"Different Worlds, Same City" is a fictional short story of two young women and it is written from their different perspectives. I was inspired to write this because of the mission trips I have been on to New Orleans and Dallas, and also a meeting with a fellow sister in Christ a few weeks ago. I hope you enjoy it!
"This is going to be an incredible day", thought Angie as she awoke. It was Angie's birthday and she had a wonderful day planned. She'd taken the day off of work for the first time in months. She was going out to breakfast with her best friend Stacy at the local diner. Then they were going on shopping at Hillsdale Mall. Later that night she had a date with her boyfriend Jared. Her greatest birthday yet was just on the horizon and she couldn't wait for all the day would hold.
Mandy woke up to the sound of an ambulance screeching nearby. She was cold when she awoke. Most people were grateful for the winter coming. It meant Thanksgiving feasts, snowfall, holiday shopping, baking Christmas cookies, and ice skating season was close. But winter was always a miserable time for Mandy. It had been for years.
She met Stacy an hour later at the restaurant. Stacy greeted her with a huge hug and a gift bag in her hand. The two girls chose a booth by the window. Angie ordered an omelet, hash browns, and fresh fruit. Stacy ordered chocolate chip pancakes. While they waited on their food Angie opened her gift from Stacy. Brown leather boots. The exact ones she'd seen and loved when shopping with Stacy just one week before. "How perfect!" Angie exclaimed. She loved them. Shortly after she opened her gift their food arrived to their table.
Mandy had $4.36 in her pocket. Just enough for a little breakfast out. She walked to the gas station nearby and got a cup of warm coffee for 99 cents, an apple for 69 cents, and a muffin for 99 cents. She purchased her food and went to go sit on a bench to eat her meal.
Angie and Stacy left the diner and headed for the mall. After several hours of shopping the girls headed back to Angie's apartment.
"You bought 3 dresses all of which were on sale Ang. You shouldn't be so uptight about spending the money. It is your birthday", Stacy said.
"I guess not but you know me. I didn't grow up having a lot. Spending $100 even on my birthday is a lot", Angie explained.
"I know. But Ang, you do so much at the school that you deserve a little something extra just for you. It is your 25th birthday after all", Stacy encouraged.
Angie hesitantly replied, "well... I guess I don't have any dresses and they are beautiful. I am definitely going to wear one of them on my date tonight. Now the only problem is this: what should I wear to my date?"
After Mandy finished her meal, she went to the homeless shelter nearby. The sign at the bank said that it was Tuesday. That meant the showers were open and so was the clothing bank. She walked the six short blocks to the shelter. The shelters were bursting at the seams. She had stayed there two weeks before, meaning that she would need to wait another two weeks before she could go back since it was so full. Still, the showers were open to everyone. She got in the women's line, which looked to be about 20 people long. She talked to Dominique who was in line in front of her.
"How's the job hunt Mandy?", she asked.
"Well, I went door to door last week but then my good jacket got stolen and I missed the last shower day so I haven't been looking the past few days. I've been waiting to hit the showers again and I also need to find some new clothes if I am going to be considered by anyone", Mandy responded.
Dominique laughed her usual raspy laugh. "Well, good luck girl. You're going to need it. I still think you're crazy. I've been on the streets for 10 years and I went to 104 businesses during my first two years and nothing. Not one ever even interviewed me. Soon as they find out you're homeless they give up on you. They think you're going to steal from 'em or something."
"I still have to try Dominique", Mandy smiled.
About forty minutes later she got a shower. The water wasn't warm by that point but she still was grateful to shower. Afterwards, she went next door to the clothing bank. Now her only problem was this: what should she wear on her job hunt?
Angie looked at her 3 new dresses. One was lilac with beautiful lilies on it, the second was long and dark blue, and the third was green and simple but gorgeous. Stacy left for the hospital after getting a call from her mom saying that her sister had gone into labor. Angie loved Stacy's sister very much and wanted to go with but Stacy insisted that she stay and get ready for her date. Now she sat alone trying to decide what dress to wear. Jared had called her and asked if he could pick her up at 6:00 instead of 5:00. Jared seemed kind of nervous. They had been seeing each other for nearly two years and lately he'd seemed like he was planning something. Angie wondered if maybe he had planned to propose. The idea of that both excited her and made her sad. Her mother, whom she had always been close to, had died the previous summer. She couldn't imagine her mom not helping her through the whole process of planning a wedding like she always thought would happen.
Every time the bank was open you were able to get two things. Since her jacket had been stolen she would want a new one since the winter weather was creeping in. She was able to find a blue one. It was two sizes too big but it was pretty nice. It must have just been added. Otherwise, someone would have taken this gem. Her shirt was old and faded and starting to tear. She couldn't go to businesses like that and expect employment. So she went to the section where they kept the tops. The selection was pretty picked over but she found a dark blue polo. It was technically a men's shirt but it was the thing that looked the most professional. So she checked out and then went to the bathroom to change. Now, she looked like she was dressed for success. Destiny was waiting for her right around the corner.
Angie eventually chose the green dress and decided it would look wonderful with her new boots Stacy got her. It was only 3:30 so she decided to drive over to the hospital. It was a beautiful day and the birds were chirping so it wasn't a surprise that Stacy chose to wait outside while she waited for her niece to be born. But then as Angie approached she could see something was wrong.
"Stacy, what's wrong?", Angie asked in concern.
"Hope was born but she is blind", she said and began to sob. "Oh Ang, she'll never see the blue birds or the wind sway the trees. She'll never know what I look like. She'll never see the beauty of a lake or a mountain. She won't even know what her own mother looks like."
Angie soothed her friend and led her to a bench. She hugged her close and comforted her. "Stacy, have I told you about Maurice?", Angie asked softly.
"Of course. He's your favorite student", Stacy said, obviously confused.
"He's deaf but he sees the world through a different lens. He sees his deafness as an advantage. He doesn't have to listen to the noise of the world. Instead, he hears God. Maybe Hope will be able to use her blindness for a greater purpose and she can hold a different perspective than others."
"Angie, what I would do without you", Stacy sniffled.
Mandy spent the afternoon and evening inquiring about open positions to every business she could. Every shopkeeper said they had no openings. Most would ask for a phone number to call if positions opened up. This was always a dreaded question because there were always ways of getting out of telling potential employers you had no home but that request always made people wonder. How do you tell someone you have absolutely no way of contacting anyone - no email, phone number, no address? It's not that she was ashamed of being homeless. It's just that she wanted people to see her as more than just a homeless person. She wanted them to see Mandy, not another Homeless Person.
Around 5:00 she went home and got ready for her date. She was still worried about Stacy and her sister but Stacy practically kicked her out of the hospital. "You'll be late for your date!", Stacy cried out as she looked at the clock. Angie showered, got dressed, applied her makeup, and fixed her hair. Jared arrived right on time. As she went to answer the door she wondered what this evening would hold for her.
As she approached the last business she planned to go to she sat on a bench and prayed silently for ten minutes. She needed a job and she needed one soon. She would not spend another winter out in the cold. When she arose and looked towards the steps of that last business. Between the time she sat and the time she rose the OPEN sign had went out. Mandy went back to the bench, sat down, and began to cry.
Angie had been walking around the park for an hour and a half thinking. Finally, she sat down. Her boyfriend had planned no kind birthday gestures and given no gifts, much less a ring. In fact, as they reached the restaurant Jared just said "I can't do this anymore" and broke up with her right then and there. After that she just walked to the park and had been pacing in circles ever since. Her feet were killing her and she needed to eat something. It had been seven hours since she had last eaten and her stomach was growling. Still, she did not have the energy to hail a cab or walk anywhere. Instead, she just sat down and began to cry.
After a few minutes Mandy regained her composure. She decided she needed something to cheer her up. She was hungry but wanted to save her little money for breakfast. She hadn't been able to ask for money since she had been so busy looking for a job. Maybe tomorrow she would get a little more cash. Instead, she decided to go to one of her favorite places in the city: the park downtown. She loved its fountains, its furry inhabitants, and its people. When she arrived the park seemed quite empty. As she walked around she saw a young woman and she froze. The woman on the bench wore a green dress. Her mother's favorite dress had looked so similar to this one. She stood still for a moment as the memories of her mother flooded her mind. Oh, how she missed her dearly. Finally, she came back to reality. She noticed for the first time that the woman was crying. She started to turn away but as she began to walk away. She knew that she couldn't leave her. So she walked up to her hesitantly.
"Miss?", said a voice.
Angie looked up in surprise. She had not heard anyone approach. "Oh...hello", Angie mustered.
"Are you alright?", the voice, which belonged to a black teenage girl, asked.
"I will be...I just...", she started.
"You seem pretty upset....Is there something that maybe you might want to talk about?", the girl asked uncertainly.
"No, I couldn't burden you with my troubles", she said.
"Miss, my mother once told me that when we share our joys they are doubled and when we share our hurts they are halved", the girl said and sat down beside her.
"What's your name?", Mandy asked the young woman.
"It's Angela. Call me Angie", the woman replied.
Mandy was floored. Finally, she got out "that was my mother's name".
"I don't mean to be forward or anything but... have you lost - or I mean, has your mother passed on too?", Angie asked.
Mandy tried to hold back tears. "Yes, ma'am. Two years ago next month", Mandy said.
"Mine too. She passed away two months ago", Angie replied as a tear rolled down her cheek.
"It's a dreadful thing to lose someone you love", Mandy said.
"It is indeed", Angie affirmed.
"That's actually what brought me here tonight", Angie sniffled. "My mom always loved this park. She took me here when I was a little girl. I come here now when I have troubles and sometimes I tell her about them...What brought you here tonight? Oh, I am sorry I never caught your name."
"It's Mandy. I came here to cheer myself up a bit. I'm unemployed."
"Oh, I am so sorry", Angie replied. Then she asked "how long have you been looking if you don't mind me asking?"
"Well, two years as a matter of fact", Mandy told her.
"Did you start to look after your mother died?", Angie asked.
"Yes, I had to drop out of school and support myself", Mandy responded.
"No other family?", Angie asked incredulously.
"Nope. My father abused my mom so she left. She was an only child and both of her parents died years ago. No one is left that I know about." The longer this young girl went on the more Angie's heart broke.
"Are you homeless?"
Mandy could tell the woman was scared to ask this so she answered pleasantly. "Actually, I am." Now Mandy was scared. Would she treat her differently? Would she stop talking to her? What was she thinking?
"You poor dear. I am pretty hungry. Can I treat you to a pizza?", Angie asked her in the sweetest and most compassionate tone she'd heard out of anyone in weeks.
At first she didn't know what to say. Then she quickly said yes and thanked her. During the next 20 minutes Angie hailed a cab and they were dropped off at a pizza place. On the way Mandy had asked her about herself. Angie told her of her break up with Jared, of poor Hope, and also about her own mother. Mandy learned that Angie had never known her father. As the girls climbed out of the cab, Mandy's heart fluttered. A sign on the side of the pizza place read HELP WANTED.
"Angie!", Mandy cried in excitement. "Look!"
"I have even greater news. My uncle owns this place. I didn't know he was hiring but it looks like he is. I am sure I can get you a job here!", Angie practically screamed.
"Why would you do that for me?", Mandy asked Angie in a confused tone.
"Because in a lot of ways Mandy you are just like me. And right now you could use job and if I am able to help you then I should. You've already helped me tonight. I should return the favor."
Mandy was shocked. Ever since she had been homeless she had been treated differently by nearly everyone. But Angie treated her like an equal, a friend. Things were looking up. If she could get this job then she could eat 3 meals a day. She could live in an apartment. She could go to the dentist and the doctor when she needed to. She could buy new clothes. She could help her friends. This could make all the difference. Not only that, but she felt as though she'd made a friend. Not just for the night but for life.
Angie hadn't had the birthday she expected. At the end of the night she thought she would have a diamond ring on her finger but instead she had a new friend around the table and a new perspective on life.
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