Chapter One.
Katy
Every Wednesday, the staff in my department insisted on lunch at a restaurant several doors down from our office.
Hump Day Wednesday, was supposedly battled and overcome with this brilliant idea.
What a load of bull. My colleagues would be full of shit, all babbling about their plans for the weekend.
As much as I tried to refuse, my manager made this ‘mandatory’.
Heck, I didn’t fit in with the airheads and didn’t want to.
They discussed things I didn’t understand, which was weird as I was the same age.
Twenty-six years old, and I felt forty. They talked about bars, dating, and social media, then gossiped about trending topics, the latest movies, and who was hot and who was not.
I didn’t know how to relate to this useless knowledge.
Heck, I had nothing in common with them.
Perhaps that reflected poorly on me. Actually, there was no maybe about it; it did reflect sadly on me.
None of that rubbish honestly meant anything.
It didn’t aid my goals and plans, and I wouldn’t let myself be derailed.
Despite humble beginnings, I knew what I wanted for my family and myself, and I was determined to achieve it.
So, I’d play along, smile awkwardly at lunch and waste another hour and a half of my life once a week.
It wasn’t about money; I had plenty, even with paying two mortgages, a car payment, and squirrelling savings away.
I’d worked hard to get where I was today, and these lucky people had a far different life from mine.
But the women in the group were the type of girls who’d have bullied me at school.
They were the popular crowd, and I remained the weirdo on the outskirts.
The guys didn’t even glance my way. And my colleagues knew that; they rarely included me in their conversations, and if they did, it was only to mock me.
But they wouldn’t upset me too much; my designs were in demand, and I made a lot of money for the company.
Luckily, I understood my self-worth, and it was higher than theirs.
Seeing everyone starting to move, I sighed, grabbed my purse, and headed to the elevator.
They were already cackling and making jokes, and I was dreading lunch.
“Oh God, he’s back,” Tiffany sniffed as we left the lift.
“Who?” Sami demanded, and I wondered the same, too. Was someone causing Tiffany problems?
“That homeless creep. Nasty thing sits and stares at everyone. The police have moved him on several times, but say he’s not doing anything wrong. It’s disgusting,” Tiffany moaned.
I glanced over to see who Tiffany meant and spotted a man sitting on the bench near the building.
He wasn’t paying us any attention but was looking at the small park with a smile on his lips.
He was definitely homeless. His clothing was dirty and old, and his hair long.
His beard was scruffy and tangled, yet his eyes were clear.
“People like him should be put down,” Emily stated cruelly, and I bristled.
“People like him?” I asked as anger bit.
Heads swivelled towards me, and several eyebrows rose.
“Yes. A drain on society,” Emily doubled down.
“Sorry, I didn’t realise you knew him,” I snapped, and now they looked uncomfortable.
“Excuse me?” Emily hissed. “How would I know somebody like that?”
“Then how are you certain he’s a drain on society? Poor man could be a former armed forces member who has PTSD. He could have a mental illness, or someone who life screwed over. How do you know he hasn’t lost his family and given up hope? Well, what is his story?” I demanded.
Emily looked shamefaced, and Sami wriggled uncomfortably.
Tiffany, being the bitch she was, doubled down. “Do something about it instead of standing here preaching.” A few colleagues laughed with Tiffany, but not everyone.
“Actually, I do. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I help out at a soup kitchen. I donate five per cent of my wages to a food bank. Every second Saturday, I give four hours to collect at supermarkets for the homeless. On Sundays, I spend the evening at the foodbank preparing parcels for the following week. I don’t sit on my ass and bitch about them.
What the hell do you do except complain? ”
People now looked away. That hadn’t been what they expected.
Tiffany’s eyes narrowed. “Katy, I have a life, unlike you.”
“Yeah, what a wonderful existence you have, Tiffany. Worrying about what colour to do your nails, or what to wear to pull the latest fool at a bar. Or bitching that you put on weight, or whining that the shoes you wanted were sold out. What a superficial life you lead. All fluff and no substance. Your life is empty and has no purpose except your own greedy needs.” I doubled down.
The manager looked uneasy as I held my ground. “Maybe we ought to cancel lunch.”
“Don’t bother on my account. I’ll happily skip this waste of time.
I mean, hearing about who you’d kiss, marry, and fuck isn’t that interesting or productive.
Deciding if pink is the new black or whatever crap you go on about isn’t important.
And debating gel nails against acrylic, well, it’s brain-numbingly boring.
I won’t miss scintillating, intelligent conversations like that. ”
With that, I walked away, ignoring my colleagues, who looked confounded around me. I guess that was the most I’d ever spoken. And during an argument with the biggest bitch in the office. I’d have to watch my back in future. However, it was lunchtime, and I needed to eat.
Walking in the opposite direction of the café they all used, I headed to a local deli and ordered chicken, a roast beef and a cheese sandwiches.
In addition, I bought some sausage rolls, Cornish pasties, four bottles of water, two apple juices, two orange juices, and some crisps.
Then I returned to the office building. When I neared, I saw the guy sitting there still enjoying the sun.
“Can I join you?” I asked, approaching. He opened his eyes.
“Overheard you,” he finally replied and waved a hand at the bench.
“Sorry, guess I was loud. I’m Katy,” I stated and sat.
“Alex and you were right. They don’t know my story, and I’d never tell them anyway.” Alex stared as I pulled out the three sandwiches.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked. You might have been vegetarian,” I said, offering him the choice.
“What would you like?” Alex asked, confused.
“I eat all three, so pick two,” I insisted.
Alex considered the choices before taking the cheese and beef sandwiches. Quietly, I passed him the bag with two bottles of water, as well as the apple juice and the orange juice.
“Why?” he murmured, eyeing it as if it were a bomb.
“Do you need to know?”
“Yes.”
“Well, Alex, I grew up in poverty,” I replied and fell silent. Alex sat there and ate his food. Slowly, I told him about my past. Alex listened as I rambled for twenty minutes.
“And now?” Alex inquired when I quit talking.
“Now my parents live in a semi-detached home I pay for. I own an apartment, and my car is newish. Dad has a five-year-old car that I again paid for. Their money pays their bills, food and allows a few luxuries. I’d give them more, but they won’t take it,” I said, scowling.
“That annoys you,” Alex murmured.
“Yes, it does. I want to look after them, but they allow me to.”
“Frustrating, isn’t it?” Alex said as his eyes on the pretty park.
“Yes.”
“You’re not going to ask why I’m here?”
“That’s not my business. But if you wish to talk, I’m happy to listen,” I replied.
“Most want to know.”
“I’m not most people. I’m quite content to sit here and enjoy the sun,” I said, and Alex smiled.
“What do you do, Katy?”
“I’m an architect, and I work at Baines and Bridges in the design section.” I pointed towards the building.
“That’s a big place. I’ve seen you many times coming and going. Funnily enough, you don’t like Wednesdays.”
“What makes you say that?” I asked, surprised.
“Every other day, you enter there with purpose and a sense of satisfaction. On Wednesdays, you’d rather be anywhere else but here. And every lunchtime on Wednesday, they leave, and you’re always at the back, walking alone. You don’t want to go with them,” he stated.
Alex opened a bottle of water and drank it.
“That’s because I don’t like them. They’re…
superficial. All that matters to them is their wants and needs.
That’s not me. I’m not interested in attending the hottest bar to be seen.
Nor talking about how many men hit on me.
None of that is essential to a decent life.
People seem to have forgotten the important things,” I replied.
“No. The world is a strange place. Intolerance and disrespect are rife.”
“Nobody sees the value in just sitting and watching life go by.” I laughed. “Listen to me getting on my soapbox. Sorry, Alex.”
“No, I’m enjoying listening to you and talking. Conversation is rare for someone like me.”
I winced at Alex’s tone. “No, I imagine it is.”
“People avoid me or cross the street. The best one is pretending that I’m invisible and don’t exist. I’ve been stepped over, spat at, cussed at and told to get a job,” Alex let out a bitter laugh. “Insults thrown by those you eat lunch with.”
I flushed. “Their beliefs aren’t mine.”
“No, but admit it, today’s the first time you’ve seen me. Katy, I was unnoticed by you, too,” Alex challenged.
“Yes, but not for the reason you believe. My mind’s always racing ahead; I’m usually oblivious to a lot of things. Hell, I’ve walked into the road in front of cars before. It’s a fault of mine,” I defended myself.
“Well, thanks for lunch and spending time with me, but your colleagues are returning. Guess you’d best go,” Alex said.
I glanced over my shoulder and saw the lunchtime crowd approaching. Sighing, I rose to my feet and held out the bag to Alex. “This is for you; I hope it helps get you through tonight.”
Alex shook his head. “Didn’t expect that.”
“No, but I did it anyway. Please take it.”
Alex took the bag and placed it next to him. “Thank you, Katy. Have a good afternoon.”
“You too, Alex.” I got up and walked away. As I headed for the entrance, I caught up with the lunchtime crowd.
“Damn, what’s that smell?” Tiffany tittered, sniffing in my direction.
“The bullshit you keep dishing out,” I answered, and there were stunned gasps, and people fell quiet.
Tiffany’s mouth opened and closed as her eyes narrowed. My shot fired, I walked into the building with a beaming smile.
Katy
I packed up to go home, well aware of being watched.
Gossip about what happened was rife, and the entire office was talking about it.
Tiffany was playing the wounded victim, but I noticed several people weren’t buying her shit.
In fact, they looked happy that someone had finally called Tiffany on her crap.
As I headed to the lift, I saw Tiffany with her little gang.
All of them were looking in my direction with snide looks.
“Off to play with the homeless and be a do-gooder?” Tiffany sniffed.
I turned and faced her calmly. “Better than going home and being a leech on society.”
“Girl, I have friends; I don’t have to scrabble around with tramps to find someone to like me.”
“I wonder how many friends would stand by you if you were homeless,” I sneered. “They aren’t friends. Get real. None of them would give you a roof over your head or buy you a sandwich if you were on the streets. Don’t fool yourself.”
Tiffany went to argue when she was stopped.
“Katy!” someone called, and I turned around.
“Mrs Ellison,” I said. Tiffany straightened and wiped the sneer from her face. Not a surprise, because the woman quickly approaching was the secretary for Mr Armstrong, the CEO.
“I hear you’ve been donating time at a local food bank. Mr Armstrong was highly impressed with your charitable endeavours. He asked us to give you a cheque to donate to them. I have it here if you wouldn’t mind giving me their name,” Mrs Ellison announced.
Tiffany, Emily, Sami and their crowd began whispering. I ignored them.
“That would be wonderful. I can give it to them tonight. The food bank also doubles as a soup kitchen,” I explained.
“What name do I put on it?”
“The Elizabeth’s Phoenix Foundation. They’ll cash it and buy the goods,” I replied. “Thank you and Mr Armstrong so much, Mrs Ellison. This will help so much.”
“No problem, Katy, keep up the wonderful work. Mr Armstrong is very impressed,” Mrs Ellison repeated. She wrote on the cheque and handed it to me. Wow, ten thousand pounds. They’d go nuts at the food bank.
“This is so generous, thank you on their behalf,” I gasped, seeing the amount.
“You’re welcome. Have a good evening,” Mrs Ellison replied and left. The elevator doors opened, and I stepped inside. What a great gift for the soup kitchen.
◆◆◆
“Hi everyone,” I called as I entered the church hall where the soup kitchen was set up.
“Hey,” people replied. I peered around and located who I was searching for.
“Jenny! Here, my company donated this,” I said and handed the manager the cheque. Jenny’s mouth dropped open as she glanced at it.
“Wow. This is amazing, Katy, how wonderful!” Jenny exclaimed.
“Yes, I was shocked,” I admitted as I cast an eye over what was cooking. Tonight, it looked like jacket potatoes and chilli.
“Where am I needed?” I asked.
“Could you hand out the bread rolls and plates?” Jenny asked.
I nodded. Jenny preferred me at the start of the service because I talked to everybody, and that meant the dinner queue didn’t get slammed with everyone demanding food at once. I took my place as the doors opened and began serving.