The World Is Ugly.

With a heavy sigh, I threw my apron in my locker and put my hoodie back on. I left through the back door and headed to the busy streets of New York.

Yeap, I did manage to get a job, at the coffee shop where Gerard is working. Most people who are working in this shop are complaining about their salary and the conditions of their work. I had to bit my tongue, seriously… They should be happy to have a job, so many persons out there would do anything to get a job…

I’m one lucky person…

I mean, I’m free to do whatever I want, I have a roof over my head, food in my stomach and money in my pocket, I couldn’t ask for more, really.

It was my lucnhbreak and I had decided to go for a walk instead of staying with the others employees and hear them complain. The only one who wasn’t complaining was Gerard, even the manager was complaining… Ugh!

I was looking at my surroundings, happy to be where I was. As I looked around, I spot a building that caught my attention, slowly but surely, I crossed the street and pushed the door opened.

There were tables and chairs/ armchairs, it looked like a living room of some sort.

“They came in here even younger now…” I heard a voice said.

I turned around and saw three people sitting at a table.
“Excuse me…” I asked, unsure. “Where am I?”

There was a woman and two men. One of the men spoke up.
“You are at ‘The Last Chance’.”

My eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.
“And what is it exactly?” I asked.

“A home for the homeless.” Replied the woman.

“Here, food is provided to the ones in need, as well as the access to a restroom and beds to sleep in.” spoke yet another voice. I turned around and was face to face with a tall old man. He had grey hair and small glasses perched on top of his nose.

“I’m Mike, I work here, how can I help you?” he asked, holding out his hand.

“I’m Jaelynn and I was going to ask you just that…” I said, shaking his hand.

“Ask me what?” he asked, confused.

“If I could help you?” I said, rubbing my neck.

Mike smiled, “How old are you?”

“Old enough, if that’s what you’re worried about.” I replied. “Listen, all I want to know is whether you need some kind of help or not. I’m not asking for money, I got a job for that, I just want to help in whichever way I can.” I said, rubbing my arm.

I truly hope he’ll say yes. I need him to say yes.

“Follow me…” he said, making a weird move with his hand, indicating me to follow him. I obliged. I kinda had to, you know…

He led me down a corridor, and into a small room, the size of a big closet. The walls were covered with boxes, and papers of all kind. Another thing about his ‘office’ it was kinda dark, with only a small desk and two chairs.

“Take a sit” he offered, switching on the light. He went to sit on the other side of the desk and let himself fall on the old chair. I took the seat opposite him.

“You do know that you cannot expect us to give you money, right?” was the first thing he said, as he rested his elbow on the desk, looking straight at me.

“I know that. And I already told you, I’m not after your money, all I want is to help. I can do the laundry if there’s a need to. I can cook, I can do some cleaning as well… Whatever you need me to do…”

“You truly want to help, don’t you?” he asked, his features softening.

“Yes!” I said, nodding. “Whatever that needs to be done, it’ll be done.” I said. “Just tell me when to start and what I should do first.”

“You may start whenever you can.” Said Mike, pushing his small glasses back on his nose.

“Then I’ll see you in a couple of hours, when my shift is done.” I said, happily.

“All right, what’s your name again?” he asked, standing up as I did so.

“Jaelynn.” I replied, holding out my hand to shake his.

“I’ll see you later today then, Jaelynn.” He said, patting my hand all the while shaking it.

I smiled, turned and left his office. I bought a hot dog on my way back to work.

**

The afternoon went by in a blur, I just couldn’t wait to go back to ‘the Last Chance’. I was finally going to do something that could make the world a better place. I couldn’t wait, really.
As soon as 4.30pm arrived, I quickly waved ‘Good Bye’ at Gerard and the other people working with me and I left. I hurried to the still unfamiliar building and almost ran into Mike.

“Jaelynn, nice to see you so enthusiastic.” He said. It was clear in his tone that he was still suspicious that I was actually going to do something.

“So, what do you want me to do?” I asked, taking off my hoodie and swinging it over my shoulder.

“Do you know how to make a bed?” he asked, walking back to the small corridor where his lame excuse of an office was.

“I do.” I replied, following him up a flight of stairs. That floor was where the kitchen was, and also the ‘canteen’, he led me to another flight of stairs. Where the dormitory was. There was about 20 or so beds, lining up against the walls.

“You’ll find everything you might need in those closets.” He said, pointing at something over his shoulders before he left.

I had to blink a few times. He really was doubting my capacity and my motivation…

**

It took me about 30 minutes to do all the beds, making sure the sheets and covers were properly laid. I closed the closets and ran down the stairs, almost tripping on my own feet and breaking my neck in the process.

“Mike, I’m done making the beds, what can I do to help you?” I said, knocking on his office’s door. It was opened, but that’s what you call being ‘polite’.

He blinked, obviously taken aback that I was already done.

“Hum… You could huh…”

I smiled,
“Well, who’s cooking?” I asked.

“Me.” Was his replied.

“Who’s serving the food?”

“Me.”

I blinked. Yeah, blinking is a stupid reaction people often do when they are surprised or something of the kind.

“Are you alone? I mean, to manage everything?” I asked.

“I am. I live here, it’s my life. I chose to dedicate my life in helping the person in needs, so
what now?” he asked, obviously irritated.

“I think it’s great. I’d love to do just that.” I confessed, walking into the office and sitting down.

Mike raised an eyebrow.

“Listen, stop judging me because of my age and my appearance. Yes, I’m a girl, yes I’m young. But I got beliefs. I believe in peace. I believe that the world could be a better place and I want to be part of the change. I could help you. I’m might be just a girl, but I’m a competent enough to help you. I can cook, it’s not French cuisine but I can manage. I can make the beds, I can clean the restrooms and bathrooms, and I can do the dishes… I can help.” I ranted, getting really frustrated by his reactions. “Just give me a chance to prove myself.”

“People your age don’t usually want to help one’s fellow…” he said.

“Yeah, well I’m different if you hadn’t notice yet, just remember my name Jaelynn, ain’t that different from all the Britney, Julie and Marie walking the world?”

“I…”

I cut him off,

“I’m not doing it for money either. I’m doing it for myself, to help me sleep at night, knowing that, one way or another, I managed to brighten someone’s day. That’s what I live for. Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it then…” said Mike. “Can you help me cook? I was thinking about making mash potatoes with chicken.” He said.

“How many people can you welcome here?” I asked, following him to the kitchen.

“It can go from 3 to 30… Even 50 on certain days. Only a few are regulars, the rest are just in the neighborhood at the moment so they decide to just stop by.” He explained, throwing me an apron. I hurriedly tied it around my waist and grabbed a pair of gloves.

**

It was with a smile on my face that I was heading back to the apartment. Helping Mike with dinner had been nice. He was a nice guy, and he truly loved what he was doing. I helped him with dinner, then I quickly cleaned the bathrooms and toilets before deciding that it was time for me to head back. It was 8pm and the boys would come back soon.

Only Gerard was here when I came back. He was sitting on the armchair, sketching on his notebook.

“Hey ya!” I said, throwing my hoodie on the nearest furniture, well, it landed on Gerard’s
head. I quickly apologized and went to grab it.

“Sorry!” I said, before throwing it over the folding screen that delimited my room from the rest of the apartment.

“How was your day?” he asked, looking at me.

“It was great.” I replied, heading to the sink to wash my hands. “And yours?”

“It was okay I guess, what did you do after work?” he asked.

“I went to help people.” I replied, drying off my hands.

“And I thought you didn’t lie…” he trailed off, his eyes glued on me.

“I do not lie. It’s true… It’s a small building, called ‘the Last Chance’, I saw it when I was
walking during my lunch break. I helped Mike cooking and making the beds and cleaning before the ‘rush hour’. I had to leave though, I had to come back here to prepare dinner.” I explained, opening the fridge, trying to see what I could prepare.

Gerard stayed silent and I turned back to him.

“You don’t have to believe me.” I said.

“I never said I didn’t believe you, I’m just trying to figure you out.” He said.

“What do you mean?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m trying to understand you. Not many people would react like you.” He explained.

“Well, that’s a shame then. If more people were to react like me, the world would be such a wonderful place to live in.”

“Mash potatoes and steak?” I asked. He nodded.

“I don’t agree with you, the world isn’t such a wonderful place. The word is ugly.” He said, still looking at me as I was wandering around the kitchen.

“And that’s when you’re wrong!” I said, pointing and accusing finger at him. “The world is a wonderful place, really… Just get out of New York for a while, you’ll see what I mean.”

“You’re just saying that because you’re coming from a hole in the country where the only bad thing that could happen would be a cat killing a mouse.” He said.

I laughed,

“That’s not a bad thing Gerard, that’s life.”

“And how about all the people that are killed every day for nothing?”

“Gerard, that’s life… There’s nothing you can do about it.”

“Then why try to make the world a better place if you can’t do anything about death and if the world’s all ready great.”

“You don’t understand, do you? God made us at his image. We failed once, now we have to pay for the consequences of our acts.”

“Oh come on! Don’t tell me you’re serious!” he said, rolling his eyes.

“Kind of. I do believe in God if I want to. Don’t judge me on my beliefs! Only God can judge me.”

“Who are you?” he asked, rubbing his face tiredly.

“I told you, name’s Jaelynn!” I muttered, getting annoyed with him.

“I know that, I caught your name. But what’s your story? Where are you from, and so on…”

“I’m from a small town, somewhere in the wild. I was born from my parents if you must know. I’ve always hated injustice and unfairness. I have a fiancé. I do believe in something that’s above us, and I call it God. Things happen, and I believe they happen for a reason. I didn’t belong where I was, I needed to live my dreams instead of dreaming my life. One day, I packed my stuff and left, that’s how I ended up here. In conclusion, I’m too much weird to live, but too much rare to die.”