Day 5

Syd’s Choice

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“My baby has nothing to eat. What am I supposed to do? Let her starve?” Syd replies in frustration. She’s only two years old; she won’t understand what huger means. I have to do this for her.”

“How are you planning to do this? Tim asks. “What you’re saying is that you’re going to commit a robbery and plan to not get caught.”

“Not if I have your help. All I need is a getaway car…Please, Tim, I wouldn’t ask you if I had any other choice. I can’t let my baby starve.” Tim passes his hand through his hair. “ I could lend you some money.” Syd shakes his head, “you know it wouldn’t be enough. Tim scratches his arm, “ your right man…Fine. I’ll help you.” Syd hugs Tim without thinking, “thank you, man, thank you. Meet me at the corner of Broad St and Corner Ave at dawn.”

Syd goes into the drug store at dawn. “ How may I help you, sir?” Syd starts shaking as he pulls out a gun. “I need you to empty the register. I’m so sorry about this but I need to feed my daughter.” The man behind the counter is paralyzed with fear. “ Please sir I mean you no harm, I just need to put food on the table.” The man only stares at Syd, “Please sir”, Syd screams. “Leave the money,” the man says. “Please sir, let’s not make this more difficult than it has to be.”

“ Leave the money. Take anything you need from the store to feed your child. Come back tomorrow so you may earn an honest living and put food on your table.” Syd just stares at the man and lowers his gun. “Why…why would you do this for me?” The man smiles, “ I too know what it is to struggle, now go…before I change my mind.”

Syd starts taking food from the shelves and walks out of the store and gets into Tim’s truck, “ Syd what happened man? I was freaking shitting bricks.”

“ I was blessed, even in my wrongdoing. Let’s get out of here man. I have to get this food to my baby.” Tim turns on the engine “ I think it’s time for me to try harder Tim. I want to be a good man for my daughter.”

“ You will be… and I’ll help you,” Syd smiles, “ you’re a true friend Tim. Thank you for everything.”

-M.A. Fernández

Copyright © 2016 Marlin Alicea Fernández, Soul to Ink. All Rights Reserved