Margot

Margot shuffled along the footpath pulling her trusty trolley behind her. Her coat fluttered in the breeze as the one remaining button had finally given up the ghost and fallen off. Her shoes were sturdy with still plenty of wear in them, even if they pinched a bit when she walked. That was the trouble with walking a mile in someone else's shoes when the someone else had dainty feet.

She prided herself on keeping the bright side out but not today.

The invitation to her nephew's wedding initially elated her until she realised that she'd nothing suitable in her wardrobe...unless...no, she couldn't keep that money. It wasn't hers and it would feel like stealing.

She'd picked it up outside a very busy bookmaker's shop and had put it in her pocket.

She didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands and be thrown away on some useless nag. She'd seen enough of that growing up.

She could do so much more with it herself.

It might not be a fortune, but fifty euros could be life changing in the right hands.

It would have paid off that red coat that she badly needed in the local charity shop but she would never do that.

As she walked around the local park, she noticed that the only bench was unoccupied and sat to gather her thoughts.

It was a school day, so the playground was empty except for a woman pushing a buggy around the perimeter.

Margot wondered what the young woman who think if she knew that the elderly, untidy woman who looked like everyone's grandmother, was a criminal. She'd managed to reach the grand old age of seventy with an unblemished record.

Until today.

If this was what guilt felt like then she was glad she hadn't encountered it before now.

'Mind if I sit here?' The woman put the brake on the buggy and sat down without waiting for an answer.

'Lovely morning.' Margot pushed over on the bench.

'I hadn't noticed.'

'You okay?'

'Nothing a good night's sleep wouldn't fix. Look at her now, sleeping like a baby. I'll bet you still remember those sleep deprived years that come with children.'

'I didn't have any. Never married.'

'Lucky you.' The woman yawned and pulled a bottle of water from the end of the buggy.

'Nobody wanted to marry me. I wasn't beautiful like Mary. I was smart and back then that was a bit of a crime for a woman.'

'Who told you that?'

'I always knew more than the boys that I met, and I didn't pretend to be anything less than what I was.'

'Good for you. I didn't mean that I wasn't lucky to have my baby. I'm just exhausted today. Freya hasn't slept a night in weeks. I'm Elaine.'

'Margot.'

'Who is Mary?' Elaine tried to stifle a yawn which made Margot yawn as well.

'Mary is my sister. She married a smart man and had five children who went on to gift her twelve grandchildren between them. She's worn out from trying to juggle them all. She loves the lot of them but there's only so much of her to go around. Would you like a coffee? There's a little hut by the gate and he's just opened.'

'I can wait until I get home.'

'It tastes better when someone else makes it.' Margot reached into her pocket.

'True but I left home in a hurry without my cards and phone.' Elaine would have loved to buy this old lady a hot drink but she didn't have any spare money.

'Oh it's my treat.' Margot unfolded the note.

'That's very kind of you.'

'Today is pay it forward day and you can use this money to pay for your coffee and then use some of the rest of it to help someone else. And treat yourself and Freya of course. I must be off.' Margot stood up.

'You made that up. I can't take your money.' Elaine could see that Margot needed a new coat and properly fitting shoes.

'You can't refuse or the chain of good will be broken. Remember to say that to whoever you help.' Margot walked towards the gate with a spring in her step.

'It is a lovely morning.' Elaine sipped her coffee and looked up at the sky where the sun had pushed through the clouds.

By the time her coffee was finished, she was feeling more able to face the day, Thanks to the money in her pocket, she could take the bus home and make a start on the job applications that she'd been putting off.

She noticed her as soon as she reached the bus stop, The girl was about ten and looked like she was about to burst into tears.

'Are you alright?' Elaine sat down on the bench.

'I don't want to go to school today.'

'Why not pet?'

'My mother forgot about the bake sale and I told all my friends that I would bring blueberry muffins. Now they will all laugh at me.'

'We can fix that. There's a bakery across the street. Come on.'

'I don't have any money?'

'I do. What's your name?'

'Ann. Why would you help me?'

'Because I want to.'

After Elaine and Freya had walked Ann to the school gates, they got on the bus and Elaine smiled all the way home.

She'd been miserable that morning but this paying it forward lark was giving her a new lease of life. She'd treated herself to a new lipstick and it make her feel visible again. There was still money left over and she was going to see if she could make a difference to someone else. She even felt more confident and optimistic about getting a job. Being a single parent wasn't easy but she would make it work. It was Margot's story that sparked a reaction in her. She was going to be an amazing mother.

Today would be a great day.

'You look happy.' Her neighbour Sean emerged from his apartment just as she reached her door.

'I've had a lovely morning. I'm sorry if Freya kept you awake again. She's teething.'

'Don't worry about me. I'd sleep through a hurricane. Any luck with the job hunting?'

'It's difficult to get work and find good childcare.'

'I'm sure you will sort it out.'

'Thanks Sean. Have you asked Mia out yet?'

'She's out of my league and wouldn't have time for the likes of me.' He shrugged.

'Today is the day. Share these with her.' Elaine handed him a box containing an assortment of muffins, telling him all about Margot and Ann.

'I never heard of pay it forward day. Are you sure it would work?'

'It can't hurt and it's cheered me up today.'

Sean waited until the office was quiet before placing the box of cakes on Mia's desk.

He was walking away when his boss rushed into the office.

'Is everything ok Angie?'

'I forgot to get cakes for Ann but when I went to the school just now, Ann told me that a nice lady with a baby bought her muffins and walked her to school. I would love to thank her.'

'I can help you there.' Sean said.

'And I can help you out with a bit of advice. Just go and ask Mia out. Here she comes now.'

Mia had tried everything to get Sean to notice her and was about to give up when he'd admitted to putting the cakes on her desk. He wasn't to know that she was coeliac but she wouldn't hold that against him. She would give the cakes to her grandmother who had a sweet tooth.

'Hi Mia. What a lovely surprise. I was about to lock up. Want a cuppa?'

'Thanks nan. I brought you these.' She placed the box on the counter of the charity shop that her nan had run for as long as Mia could remember.

'Those are not from your usual place.'

'Sean gave them to me and then asked me out.'

'About time. I was going to storm over there and give him a good shake. I'll put the kettle on.'

'Did you have many customers today?'

'A few new faces and some of my regulars.'

'You're the only person I know who lets her customers pay a small amount every week. What was it called back in the day.' Mia asked.

'Putting it on the slate and it was the only way many families managed.' Dot put the steaming cups of tea on the counter and helped herself to a blueberry muffin.

'Do you still have that fab red coat?'

'Almost paid for now. She was in again yesterday. She could do with having it now. I'd happily give it to her but she's a proud woman and wouldn't accept. She's always helping out others.

'That reminds me of something Sean told me.'

'What was that?'

'His friend Elaine met a woman in the park who gave her fifty euros and told her to treat herself and to pay it forward.' Mia related the story.

'I've heard of paying it forward but I didn't know that it had it's own day. What was this woman's name?' Dot asked.

'Margot.'

'I should have guessed. Are you busy at work?'

'Yes but we might be getting someone else. Elaine helped Angie's daughter and Angie insisted on meeting her.

'It's good when things work out for people.' Dot finished the last bite of her muffin.

'And it's all thanks to this mysterious Margot.'

'A lot of people believe in paying it forward.' Dot refilled their cups.

'Do you think it really works nan?'

'Stranger things happen and hasn't Sean finally asked you out after this Elaine gave him the muffins that she'd bought with that money?'

'I didn't think of it like that.' Mia said.

After her granddaughter had left, Dot washed up the cups and began to tidy the clothes rails. She was thinking about what Mia had said and wondered if she could become part of it.

She remembered the well heeled woman who had called in last week with a large donation of designer clothes.

She picked up the red coat and put it into a bag along with a dress, jacket, matching handbag and a pair of designer shoes in the correct size. Taking a sheet of paper from the drawer, she scribbled something before adding the letter to the bag.

There was nobody there when Margot answered the knock on her door.

Looking around her, she spotted the large bag by the gate.

'Now what do we have here?' She picked it up and took it indoors.

'Dot knows that I won't take charity.' She told her cat Molly who was watching from the old armchair.

'I'll just try on the coat and then return everything.'

'Not bad for an old one. It will be mine in a few weeks.' She admired herself in the mirror.

She was folding the clothes back into the bag when she saw the note.

'Well there's no answer to that.' She burst into tears as she realised that she would be the belle of the ball at Kevin's wedding.

When Margot took the clothes into the bedroom, Molly ambled over to see what had just happened. The note had fallen on the floor.

Today is pay it forward day. You can't refuse or the chain of good will be broken and that would never do. Not Today.