Backwater Publishing LLC

DESTINY

 

by

 

Clem Mason

 

Warning: graphic language and description

 

(age 16+)

(wc 5355)

 

Jacob Dunn. (Jake), 18, is about to graduate high school with a C- average and yet he will become rich beyond his wildest dreams within a month of his graduation. This is his story.

Jake is the kid that lives in the trailer park on the other side of the railroad tracks. There’s at least one in every school. They’d steal your eye teeth if they had a chance. That’s not Jake. He’s different. He is very quiet, has no friends: he’s a loner. Not being athletic at all, only 5′8″, 153 lbs., he doesn’t participate in any sports. None!

He is the youngest of seven brothers and sisters: all of whom left home between the ages of 13-16 because of their home life; because of their abusive father, Will. Will is just downright mean. Not one of them graduated high school. So Jake’s only ambition in life was to achieve that milestone, if nothing else, much to the displeasure of his father.

His mother just up and disappeared that summer when Jake was five years old. She didn’t say a word to anyone or leave a note. She just vanished. That’s when Jake gave up on life being fair. He was sure it was because of him that she left. And Will seemed to blame him also and beat him routinely when he got drunk. Jake went to school many times with a black eye or welts and bruises on his arms and back. The local Social service people came around many times and Will, being a consummate and convincing liar, could easily explain it away. He would make Jake lie; that some bully in school beat him up. Nothing was ever done and the beatings went on. Jake was in the mind set that he deserved the thrashing because it was his fault his mother left them. Jake had absolutely no self esteem whatsoever.

Graduation night was one night Jake would never forget as long as he lived. His whole life would change then. Will wouldn’t attend his son’s graduation. He said he had more important things to do. Little did Jake know what it was that was so important. He would find out in just a few hours.

Jake rode his bicycle to school and hid it in the bushes by the auditorium. However, when the ceremonies concluded, Jake found his bicycle hanging from the flag pole, it’s wheels missing. A dirty trick. So, he started walking home with his diploma in hand. He didn’t notice the car parked by the curb on that dark street. The car belonged to Jeffery Johnston, who relished in making Jake’s life miserable simply because Jake was trailer trash and a whole lot smaller than he. As he was passing a large puddle of rain water, the car roared into motion and sped through the water, sending up a huge wave of dirty rain water to soak Jake to the bone. He heard the roar of laughter as the car sped away. Just one more dirty trick.

When Jake stepped up onto the dilapidated porch at his trailer home, still dripping wet, he saw all his worldly possessions piled by the railing. The trailer was dark. Jake tried the knob but the door was locked.

“Dad, open the door.” There was no answer. He pounded on it. “Dad, you can’t do this to your own son. Open the fargging door.” There was no answer. “I don’t have no place else to go,” he moaned. “Please, dad, you can’t do this to me.” Silence. This was the dirtiest trick of all.

He started crying, giving way to the fact that he no longer had a place to live.

He gathered a few essentials into his backpack and walked away in wet and filthy clothes.

The only place he could think of to stay that was safe and dry was the bus station. Shivering, he found a bench in the darkest corner and cried himself to sleep. He felt terrible; so alone in the world. He was awakened by a hand, rubbing his leg by his crotch. When he opened his eyes, he saw an unshaven, middle aged man was rubbing his thigh. He winked and smiled. “Hey kid. You want a blow job?”

Jake yelled and jumped up. “Get away from me you goddam faggot.” He was really scared. He grabbed his backpack and ran out into the pouring rain. He ran up the sidewalk to the end of the block and stopped to look back. He couldn’t prevent it. He vomited. It wrenched his body as he gagged and heaved his guts in repulse. He slumped down on the curb and cried; the cold rain compounding his misery.

Jake stumbled in the pitch blackness under the sixth street bridge. Groping, he made his way up between the girders where it would be dry. Then he stepped on someone and he jumped back, bumping his head. The man cursed and lit a flashlight. He focused on the intruder.

“Oh! I thought you was the cops,” he said, He studied his guest a moment. “Hell, you’re just a kid. What the hell are you doing here?”
Jake shrugged. “My dad kicked me out of the house,” he said to the man behind the flashlight.

“That’s too bad, kid. Man, you’re soak’en wet, ain’t ya?” The hobo turned the light to the rolled up blanket he was using for a pillow and handed it to Jake. “Here. This’ll keep ya warm.”

Jake took it and waited. “Thank you,” he said.

The man laid back down. “You’d do the same fer me,” he said. The light went out.

Jake sat down, leaning against the girder. It was a wool blanket and it was very warm indeed. He fell asleep sitting up.

The next morning, hunger woke him up. The hobo was gone. He had left his blanket and Jake was grateful. Jake rolled it up and stuffed it into his backpack as best he could, though it was sticking way out.

He was so hungry that he felt sick, so he hurried to the alley behind Mueller’s grocery store and searched in the dumpsters for something to eat. Obviously, the trash men come during the night for the bins were empty. And they reeked really bad. Just then, the back door opened and the store manager stepped out onto the dock, squinting against the sun. He saw a dirty, disheveled youth standing by the trash bins and he watched him suspiciously. Jake walked over to the dock and looked up. “If you will give me a couple of large trash bags, Sir, I’ll pick up trash for something to eat.”

The man thought about it a moment. “Okay. I’ll get a couple of bags and you just pound on the door when you’re done.”

Jake nodded. “Thank you, Sir.”

The manager returned with a couple of large trash bags and handed them down.

It took an hour to pick up all the trash; front and back and being near starved didn’t help none, but he finally finished. He pounded on the door and waited. No one came. He pounded on the door again. No answer. Another dirty trick.

Jake walked around to the front of the store and went in. He picked up a packaged sandwich, a bottle of chocolate milk and walked out without paying. He ate in the park, not feeling the lest bit guilty.

Unlike most other young kids, Jake now had to worry where his next meal was coming from. Most don’t even give it a thought. They just assume mom is going to have supper fixed and waiting on the table when it’s time. They’re thoughtless and thankless.

He wandered the streets, thinking what his next move should be when he neared a van from Haggerty’s plumbing and electrical. The repairman watched Jake approach. When he was about to pass by, he spoke.

“Hey kid. You want a job?”

Jake stopped to look at the pop-bellied, middle aged workman wearing cover-alls.

“Doin’ what,” he asked.

“Helping me.” He pointed. “Take this house for instance. It has a crawl space that I can’t get under there so good. You’re a small, skinny kid and I’ll tell you what to do once you’re in.”

Jake eyed him suspiciously. “What’s it pay?”

He flipped his head towards the van. “You won’t be workin’ for Haggerty. You’ll be workin’ for me. I’m paying you out of my own pocket, mind you.”

“So, what does that mean?”
He cleared his throat. “It means that you’ll be doin’ all the dirty little shit jobs that I don’t like. It looks you could use some money, right? What do ya say?”
“How much it pay?”
“$25 a day.”

“Done.”

He extended his hand. “Marvin Stoddard. And you are…”

“Jake. Jake Dunn” They shook hands.

Marvin dug in the van and brought out a pair of worn, bibbed over-alls and handed them to Jake. “These are too small for me, Jake.” He shrugged. “You can keep ‘em.”

“Thanks.”

It was a very nasty job. Jake had to crawl through dust and dirt and spider webs. Across boards with nails in them. Nasty! It took three hours to finish and Jake emerged absolutely filthy. Marvin handed the owner the bill and motioned Jake to get in the truck. “Brush yourself off there, boy,” he said.

Then they stopped for lunch. Marvin shared an apple and a small bag of chips from his lunch pail because Jake had no money to buy something to eat.

The next job wasn’t so bad because Jake was the go-fer. It was a clean job site and no crawl space. Jake stood around mostly as Marvin did all the work.

Driving to the next job, Marvin asked: “So, tell me Jake, why does a young lad like you…look like you?”

Jake glanced sideways. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you look like you ain’t had a bath in weeks and you look…homeless.”
He settled back. “Well, for your information, I was kicked out of the house last night by my old man and I slept under the sixth street bridge. I’ve been drenched with muddy water, pounded with driving rain; soaked and cold. Molested by a faggot, ripped off by a store manager and probably the biggest surprise of my day will be when you ditch me on the last job today just so you won’t have to pay me.”

Marvin turned to look at Jake a long time as they set at a stop light. “All that? I mean, all that happened…last night?”
“Look…Marvin. I may be homeless. I may be dirty and I might smell bad, but I got my high school diploma, the clothes on my back and my pride…and I don’t lie.”

“Well, I’ll tell you this young Mr. Dunn,” he said, as he set the truck into motion again. “If I said I am going to pay you twenty five bucks, then that is what you will get. I am a man of honor.” He bobbed his head for emphasis and glared at Jake with piercing eyes.

“The last job will be a snap, Jake my boy.”
“Why’s that?”

“Just gotta light a water heater.”

“Why didn’t you do that first?”
Marvin blinked. “Why?”
“Because those people have been without hot water all day.”

Marvin looked astonished. “So!”

“So, it seems to me that it would be common courtesy to get them hot water where those other jobs could have waited.”
Marvin snorted. “Can you believe this? The kid’s been a plumbers helper less than a day and he’s already tellin’ me how to do my job.” He mumbled something under his breath.

They stopped at a quaint, little bungalow and got out and Marvin opened the back doors. “Bring the tool bucket,” he said, pointing.

He knocked on the door and waited. An elderly woman came to the door. She opened it just a crack. “Yes?”
Marvin looked at the ticket. “Mary O’Grady?

“Yes.”
“We’re here to light your water heater.”

“Oh. Oh yes.” She opened the door. “Come in. It’s in the basement,” she said.

Marvin rolled his eyes.

Jake smiled. “Thank you, ma’am.”

In the cellar, Marvin showed Jake how to heat the thermocouple to light the pilot. They were back up stairs in less than five minutes.

Mrs. O’Grady acted surprised. “My, that didn’t take very long.”

“Yes ma’am,” Marvin said. “That’ll be $75, please.”

Both Jake and the old woman gasped in shock. She slumped down into a chair. “Oh my. I had no idea it would be so much,” she said.

“I don’t set the rates, ma’am. I just do the work and collect the money.”

Mrs. O’Grady sat in stunned silence.

Jake poked him with his elbow. “$75? Don’t you think that’s a little steep?”

Marvin ignored him.

“We were only down there five minutes. All we did was light the hot water heater and that’s all,” Jake said, getting angry.

Marvin glared at him. “It’s not a hot water heater. It’s a water heater. If the water was already hot… Oh, never mind,” he said, waving his hand. “A service call is $75 for the first hour and then half hours after that. I can show you the break down if you’re interested.”

“But you were down there only five minutes for God’s sake,” Jake complained.

Marvin was getting pissed. His face turned red. “I can accept cash or check. I don’t do plastic. You’ll have to come to the shop if you want to pay with a card.”

She looked up, defeated. “I don’t drive and I don’t have $75.”
Marvin snorted. “Well, that’s too bad. I can’t leave here without gettin’ paid.”

Jake took ahold of Marvin’s arm. “Look, …I’ll pay for it.”
Marvin scoffed. “You don’t have any money. How the hell are you going to pay for it?”

“You said you was paying me $25 a day, right? Take it out of that.”

Marvin smirked. “That doesn’t compute, Einstein. You’re $50 short.”

“I’ll work for nothing for three days you goddam Grinch,” Jake shouted.
Marvin fell back a step. “You mean to tell me…you’re going to work for me for three days for nothing…so you can pay for a woman you just met?” he asked.
Jake nodded sharply. “You damn right I am. Can’t you tell she can’t afford it?”

“Well, that’s not my problem. And it looks to me like you can’t afford it either, Bucko.”
Jake pointed. “Like I said, I’ll work it out.”
Marvin squinted. “That means I’m going to have to pay her ticket out of my own pocket until you work off two more days. And don’t think that I’m not going to hold you to it.”

Jake mocked him. “Out of my own pocket? Oh, boo hoo! And I didn’t think of notworking it off just for your information.”
“Your ass is mine for the next two days, boy” he said, poking Jake in the chest. He turned away.

“Done.”

Marvin wheeled back around. “You’d better show up at 8:00 o’clock sharp tomorrow.”

“I’ll be there.” Then he frowned. “Where?”

Marvin’s eyes narrowed. “First and Garfield; middle of the block. Be there.”

“8:00 o’clock sharp!”

“Done,” Marvin said.
Mrs. O’Grady stood as they were leaving and took ahold of Jake’s arm. “Thank you.” Tear’s came to her eyes. “God bless you, son.” She tightened her grip. “Please, come back tonight and I’ll fix you something to eat.” She smiled. “And you can take a bath too.”

It embarrassed Jake. He nodded. “I’ll be back. Thank you.” He meant it.

She reached to take his hand. “God bless you.”
Jake patted her hand. “No harm will come to you. I swear.”
She nodded. “I know.”

Marvin drove back to the shop, shaking his head. “I can’t believe it,” he kept saying. “That is the damndest thing I have seen in my life. I can’t wait to tell this to the wife.”

Jake reached over to touch Marvin’s sleeve. “”You don’t have to tell her anything. I didn’t do that to impress you…or her. It’s just..the principal of the whole thing. It seems everybody is out to screw the poor and downtrodden. I’m sick of it.”
Marvin glanced over at him. “Well, you sure made points with me kid, I’ll tell you that.”
Jake snorted. “Do you actually think I care if I made…points with you? Do ya?”
When they pulled into the back of Haggerty Inc., a slim,young, black haired beauty came out the back door to meet them. She looked to be in her mid twenties. “Dammit Marvin, you’re runnin’ me late. You’re suppose to have your paperwork in the office before four.” She looked at Jake and frowned. “Holy mother of God. Where did you get this?” Her nose wrinkled up. “My God, you smell.”

Marvin laughed. “Jake, this is Phoebe. This is Jake. He’s workin’ for me.”

Her head turned away in repulse. “You do not come in my office,” she told Jake.

Marvin laughed. “Looks like you made a good first impression, my boy.”

Jake shrugged it off but remained outside.

 

Mrs. O’Grady had supper waiting for him. “You can wash your hands in the deep sink in the laundry room,” she told him, pointing. “We can wash your clothes later. I’ll bet you’re hungry.”

“Starved.”

Before he sat down, Jake thanked her. “You didn’t have to do this, Mrs. O’Grady.”

“Please, call me Mary. The least I could do was offer you something to eat.”

“No, you didn’t. And it’s not that I don’t appreciate it. And out of respect, I should call you Mrs. O’Grady.”

“Respect? A boy your age? What a treasure. It would please me if you called me Mary.”

“Done.”
They shared small talk during dinner. After, Mary allowed Jake to wash all his clothes. He took a long, hot bath and wore her late husband’s bath robe while his clothes dried.

“Jake, I insist that you stay the night. I don’t want you sleeping under a bridge any more. That’s no place for a young boy to be.”
“I don’t want to put you out none.”

“Nonsense. I won’t hear of it.”
“Done,” he said. “Thank you, Mary.”

 

It had been raining everyday for a month now. It was looking to be the wettest June in recorded history. The river was cresting; near touching the bottom of the sixth street bridge. Marvin drove across just to see the water. The traffic was moving slow as everybody was rubber-necking. Then they saw the house floating down the river. Marvin pulled onto the sidewalk and stopped. They got out to get a close up. It was going to pass right under them. Jake thought he saw something on the house,so he leaned over the railing to get a closer look. That’s when saw the small cat, perched on the peak of the roof. It was scared to death; it’s eyes wide with fear. Jake could see it’s mouth crying for help but it couldn’t be heard. He sprang into action. Before Marvin knew what was happening, Jake had retrieved a large nylon rope from the back of the truck and tied the end to the bridge railing. Marvin grabbed for him but Jake was moving too fast. In an instant, he was over the rail and sliding down the rope towards the approaching house. The friction made his gloves hot. Marvin was yelling and cursing up a storm. Jake paid him no mind. He clung to the rope just above the roof of the house and stepped onto the roof when it passed under him. Holding on with one hand, he ran along the ridge. He knew he had only one shot at catching the cat. One shot. He focused on it and grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and pulled it up to his chest. The cat cried out in fear. The roof ran out from under him almost before his was ready. He and the cat swung gently over the raging torrent below. By this time, dozens of people were leaning over the railing, calling to him. Jake looked up and yelled. “Marvin, pull me up.”

Marvin reached over and pulled on the rope. He couldn’t budge it. “You’re too heavy. I can’t do it. Climb up yourself,” he yelled back.

“I can’t climb with one hand. Pull harder.”

Marvin shook his head. “Drop the cat and climb up. Save yourself.”

Jake looked at the cat. He yelled back. “I’m not dropping the cat.”

Marvin leaned over the railing to his waist. “Drop the goddam cat. Save yourself.”

It pissed Jake off and he vented his frustration. “I’m not going to drop the cat in the river just to save myself. I will die first,” he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Jake’s mind was moving fast as what to do next. Instinctively, he stuffed the kitten into his bibbies and grabbed the rope with both hands. Now all he had left was the business of saving himself. He wasn’t sure he could do it. He wasn’t the strongest boy in the world and he felt sure this perhaps was the end for him. He barely had enough strength left to hold on, let alone pull himself up. But he had to try. He pulled, hand over hand, slowly inching his way up. Everybody was yelling and cheering for him. Then he began to think that the struggle was too much; that letting go and dropping into the raging river would be a fitting end to his miserable life. He was just about to let go when a policeman crawled over the railing and reached his hand down as far as he could. “Come on, kid. Do it for him. Do it for the cat,” he yelled.

Jake found an ounce of strength and pulled himself up. His arms were beginning to cramp but he was determined to make it. The officer grabbed the strap of Jake’s bibbies and helped him up. Jake pulled the cat from his pouch and handed it to Marvin. Several hands grabbed him and pulled him over the railing. Jake slumped down on the sidewalk, exhausted. A wild cheer went up from the crowd. Everybody started clapping. Many had tears in their eyes.

The policeman knelt down and patted Jake’s chest. “Kid, that’s the bravest thing I have ever seen in my life. What’s your name?”

Jake Dunn,” he said, sitting up.

“Well Jake Dunn, you’re a hero. A real live hero and I’m proud to shake your hand.”

He grabbed Jake’s hand and shook it hard. Everybody was coming by to pat him on the shoulder and praise him for his selfless deed. Marvin just stood back with his mouth open, holding the cat. It was curled up in a ball.

Jake stood up and began coiling up the rope as if nothing had happened, though his arms ached and it pained him. Marvin just watched in silence. When Jake stored the rope and closed the doors, he looked at Marvin for further instructions. “What’s next?”
Marvin sputtered into motion. “What’s next? What’s next? You just risked your life for this mangy cat,” he shouted, holding it up. The kitten meowed in protest. “And you ask me, ‘what’s next’, as if you’d do this every…farggin’ day?”

Jake shrugged. “No! Not really.”

Marvin was angry. “Get in the truck,” he growled, motioning wildly. “Get in the goddam truck.”

He obeyed, sitting silently, waiting for whatever had pissed Marvin off.

Marvin handed the kitten to him. Jake set it in his lap and it immediately curled into a ball of purring contentment. He stroked it gently.

Marvin turned to look at him straight on. “I hope to God that I don’t have to witness something like this ever again. My heart can’t take it.”

Jake shrugged. “You wont.”

Marvin nodded. “Thank you. Thank you very much.” He started the truck and drove away.

Phoebe was waiting when they got back to the shop. She eyed Jake with suspicion but said nothing. Marvin did his routine paperwork without saying a word. When he was finished, he looked at Jake and smiled. “Jake here is a hero, Phoebe, whether you know it or not.”

Jake frowned. “Shut up, Marvin,” he warned.

Phoebe looked at Jake with doubt on her face. “A hero, eh? He don’t look like a hero.”

Jake’s face turned red. “I didn’t do anything. I swear.”

Marvin snorted. “The hell you didn’t. He just…”

Jake yelled at him. “Keep your mouth shut, Marvin.” He looked forlorn. “Can’t you just keep quiet about it?”

That got the interest of everybody in the office. “Forget about what?” Phoebe asked.

“He saved a cat from drowning,” Marvin said.

Phoebe shrugged. “That doesn’t sound so heroic to me.”

Jake went and sat down, folding his sore arms. He knew he couldn’t keep Marvin quiet.

Marvin relayed the whole story to her. Other technician in the office were listening in and Mr. Haggerty himself. They nodded and smiled at Jake. “Way to go, kid,” they said. “You got more guts than I.”

“Hell,” Marvin went on. “The day before, he got upset with me because I charged a lady $75 for a service call who he felt she couldn’t afford it, so he ’s payin’ it.” Marvin nodded. “Yeah! He’s workin’ for me for nothin for three days.”

“You’re making him pay? After what he done?” Mr. Haggerty asked.

Marvin cringed.

One of the workers pulled out his wallet and handed Jake a ten. Not to be out done, another tech dropped a twenty in Jake’s lap. Everybody lined up to donate. Even Mr. Haggerty dropped a hundred dollar bill in Jake’s lap. Before they were all done, Jake had $175.

Phoebe came over and knelt down in front of him, placing her hand on his knee. She wore a pained expression. “I’m…sorry for what I said to you yesterday.” She forced a smile. “Can you possibly forgive me?”
Jake smiled. “Sure, if you’ll have dinner with me tonight.

Phoebe smiled back. “I don’t think my husband would like it,” she said brightly.

Jake snapped his fingers. “Damn! All the good lookin’ ones are gone.”

She stood up and patted his shoulder. “Thank you. You’re sweet.”

Just then, Aaron Bloom stepped in the door. Aaron is the anchor man for the local television station, KRAG, Channel 2.

“Is there a Jake Dunn here? he asked.

Everybody pointed to Jake, sitting in the chair.

Aaron hurried over and extended his hand. Aaron Bloom.”
Jake shook his hand. “Everybody knows who you are, Sir,” he said, smiling.

Aaron nodded. “Thank you,” he said modestly. “So, you’re the guy who risked his life to save a cat.”
Jake’s face turned red. He shrugged.

Aaron looked around. “Say, can we go outside for an interview? I want to make this my feature story on the six o’clock news tonight.

Jake stood up. “Can I bring Destiny?”
Aaron frowned. “Who’s…Destiny?”
Jake smiled shyly. “I named the cat.”
Aaron’s face lit up like a neon sign. “You have the cat?” he said excitedly. “That’s great.”

He formed a picture with his hands. “The young hero and the cat he saved from the ragging flood. This going to make great copy.”

Jake shrugged. “I don’t know what all the fuss is about.”
Aaron took ahold of Jake’s arm. “Son, the whole sequence was captured on a cell phone video. Some guy was taking pictures of the house floating down the river when you appeared running across the top, hanging on the rope. We have pictures of the whole thing.” He shook his head. “You’re going to be famous.”

 

Mary opened the door and smiled. “I was hoping you’d come back. I have supper waiting if you want and you will stay the night again. I insist.”

“Well, I do have a small problem I hope you can help me with.”
“And what is that, dear?” she asked.

He hesitated. “I have this cat.” He lifted up the box Destiny was riding in.

Mary looked in and fell in love immediately. “I’m sure Cricket won’t mind sharing his litter box. He’s old and the fight isn’t in him anymore.” She waved them in.

Cricket smelt Destiny and came to investigate. However, Destiny had other ideas. She arched her back and hissed. Jake snatched her up and scolded her. It wasn’t long before the two cats were playing like old friends.

“Where on earth did you find such an adorable kitten, Jake?”

“Actually, I found her floating down the river.”

Mary looked puzzled. “Floating down the river? Well, how on earth did that happen?”

“Turn on the news to channel two and they might show it.

It was the top story. Jake watched himself slide down the rope and run along the ridge of the house. He marveled at himself as he swept up the cat in one smooth motion and clung to the rope, swinging gently above the ragging water. It showed him stuff the cat under his bib and climb up. Then it skipped to Jake being pulled over the railing and hailed as a hero. Then came the interview with Aaron Bloom with Jake holding Destiny to his chest. Aaron asked him why he did it.”

Jake shrugged. “It seemed the right thing to do at the time.”

Mary was speechless. She just sat there with tears in her eyes. Jake had a lump in his throat himself. He hadn’t really thought about what dangers he had put himself in; in that moment of…stupidity. In thinking about it, he almost broke down in tears. He pinched his leg hard to control his emotions.

Finally, Mary found her voice. “Why did you do that, Jake?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I saw that cat crying for his life and before I thought about it, I was sliding down the rope. It was too late then.” He swallowed hard. “I just had to do it.”

She dabbed at her eyes. “That is the most unselfish act I have ever witnessed,” she said.

‘You should be very proud of yourself, Jake Dunn.”
Jake Shook his head. “I can’t believe they have pictures of it. I know it was the dumbest thing I have ever done.”"

After work the next day, Aaron Bloom was waiting for Jake to come back to Haggerty’s.

He was wearing a big smile and was carrying a large manilla envelope. He shook Jake’s hand, handing him the thick packet. “Here’s a little something for you. We took up a collection at the station and belive it or not, several checks showed up in our mail addressed to you.”

Jake was dumbfounded. “How much is in there?”
Aaron smiled, patting Jake’s arm. “Not enough, kid. Not enough. Then again, there’s always tomorrow. We’ve had over five thousand hits on our blog so far. Oh, by the way. be sure to watch the world news tonight. This is going national.”

The envelope held over seven hundred dollars in cash and checks. The next day, there was over fifteen thousand dollars delivered to the station in Jake’s name.

Then NBC called KARG TV. It seems Jay Leno was inviting Jake and his cat to appear on his show. Jake walked onto the stage with Destiny riding in his bibbies, his head poked out. The audience went wild.

The money? It kept rolling in from all over the world; for over a month. When the dust finally settled, Jake had over two hundred thousand dollars. Why, he even had to open a bank account.

And that’s not the end of the story, folks. It’s no longer called the sixth street bridge. The city put up bronze plaques at each end of the bridge in honor of Jake Dunn; hero.

 

THE END.

 

If you liked this story and you feel the poor, old author deserves compensation in his retirement for this creation, please feel free to send $1.00 to Clem Mason, c/o Backwater Publishing.

66021-0213.

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