Gratitude is how I felt when Armando placed the 28 hundred dollars on the Walmart table. I use Walmart to cash my state check and to electronically pay my utility bills.
It is only a couple of miles from Garfield to Atlantic and the Walmart shopping center. A upside down trash can kept me company at about eight o'clock. I had walked down Garfield the two miles to the bus stop. With only 27 cents to my name I asked God to get me there and have my check cashed. My stomach hungered for more the hot dogs and beans.
While in a trance, the bus pulled up. An effervescent smile said "Hello", and I said the same to the wonderful charming lady. The smile lifted my day as it pushed on to Atlantic and Walmart, the store that cashes my teachers state checks.
I turned left and went to the customer section. Another smile greeted me. He took my check and drivers license and fumbled around with a small keyboard. I placed my social security number in a small machine and the transaction was made. Again I felt gratitude that Walmart had cashed my check
Then it came to me. You see that the word "gratitude" is two words in one "Grate is the first half and attitude is the second.
Armando, from Anaheim, counted out $1,650 and handed me two money orders, one for a thousand and the other for six hundred and fifty. I folded them and stuck them firmly inside my front pocket. The cash followed and I made sure to place my driver's license back inside my wallet.
Thanks a lot Armando. Then my higher power spoke. It directed me to buy two steaks. A package had two New York steaks that looked good. I picked up some corn and a bunch of beets I placed them in my nap sack and fled towards the Beach bus stop. The bus took me to Garfield where I walked across the street to Florida Street. At the Sea Cliff Health Center, I gave Mel's dinner for two nights to Caesar and had his room number placed on it.
In bed 135 B slept my brother Mel. Mel seemed to be resting while his roommate in Bed one was awake. A maintenance lady was cleaning the bathroom. The Josie's in these Wax Museums do not get paid nearly enough They are the backbone of this nursing home. Mel's T.V. was on which meant that he had found a ray of sunshine - now that he could see a bit and that his inner ear cancer had seemed to be clear of cancer.
"Thank you for the steaks, and hope they don't forget in the kitchen. Did your daughter take the driver's exam?"
"How are the Dodgers doing?"
'I got a check in the drawer, and I wish you to take it."
"OK Mel, that is unless you wish to take it to Lucy." Lucy is the finance manager Mel now was up and about. I bough him a can coke from a dispenser,
I felt proud to have served god and my brother. There now was a bounce in my step. It was now going on ten and I would celebrate at t Whole Foods at the Bella Terra Shopping Center. It felt good to have a few delectable veggies in my stomach.
After computer work at the Main Street Library, i climbed aboard the #25 bus off of Orange and across from the Seven Eleven. It felt great to have paid my rent and have money now for food -- at least for awhile.
Off of Gothard is the a street mall where I sometimes buy my vegetables and fruit for a great price. On the left is my barber shop -- so good that generally I never need to look at the mirror. Today it would prove to be a mistake. Barber John cut too much off my sides and amplified my large ears. At least it was don.
T
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