FAILING WELL - JOE PARENTE (open ebook .TXT) 📗

his head, building strength everyday was evident. Always laughing and exploring, this new life was testing the strange environment.
Constantly being fed and put to bed was from the start regularity.
A single candle was quickly removed so that the video could be taken of the destruction of a white cake with lots of frosting. Soon, someday, the little one that will be covered in sweet strawberry icing would be walking. Finding, running not yet throwing, bouncing, falling and still smiling, the experiments will start with everything.
Learning to tie shoelaces, the lifes of wonderment were soon to be. A few bumps and bruises and little ‘owies’ would teach life’s lessons for this little one.
Soon, the fact of a future school age will bring the knowledge for the future. The guidance that will follow through the years as each grade is accomplished will teach this youngster the failings of others. This learning opportunity will develop the chance to make choices to create its fate.
Perhaps this chance of brain enhancement will fend off failure, or enhance it.
This was all in his mother’s mind as she would plot her baby’s future.
This all could be true if someone hadn’t stolen Lanny from his stroller. Mom turned her head for a moment. Something caught her attention at the park. There was a commotion and she went to investigate leaving her little one alone for one moment. The loud noise and voices caused her to take a few steps away from her baby. Looking back through the busy crowd towards her lovely little helpless boy, she screamed with despair as she discovered that her little Lanny was gone.


BEN

Steady, deep even breathing filled the moss green painted room. Occasionally, it would happen; a crack from the hardened vinyl from the back of his lonely chair broke the silence of the room. That red, worn, heavy chair with the blackened edges and corners he found alongside the dumpster still served him after all these years. Still, not awake, with every adjustment he made, both skin and worn trousers pulled free from its captive sweaty surface, only to re-attach to him again.
Humidity was very high as the air felt like a warm wet blanket being sucked into his lungs with his every breath.
The tiny room was speckled with photographs that were torn from numerous magazines that were yellowing from the light, coming from the one room apartment’s lone window. Hanging by nails and thumbtacks of various lengths, they depicted smiles of un-related families posing in artificial happy situations.
A crackling cough disturbed the dormant space as its sound matched the breaking creases of the tired old furniture. Rusty patches of steel corroded the tubular legs of the used table that held a package of soda crackers and a single bowl and spoon.
A clank from the corner of the room echoed loudly from the compressor of an old brown refrigerator. As it kicked on, the sharp clank was replaced by its quiet hum. It was apparent that this was the only thing in this room that was all right. From the chipped porcelain sink to the scratched wood floors, this old man was on the edge of pure poverty and loneliness.
Somewhere along his long life, he had failed to plan for his future. He failed to promote companionship with a friend or wife.
From the plaque seen on his wall he had spent thirty-years, with the steel mill in town, but saved nothing. Old approached him before he could realize that it had happened. It caught him by surprise. Therefore, he lived in this bleak apartment with nothing more than a good running, small refrigerator that hummed.
He was happy with that and he was happy that he had to answer to no one. He could hear the other people that lived in the building as they argued and complained to each other. Often times, the police appeared because of loud noises and violent behavior. He didn’t have that problem; he was happy. The pictures on his wall proved to him he could be happy not having all that responsibility. They were pictures of fake situations that he wanted to stay away from; they were reminders of how to be false. In his mind, he had done well.

He woke up, stretched a bit, peered out his little window and was happy except for his future. His failure would soon be upon him once more.



Jamal’s Cafe

The small sign said: “OPEN 24”. Why not? Jamal served half-ass coffee and at fifty cents a cup, no one complained. The patrons in this poor neighborhood made this place the only one that was affordable. At ‘half a buck’ it was hard to justify brewing a home made cup. Two eggs and toast accompanied the coffee for under two fifty so you could see how the popularity of the café was a little better then fair. The occasional daily specials gave a little variety for those that could afford more then just the hot mug of bitter dark.
Except for the occasional morning coughs from customers were the unmistakable clinking of the metal flaps that would open and close atop the ridged glass sugar containers as regulars took advantage of free sweetener.
A cowbell attached to the top of the entry door to the diner gave its soft alert. Jamal looked up from his counter as the old man pushed hard to open the front door. “Want the regular old man?"
“I told you before Jamal. Don’t call me old man or I’ll start callin’ you the other name.” Ben pointed to him with a bony old man finger.
Jamal threw a smile on his face. “Yeah, yeah. You all havin’ just coffee again old man?”
“Sure.” Ben returned a quick smile. “You should treat your customers with a little more respect.”
Jamal was the only person that Ben would associate with. It was because of the length of time that he had been coming into “Jamal’s Diner. He visited for an hour or so when he could afford it furthermore it was a break from his wretchedly rotten life.
Poor was not a picnic.
Ben wandered over to the counter. “Jamal, anybody leave the paper?”
“Yeah, here’s most of one, no classifieds though—but leave it neat when you’re done.”
“I always do Jamal. You know that.” Ben walked over and sat at his table. “Shit head.” Ben said under his breath.
Ben picked up the pre-wrinkled paper and couldn't help but notice the string of robberies in the area. The reports stated that a group of thugs had robbed the local liquor store and several businesses. Each of the crimes was successful in stealing large sums of cash. There were no clues to the identity nor were there any other details. Ben pondered the news for the longest time.
The cowbell gave a ‘clung’ as a beautiful young woman struggled with the weight of the door. The four other customer’s heads turned towards her as though they were on a single puppet string being pulled at the same time.
Jamal tried to avoid staring at her. He had never seen her before. She seemed out of place in this neighborhood. He didn’t see many well-dressed perfects in his establishment. “Hi miss, may I get you some coffee?” He led her to a table next to Ben gently setting a menu on her table. “Here is our breakfast special of two eggs and toast with sausage or bacon. Oh, I also have hash browns if you wish. Oh I forgot pancakes too.” He said timidly. Jamal backed away from the table still trying not to stare at this woman.
She smiled. “Thank you, I think I’ll have coffee and a toasted English muffin if you don’t mind. Please leave the butter on the side. Do you have orange marmalade?”
“Yes miss.”
“Do you also have oatmeal?”
“Why sure we do. I’ll bring some brown sugar and raisins.” Jamal walked back to the kitchen but not before he topped up all of the others coffee cups. He soon returned with her coffee.
Ben looked at Jamal thinking to himself that Jamal was never this polite to anyone he had seen before. He then took a look at the woman and immediately knew why. Although his sexual desire for women was long past, he couldn’t help admire her striking beauty.
“Hello my name is Ben.” He extended his hand.
“Sharon.” She ignored his gesture.
Ben pulled his hand back wiping it on his shirt. He cleared his throat. “Nice to meet you Sharon. Pardon me for being so forward.” He looked at his hand but found nothing to offend her. “What brings you to the area?”
“To be honest, I lost my job about two weeks ago and I decided to look for other work.” She shifted in her chair and Ben noticed some redness in her eyes.
“Say, are you okay?”
Sharon felt, for some reason, an opportunity to vent her frustration. “I don’t know why I am telling you this but you do not look like a threat to me. I have tried to live my life in an honorable way but it seems that I have made many mistakes. I am constantly loosing trust by the men I work with. You know they rule the business world. I have never had trouble finding work but I have had to find many jobs. Mine just do not last very long. If it is not a jealous wife, it’s an inner office problem. Many of those that I work with expect more from me than I am willing to give. I am not the kind of person that puts out every time that it is demanded.” Tears glimmered in her eyes "I do not want to get back into the type of life that I have to guard every moment. Besides that, my funds are dwindling and I’ll have to find work soon.”
Surprised at seeing Ben talking with the new woman, Jamal delivered her breakfast. “Here you are, I hope you enjoy your meal. Please let me know if you wish anything else. I’ll keep an eye on your coffee. Let me freshen that up for you.” Jamal topped up her cup and at the same time gave a curious look at Ben.
Ben thought for a while and expressed his concern for what she had been going through. “You don’t look like you are desperate. I mean the way you are dressed and all.”
“That is the problem.” She blotted a small tear from her eye. “You see, things were going so well at where I worked that I felt obligated to update my wardrobe. I am afraid that I went a little overboard on my expenses. I am now faced with some very large bills. How was I to know that I was soon to be replaced by someone that has no scruples?”
Ben put his hand on his chin in deep thought for a moment. He cleared his throat so he could speak clearly. “You know Sharon I have an idea that might interest you. It would be completely different from what you have been doing. I too have a problem with money but I have somewhat of a plan that will get us both on our feet. It will take some finesse. I’ll