pants on if you want…”

I hesitate, glancing back at my nice, safe car, but I step deeper into the house, which proves as pristine as his lawn. “You don’t happen to have a gardener and a maid, do you?”

“I wish. Sadly, that is all me. Come to the kitchen. I can get you a glass of ice water.”

“Sounds good.” I follow him.

As I get situated with my ice water, he starts to unburden himself. “My girlfriend broke up with me in February. Apparently, I have done a good job playing the playboy. My friends tried to take me out to the club to find a new woman. My parents dismissed my sadness and told me there was no reason for me to be sad. I mean there are other girls in the sea.” He takes a sip of ice water, watching my reaction as he continues. “So they stopped talking to me entirely. It was kind of a dark time.”

I nod my head, but no words come to me that wouldn’t sound insulting or uncaring. I follow his example and take a long, slow sip of icy water.

He grins at me. “You don’t need to worry, Susie Sunshine, I don’t have a girlfriend to lose, unless you want to volunteer, and my family has already begun contacting me about the holidays. I won’t entertain any foolish thoughts.”

“If you can stop calling me Susie Sunshine, you can call if you need to talk. I promise I will listen.”

“So that is a yes to being my girlfriend?”

“No. Just a friend who is a girl.”

He ponders this for a minute. “Sounds like a fair trade, Susie…” He pauses as he looks down at his phone, struggling not to add on the extra word.

I laugh, wondering what I have gotten myself into as he starts talking again. This time innuendo laces every word, but he keeps his hands to himself, so maybe I can convince him to stop playing the Lothario with me.

~~Hope you find the chance to do good today and that it is taken in the right light.~~