$3.50 for a New Life

Sara’s feet pounded the pavement, her breathless gasp in sync with each clank of her work heels. The sun beamed down on her, making her sweat drenched clothes cling to her skin. She weaved through the crowd, earning curses and hard glances from the pedestrians she bumped into.

Finally, she burst through the parks arch way, her phone still vibrating in her pocket. She slowed down, her chest heaving, and took a deep breathe before she answered the call.

“Hello?” She panted, trying her best to sound composed despite the loud thumping of her heart. 

“Sara, where are you?” Her bosses harsh voice boomed through the line, making her wince.

“I’m…um…on my way sir,” she lied struggling to maintain her professional tone. She cursed herself for the person she became since she took this job, the way she allowed herself to be treated.

“What’s taking so long? Am I supposed to grow a beard before I get this pretzel?”

Sara gritted her teeth. Her anger, she spent years keeping under control simmering on the tip of her tongue. “Its just traffic sir, I’ll be there right away.”

“Just hurry up Sara, you assistants and your fucking excuses!” Her boss screamed.

Sarahs eyes widened in disbelief as her boss's shrill voice pierced her eardrum, the line going dead immediately after he spoke. Sara slapped her hand to her forehead in disbelief. “Seriously?” She muttered to herself. “You’d think he would understand that Central Park is a bit farther than the fricken corner vendor, who, by the way has amazing pretzels that wouldn’t take me an eternity to get!”

Sara’s heart continued to race from either the anger or the constant running as she picked up her pace again. As her heels pounded on the pavement again, which she knew her dear feet would pay for in blisters, she continued to mutter her sarcastic comebacks she would never dare say out loud. “Yeah, because the fate of the world depends on this specific freaking pretzel…” She shook her head, pushing her anger down to focus on getting back to the office before her boss's head exploded.

Finally, she saw the pretzel stand in her view. She began to reach into her pocket for her wallet. She had just enough for one pretzel and one bus ride back into the office, because of course her boss had not seemed to care if she spent the little money she had on his needs.

“No… no… no,” Sara’s panic voice spoke causing the people around her to look at her nervously. Hushed voices muttering at her, which says a lot seeing as it’s New York after all where there’s an unspoken rule to ignore and mind your business at all times. Sara hadn’t noticed, nor did she care as she searched her every pocket and tote bag for her wallet. She would never make it back on time now. And even if she did, she would surely be fired for showing up after all this time without the dammed pretzel.

“Think. Think. Think.” Sara spoke looking around the park for an answer. She seriously contemplated singing or dancing for some money. But seeing as she couldn’t do either that wouldn’t help. As her breath finally began to slow, she was struck with an idea. She made her way to the other side of the park, a place she hadn’t visited since her childhood with her uncle. She scanned for a chess player and walked to him as he sat with and open chess board.

“I bet you $3.50 I can beat you.” She said, trying her best to sound confident. Her mind was racing with the possibility of her winning. She took a deep breath, hoping her rusty skills would be enough to save her job.

“What would I get if I win?” The man asked suggestively, and she stood back up her face twisted in disgust. Her job was definitely not worth that. She walked away from the player, but not far enough before her face contorted in frustration and her eyes began welling up with tears.

An older mans gentle voice broke through her despair. “Miss? Miss?” He looked up from where he was setting up his chess board, his eyes peering through the tip of the glasses rested on his nose. “Won’t you humor an old man with a game? I promise I’m not as sharp as I used to be.”

Sara hesitated, her mind racing. She needed the money, but could she really bet an old man? Her frustration must have been written on her face because the old spoke before she could. “Its okay dear you don’t have to play.”

“No, its not that sir.” She began speaking, the words coming out like a waterfall. “Its just I lost my wallet, and my boss wants this fricken pretzel,” She stopped realizing she probably sounded insane her voice cracking in between every few words. “Any-anyways if I don’t make it back on time I’ll be fired.” She took a deep breath that she felt at the bottom of her stomach.

The old man took a few seconds before he spoke allowing Sara to stop and take a moment to relax. “Life can be so cruel sometimes, can’t it?” The man spoke reaching into a small brown leather pouch and pulling out a tightly folded five-dollar bill. “Here take it dear. Consider it a small act of kindness in this chaotic world.”

Saras eyes widened, how long had it been since she had seen kindness in a stranger, hell even from someone she knew. Her gratitude was overwhelming as she smiled and took the money. “Thank you so much! This means the world to me.” She beamed and began to jog back to the pretzel stand. But after just a few paces she stopped and turned back around.

She didn’t know what she was thinking, her phone hadn’t stopped vibrating for the last few minutes and yet she couldn’t find herself just running away. Walking back to where the board was now set up Sara sat across from the man whose lips twisted into a small smile as he moved his first piece.

Time had seemed to finally slow down as they played. Her breathing was finally slowed down to a normal pace she hadn’t felt in a while. Her mind was too busy working on strategy rather than her endless problems. The park air was clear, and the sound of children’s laughter carried along with the breeze. Saras worries melted with each move, replaced by the joy of connection and conversation with the man.

She watched as the old mans eyes twinkled with each word he spoke of his life. He shared stories of his wife and his children’s mischief. And Sara felt a pang of jealousy for a life so fulfilled with love. But as intensively as he spoke, he listened ten times harder. Sara found herself feeling more seen and heard than she had in a long time.

“I wish we could stay here forever.” Sara found herself saying in a beat of silence, a little embarrassed at her burst of truth. But the old man simply smiled and continued to play and listen to her.

After hours of playing, that felt like time had stopped for Sara. She finally put her last piece in position. “Checkmate.” She had won the game, which was surprising seeing as the old man had definitely lied about not being as sharp. She smiled brightly, a real smile that she felt throughout her entire body. She forgot what it was like to win at something. But more importantly to play a game she actually liked. Instead of playing this grown-up game of life where everything was screwed and twisted.

But as the game ended Sara also felt a pang of disappointment. That was the most fun she had in who knows how long. “Wait, wait, what are you doing?” She asked, her voice laced with a hint of desperation.

The man smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Darling as much as I love doing this, I love having dinner with my wife more.” He said as he placed his chess pieces inside their case. Looking around Sara noticed how late it had gotten. They must have played and spoken for hours. The sun was almost set, leaving the sky a beautiful pink hue.

“Wow, the sunset, its…beautiful.” Saras heart swelled with warmth. She hadn’t seen the sunset in many months, she had to stay way into the night most days in the office and she hadn’t realized how much she missed it.

The older man nodded, his eyes shinning with emotion. “Life is full of beauty Sara, but only if one slows down enough to see it.” And with that he buckled up his case and began to walk away. Sara felt a pang of gratitude wash over her. She realized that this random encounter over a pretzel had given something far more valuable than $3.50- it had given her hope.

“Wait!” Sara jogged to the old man. “Will you be here tomorrow?” She asked her voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, with a satisfied smile, “yes dear.” And with that, he pushed up his glasses and walked away leaving Sara feeling calm and ready for a new chapter in her life.

Reaching into her back pocket, Sara clicked on one the hundreds of missed calls. Her boss immediately answered, screaming on the other line. But Sara cut him off ignoring each of his insults. “I quit,” she said with pride and hung up before she could hear his response.

Sara turned off her phone threw it into her bag and began walking home with a genuine smile.