The Delivery Man

Ten-year-old Susie walked home from school. It seemed a long way, but she had no choice. Her mother used to walk with her, but she had quit. Susie did not like school. Her clothes were ragged and usually dirty and she never had lunch money. She had to eat what was at home in the morning and wait to get back home and see if there was anything to eat. There seldom was more than old bread or wilted lettuce and onions. Each morning she would get up and walk to school because it was warm there, even though the other kids made fun of her clothes. She would eat a slice of the loaf of old bread she had picked up as she walked out the door. When she got home, she would have another. She noticed she was getting thin and felt weak when walking.

Finally, she stopped going to school. The one dress she had left was soiled and threadbare in places. She had nothing to wash it with and taking a bath in the cold water was painful. The heat had been turned off and she had to pile the few blankets she had, to sleep a little warmer in the cold house.

Her mother had been gone for a few days before, but she always came back, usually with a man. But she had been gone a long time this time. She tried to count back but could not remember the night she left.

Susie was hungry and cold. There was no food in the fridge and she had not eaten since the piece of bread she had for breakfast the day before. She went out to search the garbage cans at the café down the street, where she found two pieces of toast that were whole and looked clean.

She was eating them when a delivery van pulled up. The driver was a middle-aged man who got out and started delivering an order of vegetables and fruit. He looked at Susie and spoke, “Are you hungry?” She nodded and ducked her head. The driver got two apples, two oranges and a banana and handed it to her in a sack. She smiled and mumbled a, “thank you. “

He asked, “You live around here?” Susie nodded. He said, “If you are here around this time each day, I come by about the same time. I usually have a little extra loose fruit. He got in the van and drove away.

Every day he would show up at the same time and give her fruit. He asked her mother’s name and when she told him, he frowned and looked at her carefully.

The next day he gave her fruit and a loaf of bread, canned sausages, and a quart of milk. Susie was overwhelmed. When she got home, she found an eviction notice on the door giving her ten days to get out of the house, She kept hoping her mother would come back before the time ran out.

The next day she told the delivery man she was going to have to get out of the house. He said, “What did your mother say about it?” Susie told him she had not seen her mother for days.

He asked, “Is there another adult living in the house?” Susie shook her head.

The delivery man said, “Why don’t you get your clothes and be here at five this afternoon and I will take you home and you can stay with my wife and me for a few days?” He knew it was risky, but he and his wife were approved foster parents, he hoped it would not be a problem.

He went to the police station to check on things. He was able to unofficially take her to his home, but the authorities would visit that evening, since it was an approved foster care home.

He picked her up at five and took her to his house. His wife hugged her and got her ready for a bath. When he got home at six pm, the officials came and Susie was nervous.

The delivery man said, “Well, Susie, how did you make it this afternoon?”

Susie said, “Fine, I got a bath with warm water, it was nice. Ann and I even played some games this afternoon.”

He said, “That is great, so how would you like to live here?”

 She said, “You mean forever?”

He said, “Yep.”

She said, “But what about Ann? Why would she want me to live here?”

He said, “Susie, about ten years ago I was married and we had a little girl. Her mother was fighting a battle with alcohol and things were tough. When she was about 19 months old, I came home and found my wife had moved out and taken my daughter with her. I hunted and hunted, but could never find her. She changed her name and just disappeared. When I met you, I was able to get help and found her trail about two days ago. Your mother is in a place for people that are extremely sick.”

“So why would Ann want you here? Because she loves who you are. Susie, I am your daddy you are my little girl just grown some! Do you want to live with us?”

“We have enough proof. I have checked the rental records and everything points to you being my daughter. We are confident that there will be no legal problem and you will never have to worry about being alone again.”

Susie teared up jumped out of the chair and ran to him. She turned to Ann and motioned for her to come to them. They did a group hug and Susie threw her arms around her daddy’s neck and smiled a huge smile.

When they went to the apartment where Susie had lived, they found a small packet of papers. Searching through them they found Susie’s birth certificate and a few other documents that confirmed the delivery man was actually her father.

Susie went to a different school; she excelled in her studies and is reported to be a model daughter.

The end

John King