Jose Guerrero: “A Simple Truth” — a Connect In South Valley short story
A Simple Truth
By Jose Guerrero
“Don’t talk to them, they’re weird,” said 11 year old Sylvie. Her friend, Amanda sighed in response. It felt odd to be at the school playground on the weekend.
“That girl is so mean,” said Anabelle, ‘I was just saying hi.”
“She’s always like that,” replied her best friend Eva, as she pushed Anabelle on the swing. “Ignore her.”
Earlier that morning Sylvie was rushing to get downstairs before her mom called her again. “Honey!” Drat.
“Don,” said Heather to Dad, “you have the bags?”
“In the car,” replied Don.
“Any idea how long we’ll be?” she asked, adjusting an earring.
“No idea. Several hours?”
“Can’t believe this.”
Back on the newly refurbished playground, 8 year old Cooper had made a new friend named Taylor. Although they were in the same grade, Cooper went to a school across town that Taylor chose to believe was named after Super Mario’s brother. He was excited to share his home turf with Cooper and made a point of showing off his Mighty Oaks sweatshirt. Currently, they were discussing what they would be doing once they became astronauts and arrived at the International Space Station.
Hortencia poured coffee into her commuter cup as she called out to her daughter. “Anabelle honey! We’re going to be late!” She sipped the steaming hot drink as she looked out at the cool, overcast, Gilroy morning.
Anabelle groaned. She was definitely not a morning person.
“Don’t forget, we’re picking up Eva and her dad!”
Anabelle perked up at the reminder and rushed downstairs. “Mamma,” she asked, “why do they just give the food away for free?”
“Because what do I always tell you about helping others?”
Anabelle sighed and said, “be like a river.”
“That’s right baby girl. Vamonos.”
“But it’s Saturday! I go to school every day!” Eva stomped across her room as she was looking for the pair to the shoe she was wearing.
“Sweetie,” said Osvaldo, Eva’s father, as he walked down the hall towards her bedroom, “You know why we’re going. Now c’mon. Hortencia and Anabelle are gonna be here soon.”
Amanda was walking through the house, finishing up a hair braid as she looked for her father. She found him on the back porch, finishing up a cigarette. He used to smoke all the time but had quit about 10 years ago. “Dad,” asked Amanda, “can we go somewhere after we go to the school?” Caught off guard, Henry saw Amanda’s glare and coughed out a lungful of smoke. “Sorry honey,” he said as he dropped the cigarette and stomped it out, “I know, I know, I’m going to quit.”
“You promised.”
“I know, I know, I’m sorry. Can’t really afford them anymore anyway.”
“So can we?”
“Hmmm? Oh…well…we’ll see. Remember I have to run errands.”
“’We’ll see’ means no,” pouted Amanda.
“C’mon, we’re already late as it is,” he said as he kissed the top of her head.
“Cooper, wait for me,” said Mandy, his mom and chauffeur, as he seemed to unbuckle his seatbelt, open the door and jump out, all in one move.
“Mom! Their playground looks even bigger than the one at MY school!” As he turned to run towards the swings he crashed into Taylor.
“C’MON MOM, PLEASE?!?” said Taylor, a little louder than he intended. His mom, Marie, poked her head around the corner and stared at Taylor. “Excuse me?”
“Sorry. But…I can walk there alone! I’ll meet you there! You’re going to be there all day anyway!”
“You’re raising your voice again,” replied Marie, trying to hide a smirk. “And remember why we’re going there. Besides, I’ll only be another minute. Just let me finish putting on my face.” Taylor never understood that expression. It’s not like they wake up without a face like those zombies he’s used to seeing on movies and tv and in video games.
Mandy quickly finished unbuckling her seatbelt and ran over to Cooper, who was on the ground. She was met at the fallen boys by Marie. After a few moments of collective silence, the boys’ stunned looks turned to giggles, followed by guffaws. Mandy and Marie went from concerned to relieved as they helped their boys to their feet, Mandy swatting imaginary dust away from her son’s clothing. “Are you sure you boys are okay?” asked Marie.
“We’re fine Mom!” answered Cooper by mistake. More silence followed by more laughter.
Mandy extended her hand to Marie and said “Mandy.” Marie smiled and shook Marie’s hand, saying “Marie. Are you…?” holding up her grocery totes and gesturing towards the line of people.
“You know it,” answered Mandy meekly. “Thanks for the reminder.” Then to Cooper, she said “Lấy túi từ xe hơi.” Hearing the language switch, Cooper perked up. He knew when his mom wasn’t messing around and quickly retrieved the bags from the car. Taylor looked to his mom, puzzled. With a single facial expression, Marie replied silently, “I have no idea Honey.” Taking the bags from Cooper, Marie gently smoothed down an imaginary cowlick on his head, “Thank you Sweetie.”
The group of four walked casually onto the school grounds, chatting as they went. By the time the moms had spotted the pop-up coffee shop near the single-file gathering of adults, the kids had hit warp speed on their way to the playground.
“DC or Marvel?” asked Taylor, ready to bolt if given the wrong answer. Cooper smiled and said “Marvel.” “Okay good.”
Now it was Cooper’s turn. “Roblox or Minecraft?” Taylor didn’t hesitate and said, “Roblox.” Cooper rolled his eyes and smiled as he said “Okay now I hate you. Go away.”
“You SERIOUSLY like Roblox?!?” asked Cooper, then muttered to himself, “Tôi không thể tin anh chàng này.” “What?” “Nothing. Just kidding.”
The new friends stopped at the edge of the blacktop and noticed that a stand had been setup with various playground toys and an older kid standing behind it. The Guardian on the edge of the blacktop made the now-universal sign for “put your mask on.” The boys quickly complied before approaching. Taylor turned to look over towards his mom and smiled as he saw that both moms had either remembered or been reminded as well.
“What can I get for you?” asked the Guardian, whose name tag read “Ellison.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Cooper. You have everything out like this all the time?!”
“No,” said Taylor, “this is new.” He looked at Ellison and continued. “How come you have everything out?”
“Because of THAT!” Ellison said as he pointed to the line which Mandy and Marie were approaching. The boys’ heads swung around. “Gotta keep the brats occupado,” continued the Guardian. “So…what’ll it be? Red Ball, Basketball, jump rope?”
While Cooper looked over the inventory, Taylor asked meekly, “What if we just want to go on the playground?”
“Then I’ll need to see your ID.”
Cooper looked up, puzzled, while Taylor reflexively reached for his school badge ID lanyard, which was not around his neck but somewhere on his bedroom floor at the moment. “But,” he protested, “it’s Saturday! I don’t wear it on Saturdays!”
“Just yanking your chain little guy,” laughed Ellison. “Go on ahead. Just make sure to keep your masks on.”
“C’mon Cooper, let’s go!” Cooper hesitated just a moment before following, having used his keen eye to find the perfect basketball from among the bunch.
“If you don’t mind holding my place in line, I’ll pick up coffees for us both,” offered Mandy.
“Sure,” replied Marie, “that’d be great. I’ll hold your bags.”
“What can I get you?”
“Just a plain coffee is fine thanks.” Marie made her way to the line, which seemed longer than the one last week. A few familiar faces but no names to go along with them. As she took her place in line, she smiled at the couple directly in front of her, who were definitely new. Not because Marie didn’t recognize them but because she recognized the look of first-timers. “Shame is taught,” she remembered her mom always telling her.
“I cannot believe this,” whispered Heather to Don.
“It will be alright,” said Don, repeating the mantra he’d been using the past few days as much for himself as for Heather. “It’s just for this week. I have calls in to the office and to the bank.”
“And what if it ISN’T alright Don?!” she whispered back, “what then?”
“The bank WILL extend our credit limit. Then we’ll tread water until things….”
“…until WHAT Don?! And who’s to say they will? We’ve BEEN treading water for over a year now!” Her hushed tones were beginning to increase in volume.
“Let’s talk about this later.” Then, to a returning Mandy, he asked, “May I ask, where you got the coffee?”
Mandy smiled as she handled a cup to Marie and replied, “back there,” pointing to the coffee stand.
“Thanks.” He smiled at Heather, who merely sighed. “Be right back honey.”
Coworkers Hortencia and Osvaldo were sharing a laugh while waiting in line, just in front of Heather and Don. “So,” asked Osvaldo as he wiped his eyes, “have you heard anything more about the layoffs?”
“Just that they can happen at any time. You?”
“Nada. It’s happening everywhere.”
Don spotted his friend Henry as he was returning with his hands full. “Henry!”
“Don!” Out of habit, Henry reached out a hand in greeting before catching himself. “Sorry.”
Don chuckled as he held up the two cups of coffee and offered his elbow. “Not like I should, even if my hands weren’t full, right?”
Henry touched Don’s elbow with his own and laughed, “Got that right.”
“Haven’t seen you here before,” said Henry, “first time?”
“Yea. It’s rough.”
“‘It’s rough’ is why we’re all here. I’ve been coming here about a month now. It really does help out.”
“Ironic that the group handling this is one I’ve donated to at work for several years now.”
“You gave at the office.”
“Exactly!”
“Don!” said Heather in a whispered shout. When he turned to look at her, she gestured for him to hurry.
“Gotta go Henry. Good to see you.”
“Don’t take all the good apples, huh?”
“Hey, you get here late, you get what you get.”
“Get over here,” demanded Heather, adjusting her sunglasses.
“Sorry,” said Don, offering her a cup. “Caramel macchiato, extra shot, just as you like it my Love. I just ran into Henry. Amanda’s dad.”
“Why did you stop and talk with him? I don’t want him knowing our business.” She sighed before continuing, “ Maybe…Don maybe this is a mistake. Maybe we shouldn’t be here. We don’t even know how this works.”
“Heather, we should stay. It’ll help. And look at the people here. They all need help. We all need help from time to time.”
“But Sylvie…”
“What about Sylvie? We’re doing this for her.”
“I…I told her we were coming here to volunteer.”
“You what?”
“I didn’t want to worry her.”
“Worry? Or did you think this would embarrass her?” He took a sip of coffee before continuing, “ Honey, she’ll be fine. We’re all going to be fine.”
“But what if they say no? We’re not low-income.”
“Honey, first of all, they give food to anyone. Second, with our situation the way it is, we may not be too far away from being low-income.”
“But you didn’t print out the paperwork,” she said, holding up the manila folder they’d brought along, “just PDFs full of confusing information.”
“You don’t need paperwork,” said Hortencia, offering a weak smile.
The couple looked up at her as she continued. “Sorry. I couldn’t help overhearing. Here they give food to anyone. You don’t have to do any paperwork. Not here.”
Don smiled as Heather looked down and sighed, embarrassed. “Thanks.”
“First time?”
“Yeah. It’s…”
“It’s okay. Everyone has a first time.”
“And,” said Marie, “we all just have to help one another.”
Hortencia looked at Marie and smiled as she said, “be like a river.”