Summary: A career woman in her early 20's takes in a young bum out of pity
and realizes she got more than she expected.
At 24 years old, Christy dreams of becoming the CEO of a prestigious company were all coming true. Granted it may take another 20 years for her to actually reach her dream, but at least she would have a comfy job for those next 20years. A bright and crisp October morning was waiting outside and Christy was snuggled under a large white comforter damning it all. 'I don't care what anyone says, even if you like your job, mornings will always suck on Mondays.' Christy was of course still recuperating from last nights events. Four shots of tequila, a couple rum and cokes as chasers and she was pretty sure she knocked down some heavy Granny Smiths. 'Why did I have those freaking Granny drinks.' Looking up from under her comforter the clock was blinking. "Shit." Last night events and her stomach came back to her. "Oh God," holding a hand over her mouth Christy ran as fast as her legs could make it to the bathroom. About 20 minutes later she was tumbling out with a hand clenching her stomach, "Oh God, I promise you I will never drink that much alcohol again." Granted she would never make the promise to not drink alcohol entirely because that would just be lying. Slowly, she dropped down on her fluffy bed until an annoying red glow kept blinking through her eye lids. Opening one eye lid Christy finally realized what had triggered the events that just occurred. "Crap, should I call in?" Christy asked herself. 'I do not want to go into work today, I'm sure they wouldn't be completely upset if I missed one day, I have been working there for three years without a sick day.' "I'll just call in and tell them I'll be in after lunch, why am I talking to myself, oh yeah because I'm crazy."
Around noon that day Christy was sitting outside a restaurant waiting for her friend Jill to arrive. She had planned on going to work after lunch. Looking at her surroundings, Christy looked on at her city with nostalgia. Philly was her city, she had actually live in Jersey all of her life, and she had wanted to take a job in New York, the big apple, but she felt that Philly had what she wanted. It was closer to home and she had gotten the job she wanted. She was also able to keep some of her close friends, such as Jill. 'Where is she?' This brought Christy out of her thoughts and she began to get anxious. The street was so nice, lined with old buildings that housed new businesses. She fell back into her thoughts. 'I am so grateful I ended up here.' As she glanced at the passers by someone caught her attention. Across the street there was a person, a man, wearing an oversized trench coat and a black knit cap. He wasn't begging for money just sitting there. He could be sleeping. As Christy was focusing her attention on the bum, she realized he could be staring at her and she wouldn't even know it. His eyes were somewhat covered by the cap. She looked away and started playing with glass of water. 'What if he was thinking of stealing my purse or something?' A loud noise came across the table from her, "AH!" Christy screamed. "Jesus Jill, you scared the shit out of me."
"Yah you looked pretty caught up in your thoughts." The woman sitting across from Jill was in her mid-20's about 5'5 with short brown hair and a dominant personality. "Sorry I'm late I was trying to have them hurry the meeting up, I hate being the lackey for these people, and I get piled with the work. Which reminds me, why did you want to have lunch today I thought you'd be hung over from yesterday?" "Don't remind me, I decided to go in late, I did need to recover a bit, although my head feels like a melon and my stomach still feels a bit queasy."
"Right, so what are we having for lunch?" Jill completely devoid of sympathy looked over the lunch menu.
About 40 minutes later Christy was walking down the street with a full stomach. Suddenly though she remembered the bum on the street. She hadn't looked to see if he was still there. 'Maybe he followed me?' Her steps quickening, Christy slowly looked over he shoulder. There was nothing there; Christy was just an overly paranoid person. 'No I'm egocentric, the world revolves around me and people are out to get me, it has nothing to do with me being paranoid.'
Finally reaching her place of work, Christy let out a breath she had been holding about a block away from the building. Saying her good afternoons to everyone she situated herself in her cubicle which at least had a window and began the paperwork that had been sitting on her desk since this morning. Although she had called in she would still need to finish all the work that day. This could lead up until nightfall. Christy glanced out her window and onto the street below. 'What if he's waiting for me to leave the building?'
At about 6 that night Christy was more than halfway through everything. She calculated it would take her another hour to finish everything. Suddenly a figured shadowed her desk.
"Hey, Christy, haven't seen you all day." Jared Phelps, winner of the best looking man competition in the office decided by all the women including Christy said staring down at her.
"Yeah, well I got in kind of late. Um, why haven't you left yet?" Christy although finding the man very attractive still didn't get the best feeling about him; it was probably because he knew he was the best looking guy that bothered her.
"Well, actually I was about to leave and I saw you over here. Wanted to know if you need a ride home." Yeah he was trying to be a gentleman. 'A gentleman that wants to get in my pants no less.'
"Um, you know don't worry about it. Cause I don't think I'm going to be done here for another hour and I can catch a taxi."
"Ok, just figured I'd ask, night." And with that he left.
'Was I being rude? Sorry I'm not that easy.' "Sheesh."
Now at 8, Christy was finally done her work. Finally looking up from her desk she saw the city in colorful lights. But this also bothered her, it was dark and she didn't really enjoy taking a taxi home. "Grrr." Stepping out of her building was a wake up call in itself. It was much colder from this morning. Although October it had been warmer during the day but now the night had the promise of a bitter winter. "Time to hail a cab," Christy only spoke to herself when she became nervous, if it wasn't bad enough, at least maybe crazy people would leave her alone if they thought she was crazy. Looking up and down the street she calculated how long it would take her to get home if she walked. She knew the cabs would give her a safe ride home but she didn't feel like waiting. She hurried her steps, maybe if she felt like there was danger she would just get a cab then. 'Only if necessary.'
Only about a block or two away from her building Christy was forced to stop in her tracks. In front of her were two men ruthlessly beating up someone. Her feet glued to the ground, she didn't want them to see her and go after her. She thought they were beating up an old man; the person they were beating up was hunched over. "Oh God," she breathed, her breathe was high in the air. The two men turned around. Oh God. But instead of running in her direction the two men ran off leaving the helpless person on the ground. Not even thinking Christy ran over to the feeble person. "Are you ok sir?" The 'old man' looked up. Christy went wide eyed and fell off of her heals onto the ground. The 'old man' wasn't really an old man at all but a young man, a bum with penetrating blue eyes. Christy struggled to say something, "Are you ok." A couple of nasty coughs and a few spits of blood confirmed he was not alright. He was also grasping his stomach. 'I hope it's not internal bleeding.' "Um maybe I should call an ambulance." The man looked up at Christy and choked out a harsh, "No."
"Well you need some help." Christy was frightened she didn't know this person; he was a bum after all. So many thoughts went through her head at this very moment. 'Maybe I should get a police officer over here.'
"Don't even think about getting a cop, they'll just through me in a home or worse, prison," the bum managed to say.
"Well what do you want me to do?" Christy couldn't believe how she was speaking to him, he could be dangerous, but she didn't want to responsible for his imminent death by not helping him.
"Why don't you just get the hell out of here," the bum said while struggling to get up. He moaned in pain.
"Um, no, you know, I live about a block away if you can make it there maybe I can give you a bandage or something."
"I don't need you freaking help."
"F*** you!" 'Wow where had that come from?'
"Fine," the bum managed to yell out and then toppled over with a moan. Christy touch his arm which felt very warm, and although he smelled, the temperature outside got the better of her. She pulled him up with his help and they managed to hobble him down the block towards her apartment.
At 24 years old, Christy dreams of becoming the CEO of a prestigious company were all coming true. Granted it may take another 20 years for her to actually reach her dream, but at least she would have a comfy job for those next 20years. A bright and crisp October morning was waiting outside and Christy was snuggled under a large white comforter damning it all. 'I don't care what anyone says, even if you like your job, mornings will always suck on Mondays.' Christy was of course still recuperating from last nights events. Four shots of tequila, a couple rum and cokes as chasers and she was pretty sure she knocked down some heavy Granny Smiths. 'Why did I have those freaking Granny drinks.' Looking up from under her comforter the clock was blinking. "Shit." Last night events and her stomach came back to her. "Oh God," holding a hand over her mouth Christy ran as fast as her legs could make it to the bathroom. About 20 minutes later she was tumbling out with a hand clenching her stomach, "Oh God, I promise you I will never drink that much alcohol again." Granted she would never make the promise to not drink alcohol entirely because that would just be lying. Slowly, she dropped down on her fluffy bed until an annoying red glow kept blinking through her eye lids. Opening one eye lid Christy finally realized what had triggered the events that just occurred. "Crap, should I call in?" Christy asked herself. 'I do not want to go into work today, I'm sure they wouldn't be completely upset if I missed one day, I have been working there for three years without a sick day.' "I'll just call in and tell them I'll be in after lunch, why am I talking to myself, oh yeah because I'm crazy."
Around noon that day Christy was sitting outside a restaurant waiting for her friend Jill to arrive. She had planned on going to work after lunch. Looking at her surroundings, Christy looked on at her city with nostalgia. Philly was her city, she had actually live in Jersey all of her life, and she had wanted to take a job in New York, the big apple, but she felt that Philly had what she wanted. It was closer to home and she had gotten the job she wanted. She was also able to keep some of her close friends, such as Jill. 'Where is she?' This brought Christy out of her thoughts and she began to get anxious. The street was so nice, lined with old buildings that housed new businesses. She fell back into her thoughts. 'I am so grateful I ended up here.' As she glanced at the passers by someone caught her attention. Across the street there was a person, a man, wearing an oversized trench coat and a black knit cap. He wasn't begging for money just sitting there. He could be sleeping. As Christy was focusing her attention on the bum, she realized he could be staring at her and she wouldn't even know it. His eyes were somewhat covered by the cap. She looked away and started playing with glass of water. 'What if he was thinking of stealing my purse or something?' A loud noise came across the table from her, "AH!" Christy screamed. "Jesus Jill, you scared the shit out of me."
"Yah you looked pretty caught up in your thoughts." The woman sitting across from Jill was in her mid-20's about 5'5 with short brown hair and a dominant personality. "Sorry I'm late I was trying to have them hurry the meeting up, I hate being the lackey for these people, and I get piled with the work. Which reminds me, why did you want to have lunch today I thought you'd be hung over from yesterday?" "Don't remind me, I decided to go in late, I did need to recover a bit, although my head feels like a melon and my stomach still feels a bit queasy."
"Right, so what are we having for lunch?" Jill completely devoid of sympathy looked over the lunch menu.
About 40 minutes later Christy was walking down the street with a full stomach. Suddenly though she remembered the bum on the street. She hadn't looked to see if he was still there. 'Maybe he followed me?' Her steps quickening, Christy slowly looked over he shoulder. There was nothing there; Christy was just an overly paranoid person. 'No I'm egocentric, the world revolves around me and people are out to get me, it has nothing to do with me being paranoid.'
Finally reaching her place of work, Christy let out a breath she had been holding about a block away from the building. Saying her good afternoons to everyone she situated herself in her cubicle which at least had a window and began the paperwork that had been sitting on her desk since this morning. Although she had called in she would still need to finish all the work that day. This could lead up until nightfall. Christy glanced out her window and onto the street below. 'What if he's waiting for me to leave the building?'
At about 6 that night Christy was more than halfway through everything. She calculated it would take her another hour to finish everything. Suddenly a figured shadowed her desk.
"Hey, Christy, haven't seen you all day." Jared Phelps, winner of the best looking man competition in the office decided by all the women including Christy said staring down at her.
"Yeah, well I got in kind of late. Um, why haven't you left yet?" Christy although finding the man very attractive still didn't get the best feeling about him; it was probably because he knew he was the best looking guy that bothered her.
"Well, actually I was about to leave and I saw you over here. Wanted to know if you need a ride home." Yeah he was trying to be a gentleman. 'A gentleman that wants to get in my pants no less.'
"Um, you know don't worry about it. Cause I don't think I'm going to be done here for another hour and I can catch a taxi."
"Ok, just figured I'd ask, night." And with that he left.
'Was I being rude? Sorry I'm not that easy.' "Sheesh."
Now at 8, Christy was finally done her work. Finally looking up from her desk she saw the city in colorful lights. But this also bothered her, it was dark and she didn't really enjoy taking a taxi home. "Grrr." Stepping out of her building was a wake up call in itself. It was much colder from this morning. Although October it had been warmer during the day but now the night had the promise of a bitter winter. "Time to hail a cab," Christy only spoke to herself when she became nervous, if it wasn't bad enough, at least maybe crazy people would leave her alone if they thought she was crazy. Looking up and down the street she calculated how long it would take her to get home if she walked. She knew the cabs would give her a safe ride home but she didn't feel like waiting. She hurried her steps, maybe if she felt like there was danger she would just get a cab then. 'Only if necessary.'
Only about a block or two away from her building Christy was forced to stop in her tracks. In front of her were two men ruthlessly beating up someone. Her feet glued to the ground, she didn't want them to see her and go after her. She thought they were beating up an old man; the person they were beating up was hunched over. "Oh God," she breathed, her breathe was high in the air. The two men turned around. Oh God. But instead of running in her direction the two men ran off leaving the helpless person on the ground. Not even thinking Christy ran over to the feeble person. "Are you ok sir?" The 'old man' looked up. Christy went wide eyed and fell off of her heals onto the ground. The 'old man' wasn't really an old man at all but a young man, a bum with penetrating blue eyes. Christy struggled to say something, "Are you ok." A couple of nasty coughs and a few spits of blood confirmed he was not alright. He was also grasping his stomach. 'I hope it's not internal bleeding.' "Um maybe I should call an ambulance." The man looked up at Christy and choked out a harsh, "No."
"Well you need some help." Christy was frightened she didn't know this person; he was a bum after all. So many thoughts went through her head at this very moment. 'Maybe I should get a police officer over here.'
"Don't even think about getting a cop, they'll just through me in a home or worse, prison," the bum managed to say.
"Well what do you want me to do?" Christy couldn't believe how she was speaking to him, he could be dangerous, but she didn't want to responsible for his imminent death by not helping him.
"Why don't you just get the hell out of here," the bum said while struggling to get up. He moaned in pain.
"Um, no, you know, I live about a block away if you can make it there maybe I can give you a bandage or something."
"I don't need you freaking help."
"F*** you!" 'Wow where had that come from?'
"Fine," the bum managed to yell out and then toppled over with a moan. Christy touch his arm which felt very warm, and although he smelled, the temperature outside got the better of her. She pulled him up with his help and they managed to hobble him down the block towards her apartment.