Torn
All for the sake of chicken soup
I close the door calmly and then sprint to my flat, ready to go and cry down the phone to Tammy how pointless my life was when at my door was an old lady.
“Hey how can I help?” I smile as she looks me over.
“Are you the new caretaker?” I nod in response. “Could you do me a favour I’m supposed to be in bed… the flu,” she answers my unasked question of why she should be in bed.
“Yes, what would you like?” I respond happy to help the old lady.
“I need you to go to the grocers and get me some tinned chicken soup dear,” she hands me a pair of dollar notes, not enough for soup – but she probably hasn’t been to the bank I scold myself “Get yourself a dollar chew too honey.” She smiles as she walks back to her flat.
I smile and check my pocket; I look in my wallet I have a ten dollar note so I set off to the shop no need to go in, since the key is in my pocket and the door has a Yale lock.
I walk down the street remembering it from when I was ten and comparing it to now, there are now two new shops, a health one and also a butcher.
I make a mental note to check in tomorrow on my way home, then decide that I’ll go home and change and then pop in, so I’m not in my uniform.
I walk in to Giovanni’s Grocers. It’s changed. I look around and then bend down to grab a tin of soup. I then hear a bang and follow protocol as I hear three voices saying “Grab the change bruv.” I then see the three voices are from boys standing in the entrance all about 14-16 little wannabe gangstas.
I then see a younger kid about age 13 standing stuck to the spot holding a gun. Some sirens are heard and the older kids run off shouting “Tell the pigs anything and your dead bruv!” I then stand up and the kid looks at me in shear horror, like I would do more than tell his mum.
“Listen, you aren’t in trouble, I can see you thought the gun wasn’t loaded, right.” I put words in his mouth. He nods understanding he couldn’t be tried for manslaughter as much.
“I see that you are upset so hand me the gun,” I pick up a fruit bag and put it over my hand as I collect it from him. “Have you got a phone,” he nods “Call 911 please it doesn’t help to try to run, I have to check on the clerk.” I walk over to the counter to see the clerk a young girl about 16 with a gash in her arm.
I hand her my jacket and wrap it around her arm. I can’t believe I’ve left my phone in the flat, rule one never forget your phone, my dad had drilled that home like his screwdriver stories.
I then hear Darren’s voice “Police please stay where you are. Is there anyone else in the shop?” He’s approaching the boy with caution.
I stand up slowly shouting, “Police officer standing up from behind counter,” he turns and looks at me his eyes widen for a second until he sees I’m uninjured.
“The boy has been disarmed. The clerk is in need of medical attention, 911 are on their way.” I look him over now as he handcuffs the boy, he looks fit in his bullet proof vest and holster. I walk over and get a look of relief as I hand him the gun in the banana bag.
911 turn up and the girl is taken to the local ER. I have to go down to the station as a witness; I blush as an officer walks me to his squad car, past Darren who follows me and asks “Why where you here?” he sighs I can tell he wants to hug me but we need to keep us on the DL (down low) for now.
“Old lady on the 2nd floor wanted chicken soup.” I smile.
“Oh, you mean Nora, yeah she likes it from the health shop, plus did she fob you off with $2, Nora’s a two time widow and technically a very wealthy woman, she lives in the flat as she dislikes her family and she moved away from them with her second husband.” He smiles, “If you looked under her notes, you’d see that she just likes someone to chat to, I will send an officer to hers with some soup,” He looked around and then quickly pecked my lips through the window, “See you later officer Carter, I’ll get your Dad to grab your uniform and drop it in the locker room.”
“Darren, I’ll be home before 10pm. I would like a lift though if you’re not busy.” I smile as the officer from earlier comes over ready to drive off.
“Sanderson, did you get all your notes.” the police officer winked at Darren.
“Yes, Garry.” He smiled and nodded at me.
Then we drove three blocks to the precinct.
“Hey how can I help?” I smile as she looks me over.
“Are you the new caretaker?” I nod in response. “Could you do me a favour I’m supposed to be in bed… the flu,” she answers my unasked question of why she should be in bed.
“Yes, what would you like?” I respond happy to help the old lady.
“I need you to go to the grocers and get me some tinned chicken soup dear,” she hands me a pair of dollar notes, not enough for soup – but she probably hasn’t been to the bank I scold myself “Get yourself a dollar chew too honey.” She smiles as she walks back to her flat.
I smile and check my pocket; I look in my wallet I have a ten dollar note so I set off to the shop no need to go in, since the key is in my pocket and the door has a Yale lock.
I walk down the street remembering it from when I was ten and comparing it to now, there are now two new shops, a health one and also a butcher.
I make a mental note to check in tomorrow on my way home, then decide that I’ll go home and change and then pop in, so I’m not in my uniform.
I walk in to Giovanni’s Grocers. It’s changed. I look around and then bend down to grab a tin of soup. I then hear a bang and follow protocol as I hear three voices saying “Grab the change bruv.” I then see the three voices are from boys standing in the entrance all about 14-16 little wannabe gangstas.
I then see a younger kid about age 13 standing stuck to the spot holding a gun. Some sirens are heard and the older kids run off shouting “Tell the pigs anything and your dead bruv!” I then stand up and the kid looks at me in shear horror, like I would do more than tell his mum.
“Listen, you aren’t in trouble, I can see you thought the gun wasn’t loaded, right.” I put words in his mouth. He nods understanding he couldn’t be tried for manslaughter as much.
“I see that you are upset so hand me the gun,” I pick up a fruit bag and put it over my hand as I collect it from him. “Have you got a phone,” he nods “Call 911 please it doesn’t help to try to run, I have to check on the clerk.” I walk over to the counter to see the clerk a young girl about 16 with a gash in her arm.
I hand her my jacket and wrap it around her arm. I can’t believe I’ve left my phone in the flat, rule one never forget your phone, my dad had drilled that home like his screwdriver stories.
I then hear Darren’s voice “Police please stay where you are. Is there anyone else in the shop?” He’s approaching the boy with caution.
I stand up slowly shouting, “Police officer standing up from behind counter,” he turns and looks at me his eyes widen for a second until he sees I’m uninjured.
“The boy has been disarmed. The clerk is in need of medical attention, 911 are on their way.” I look him over now as he handcuffs the boy, he looks fit in his bullet proof vest and holster. I walk over and get a look of relief as I hand him the gun in the banana bag.
911 turn up and the girl is taken to the local ER. I have to go down to the station as a witness; I blush as an officer walks me to his squad car, past Darren who follows me and asks “Why where you here?” he sighs I can tell he wants to hug me but we need to keep us on the DL (down low) for now.
“Old lady on the 2nd floor wanted chicken soup.” I smile.
“Oh, you mean Nora, yeah she likes it from the health shop, plus did she fob you off with $2, Nora’s a two time widow and technically a very wealthy woman, she lives in the flat as she dislikes her family and she moved away from them with her second husband.” He smiles, “If you looked under her notes, you’d see that she just likes someone to chat to, I will send an officer to hers with some soup,” He looked around and then quickly pecked my lips through the window, “See you later officer Carter, I’ll get your Dad to grab your uniform and drop it in the locker room.”
“Darren, I’ll be home before 10pm. I would like a lift though if you’re not busy.” I smile as the officer from earlier comes over ready to drive off.
“Sanderson, did you get all your notes.” the police officer winked at Darren.
“Yes, Garry.” He smiled and nodded at me.
Then we drove three blocks to the precinct.