Love Without a Home. Shari Mong

at eight a.m. She had seen the same man again that she saw yesterday leaving her office out on the sidewalk holding that same stupid can again, begging for money. He looked at her and she turned away in disgust. He had attempted to say “Hello” to her but she ignored him and went into the building.

      She wished that he would find another sidewalk to do his begging of society. As usual, she was dressed to the nine and alert. Guy had left her townhouse and said he would see her Friday to take her to the Greek Isles. It was Wednesday today and tomorrow she was working diligently to be able to take the rendezvous with Guy.

      No sooner did she get into her office when her photographer, Carl Drixel, knocked on her door. “Come in,” Elisa said. She was sitting at her desk and was about to call her assistant to bring her in the quarterly reports. Carl opened the door and came in, Elisa looked up. “Yes, Carl” He hated to disturb her, but this was urgent and she would not like it.

      “Um, Miss Drinnings, I am not sure how to tel--,” Carl began but Elisa interrupted him.

      “Just get to it Carl, I am going to be up to my neck in reports. Sit down.” Her stern voice commanded that he do so and so he did.

      “We have a problem Miss Drinnings,” Carl was nervous and looking down at this hands.

      “What problem is that Carl?” This is not what Elisa wanted to hear.

      “Getting the winter edition of Pose Magazine is going to be late.” Carl was rubbing his hands.

      “Why is that?” Elisa asked sternly.

      “You have the layouts I gave you so what is the problem? I want that winter edition of Pose Magazine on my desk before let me say, winter. So whatever problem you have you need to resolve it and soon.”

      She threw her pen down and sat back. “Carl do you realize that in the fashion world not only is how you present your work important, but also timing is everything as well if you want to overcome your competition?” Elisa was sitting upright and rigid.

      “Yes Miss Drinnings, but--,” Elisa interrupted him again.

      “Then you will find a way to get this winter magazine done in the time I have specified. I do not care if you have to work 24/7 on this.

      I know you value your job Mr. Drixel, and I value Pose Magazine as the leader in the fashion world, what people will be talking about, and girls who want to model for Pose Magazine. Now, I trust you will have this done in the time that I have allotted you, Mr. Drixel, or I will just have to do some rearranging. Do we have an understanding?” Carl knew what she meant by rearranging. “Tell those publishers of Pose Magazine that too.”

      Elisa leaned forward and put her hands together. “Yes Miss Drinnings we have an understanding. I will be working around the clock to get this finished in time.”

      “Good Mr. Drixel, now if there is nothing left to discuss, then this meeting is adjourned.” “Yes Miss Drinnings.”

      As Carl got up to leave, Elisa said again, “Timing is everything Mr. Drixel. Always remember that.”

      He shook his head yes and left her office. Elisa called her assistant in and told her she needed the third quarterly report. Her assistant got right on that. Elisa got up with her coffee in her hand and looked out her office window. She could see the guy that she saw coming into work. They lived in two different worlds and she wanted to keep it that way.

      Her assistant knocked on the door and Elisa turned around. “Here are the reports that you asked for Miss Drinnings.” Sissy said.

      “Thank you Sissy, put them on my desk.”

      Sissy did as Elisa asked her. “Is there anything else I can do for you Miss Drinnings?” Sissy asked her.

      “Yes there is,” Elisa walked over and opened up her Louis Vuitton purse. She pulled out her pocketbook a one hundred dollar bill.

      “Give this to the man on the street out there. Don’t tell him who it is from, but ask him to please remove himself from the sidewalk and use another one.”

      “Who are we talking about Miss Drinnings?” Sissy was confused.

      “Come here Sissy and I will show you.” Sissy walked over to where Elisa was standing. She looked out the window. “See that man down there standing with that dirty plaid shirt on and jeans holding out a tin can?” Elisa asked her.

      “Yes Miss Drinnings.” Sissy answered her.

      “That is the guy.” Elisa handed Sissy the one hundred dollar bill.

      Sissy took it. “I will do it Miss Drinnings.”

      “Good Sissy. I always know I can count on you.” Elisa took another sip of her coffee. She had hoped this would work. A hundred dollars to a homeless man could seem like a million. She just hoped it would feel like it to him and do the job. Sissy walked out of the office. Elisa sat down and went straight to work.

      *****

      Sissy walked out of the building and up to the man that Elisa had pointed out to her. “Excuse me sir,” Sissy said. Kyle turned around and stared into the face of a curly haired blonde woman with what looked like a one hundred dollar bill in her hand.

      “What?” Kyle asked her.

      “I was told to give you this.” Sissy put her arm out to give Kyle the one hundred dollar bill.

      “By who were you asked to give me this?” Kyle asked her.

      “I was told not to say who it was, but they would like for you to take this and move to another sidewalk and off of this one.”

      Kyle was furious. “Well, you tell whoever gave you that one hundred dollar bill to tell me themselves. Until then, I will stay on this public sidewalk.” Kyle said defiantly. “They cannot push me off of here just like I was some stray dog.”

      Sissy wasn’t sure what to say to him or to Elisa for him refusing it. “Take it sir; I am sure that you could use it. I mean a hundred dollars to someone like yourself could get you through for a while. Maybe get yourself a hotel room, new clothes, or anything else.”

      “I am not taking it ma’am. If it were out of the kindness of their heart, if they even have one, then I would. But this, this is to try and get me off this sidewalk, a public sidewalk that I have fought for so people could walk on it, is insulting.”

      Sissy was not sure what he meant by fighting for this sidewalk, but she saw that he was not going to take the money. “Well then, I shall be going back to work. I will leave you to do whatever it is you do.” Sissy piped.

      “Good then,” Kyle said angrily. “Continue with your work and I will continue with mine.” Kyle turned his back to her and she walked back into the building still holding Elisa’s money. Elisa was concentrating hard on the reports when Sissy knocked on her door.

      “Come in please,” Sissy walked in and Elisa was still looking at the paperwork on her desk.

      “Miss Drinnings,” Sissy said, “he would not take the money, he said he felt insulted.” Elisa sighed and looked up at Sissy.

      “How did he feel insulted?” Elisa asked almost with a laugh.

      “Well I told him, without giving your name of course, to give you this one hundred dollar bill and to remove yourself from this sidewalk.” Sissy said.

      “And what was his comment to that Sissy?” Elisa asked.

      “He said to tell whoever gave you that money to tell him yourself and that he will stay on this sidewalk. That it was a public sidewalk and one he had fought for so people could walk on it. I am not sure what he meant by that.”

      “Me neither,” Elisa retorted. “I told him that it could get you a hotel room, more clothes, or anything else. He said if it were out of the kindness