NO! Why does everything go wrong for me? I said to that tin can that sat next to me every night where I slept in the big smelly filthy place called New York City. It all started Friday November 6, 2009. It was a peaceful, quiet day. I had taken off work because I had just had surgery and could limply walk with my artificial bone. But the people in the office never exactly gave you a day off you still had to the usual stuff you did in the office so you didn’t get off track. The ill or wounded still had the same due dates and the same requirements each and every day. But at least I had a job the economy was starting to turn bad. There were a lot of people on the streets and thank goodness that wasn’t me. I was used to the prosperous life style. I lived in a big mansion five minutes away from New York city. Sometimes I spent money just because I could. I was proud of my accomplishments I started out as a lowly coffee maker at Starbucks to pay off college, and now I was a big time CEO for one of the biggest coffee bands in the world! I was lucky, very lucky. As I called for my butler to get me some lunch, and yes I had a butler I got that terrible phone call that would ruin my life forever.
“Jerry, I need you to come to the office right away!” Barked my manager, even wealthy millionaires have bosses you know.
“But, it’s my day off!”
“Jerry I’m not going to tell you again come to the office now!”
“Alright, I’ll be there in 5 minutes.” As I got into my car I wondered, what could my boss possibly want? I asked pulling up in the parking lot and walked up to the office. The boss seemed mad and upset, I wonder why?
I knocked on his office door, “Come in Jeffery”, my boss said glumly.
“Well as you know this year the economy’s very bad, right?”
“Yes sir.”
“And you know that in bad economy’s big company’s like us can’t afford many workers, right?”
“Yes sir I do understand that.”
“Um Jeffery… there’s no easy way to say this, but this company’s going to have to let you go.”
“But, Sir I’ve been at this job for 10 years; I don’t know how to do anything else!
“I know but you get one of the biggest checks in the business, if we don’t let you go we’ll have to lay off 50 more people. Would like to stay here knowing because of you, there are 50 other people homeless, and on the streets?” “No , but I don’t want to be on the streets either. I have things to pay for and without a job I’ll have to sell my mansion, fire my butler, I’ll have nothing.” “I’m sorry Jerry you’re one of the best people in the business and I’ll have to let you go.” I was furious; I flipped over my boss’s table and stormed off to my car. I’ll never forget that day. I can’t forget it! “I’m sorry but we have to let your go”, sticks in my mind, and I can’t stop saying it in head, replaying over, and over, and over in my mind. It’s all I can think about! I wish I could forget! I want to forget that day forever! I wish that day never happened. It’s been one entire year since that happened. I’ve never been so furious not at my boss or anyone else but, at me! I’m living on the streets. I’m miserable in this secluded town called New York city. I have NO family NO friends, and no one to take me in as their own. What am I in this planet called Earth? What am I in this big city called New York? Who am I as a person? A lowly tramp, as people might call me? I am family less. Why is this? It is all because of that big time high paying job. I was blind by my greed, and blind by my power. I was a dictator of the corporate world, and turned away everyone. I was heartless, cruel in the eyes of the beholder I seaked. Cold hearted, cold blooded I only hurt myself. And now what am I? I’m a vagrant lowly man walking on highways begging the gentlest and cruelest of people for any food, and any money to spare me. I’m hope less. Then it hit me I suddenly realized why my family had abandoned me. I wish I hadn’t let her go. Oh my sweet, sweet Susan. Her eyes had always had that twinkle whenever I spoke to her. She was a young little girl, but I couldn’t keep her no, no I couldn’t keep her, but I wish I had. No you don’t you don’t wish you had kept her what if this was her now down on the streets watching her father agonize while agonizing on her own. In kindergarten while trying to juggle a job, no I would never let that happen? Never. I would rather give up my life than see her suffer a mire one day. It had to be done whether I wanted it to or not. She needed to give up she , had to leave her life with me, for her mother’s! Me, and her mother bickering ALL day, and ALL night. She couldn’t be around that type of violence. I gave her up for a reason, but I’m not sure if I was exactly proud of that decision. Reality shot back to me. Where was I? Had I wondered off while in my own day dream? Maybe I had. I wasn’t sure. BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Woah, wait a minute I’m in the middle of the Yankee stadium highway. SCREECH!
“Watch it buddy”, the driver of a dark blue Honda truck yelled at me.
“No you watch it,” I screamed back.
The nerve of some people! Though I do have to be more chary, I almost got run over! Hmmmm maybe one day me and my daughter will meet again, I thought as a hung my head down and left the highway for my trash covered, bed.

“BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, Watch it buddy!”
This was never the existence I wanted. 8 years ago I was prosperous, successful and happily married with a child. I treasured them so much. I would’ve died for them. Then everything started falling apart. Cindy (my ex- wife) started going out with her friends I thought oh she must just want to get out of the house, but it was more than that. And oh that awful day I don’t even want to think about that terrible vile day. I had gotten home from work eager to tell Cindy about my day. I was, so exultant and was grinning ear to ear. It was in February so of course it was snowing, and I knew I would have to shovel to snow, but I didn’t care. I had gotten a promotion in work and would be making twice the amount of money I was making at the time. I remember wearing a grey colored suit with strips going up and down the fabric. I also had black shoes and a big leather brief case that always smelled like home. I could feel the enthusiasm eating away at me. Jawing on my insides making butterflies fly in my stomach. I opened the door and there I saw it I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was so traumatized I dropped my suit case. Everything fell out in a clutter on the floor.

“Jeffery… it’s not what you think.”
I paused and said absolutely nothing. Nothing could come out of my mouth. There I saw my wife with a person besides me kissing him.

“Jeffery… I-I found him outside he was choking and I was doing mouth- to- mouth resuscitation.”

“ Oh save the excuses, I know you didn’t find him on the street!”

“Are you implying that I’m lying?!”

“I’m not implying I know you’re lying!”

“I am not, and if you can’t trust me then why don’t we forget this marriage?!”

“ Fine then I guess we will.”

“If we will then, get out of my house!”

“Your house?”

“Yes my house!”

“I’ll see you in court Jeffery!”

“Before, I call the police, GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!!!!!!”

“Fine I will I’ll see you in court.”
And that’s the last thing I saw was her red, teary face. It had so many contradictory emotions on it, but none of them were cheerful. I walked out the door regretfully; never to return to that house again.
It’s been awhile since that fateful day, and that night I couldn’t even come back to get my stuff. I had to buy all new shampoo, soap, combs, a tooth brush, tooth paste etc. Miserable I stayed in that gunky yucky, gross hotel. I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, and couldn’t function properly.
Now where am I? A shell of my former self? Maybe if I take a walk around the city it will sooth my agony.
“Get your toys, food; anything you need right here!” Wait was that a little girl’s voice? I think that was a little girl’s voice.
“Hey Mr, you gonna buy somethin’ cuz if you’re not, scram!”
“Um… I’m sorry I don’t have any money, but I want to ask you something.”
“I told you, if your not gonna buy somethin’ then scram, Hasta luego.”
“If I buy something then can I talk to you?”
If you buy something, I will let your ask me anything.”
“You are a very persuasive little girl, um I’ll take the banana.”
“Kay Mr. 0.50 cents.”
“Here you go miss.” This was one of the last things I had money wise, and I was saving all my money, for a rainy day or a time when I really needed it, that’s why I beg on the streets, and starve myself, because I want to save all of it for something, that could be even more important.
“So exactly why are you selling all of this all alone, in the middle of Manhattan?”
“Cuz mom’s got barely nough money to pay for the partment, and my education, so I chose no education, n started workin’ this place, so we could at least have somewhere to swep ,n besides who needs school?”
“Oh, and exactly how old are you?”
“I’m 6.”
“But how do you know how to gauge all the percentage and currency of your sales?”
“My wom in Pre-k taught me all dis.”
“Then if I have $6.78 how many bananas can I get?
“13 with $0.22 change.”
“So how did your mother tech all of this arithmetical mathematics to such an young pupil?”
“Sorry what? I’m 6 I don’t get what you’re saying say it in smaller words.”
“How’d ur wom tech that to you?”
“Oh she used to be a teach, then she gawt laied off, so she twied teachin me,n I got it.”
“Hmmmmm but how could one fit so much knowledge into an adolesant in such a short period of time?”
“Again, I’m 6 me no comprendo.”
“Oh sorry I keep forgetting.”
“It’s fine just continue.”
“I was saying, how’d you learn so much in such a short time.”
“Oh I have a big brain, wom says I’m the easiest wurner known to man.”
“Ah I see, another question.”
“Oh boy wat’s it dis time?”
“What’s your mother’s name?”
“Oh, that easy,Cindy.”
Ciny? What’s her last name.”
“Sidorskii.”
“And what’s your father’s name?”
“Well I don’t have a dad, wom says they broke up, long time ago. Said shez was helpin a guy on da street den he gawt all defensive.”
Oh my, gosh I t’s them! It’s them! It’s them!
“And what’s your name?”
“Susan.”
“Um… Susan, when does your mother come home?”
“Right about now, she stops here befowr her second job.”
“Oh may I speak with her?”
“Suwer if ya buy another banana.”
“Deal, I’m always hungry.”
“Ok I’ll need $1.00.”
“$1.00? What happened to $0.50?
“That wuz our half off sale, now it’s aw dollar.”
“Tough bargin, but I’ll take the banana.”
“Ok, hey wook there shz is now.”
“Wom! Ova here! Customwer wanna tawk to wo.”
“Ok I know that she’s to young and that… Woah Jerry is that you?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Wow you look so different I would stay and chat, but I have a second job that I need to work at.”
“Oh it’s fine, I’ll just keep talking to our brilliant daughter.”
“Our daughter what do you mean I’m not your daughter!”
“Um honey, this is your father.”
“My, father?!?”
“Um yes your father.”
“If he’s my father, then why’d he wun out on us?”
“He didn’t run away from us, actually when he falsely accused me, I kicked him out.”
“But you always told me…” And that’s all I heard before she stormed inside.
END OF PART ONE!!!!!