Paying for College - The Novel Read online

  ***

  Brothers, I needed to do some good deeds this week- you know, help cancel out the bad stuff I did last week, so I went to volunteer at homeless center on Saturday. Of course, I knew it would be awkward to run into Phaedra, but I was also curious about how she would react. I wonder if she still found me boring?

  As I entered the dining room at the homeless center, Phaedra glanced in my direction and looked away.

  I stood behind the buffet table next to Phaedra. We didn’t even exchange hellos or anything nor did I look at her the whole time we served the needy.

  The train of homeless men formed a line. Phaedra placed noodles on a plate while I drenched a chicken gravy with vegetables over the top. Then I added a piece of corn bread to the side and passed the plate to an opened hand.

  We served the homeless people for over hour. I took my lunch break and grabbed a plate of food and formed a mountain of noodles and chicken gravy. Then I built a small pyramid of cornbread at the side. Then I sat down across from a scav while Phaedra ran into the kitchen.

  “Hey, that’s not fair,” he said.

  I looked at him, “What’s not fair?”

  “You got four pieces of cornbread.”

  “Well, I work here, so I’m allowed extra portions.”

  “That’s not fair?”

  I picked up my fork and stabbed some noodles coated with gravy and plopped it into my mouth. “Because I took a day off from my busy schedule to volunteer here. The center does not pay me for my time, so I think I earned that extra portion of cornbread.”

  “Yeah, you think you’re special because you go to that fancy college.”

  “What does college have to do with fairness or my cornbread?”

  “You think you’ve better than us.”

  I sighed. Then I pushed my plate towards him and turned the plate so the pyramid of cornbread was closest to him, “Help yourself then.”

  The homeless guy smiled. He pulled out a plastic bag and grabbed all my cornbread and placed it carefully into the bag. Then he slid the bag into his jacket pocket.

  “Thanks for leaving me some cornbread.” I scooted my plate towards me and started eating my noodles and gravy.

  “You work here. You can always get more. You’re entitled to it.”

  I returned to the buffet line and grabbed a slice of cornbread from a large cookie sheet while Phaedra returned.

  “Jax, I need to speak to you?”

  “I don’t know. I’m not liking the tone in your voice. Plus, I’m trying to enjoy my cornbread.”

  “It’s important.”

  I bit into my cornbread, chewed, and swallowed, “Okay, go ahead.”

  “Did you break into daddy’s office and steal his chess set?”

  I looked Phaedra straight into her eyes, “No, I didn’t. Besides, he’s rich. He can always buy another one.”

  “Not this one. It was a gift from his grandfather.”

  I picked up another piece of cornbread and started eating it.

  “Do you know anyone who could’ve done this?”

  “No, I don’t but don’t worry. I’m sure it was a childish prank. Why don’t you ask Steve? Where was he last weekend?”

  Phaedra looked away.

  “We already know he has a history of stealing.”

  “I was with Steve all weekend.”

  “Oh. I see he has an ironclad alibi. Like I said, don’t worry. I’m sure your dad will get his chess set back.”

  Phaedra looked at me, “What happened to your eye and cheek?”

  I rubbed my eye for emphasis, “Oh, this? It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

  “It looks like you’ve been in a fight.”

  “Oh no. A few days ago, I was walking downtown and slipped on the sidewalk and crashed to the ground.”

  “You sure you weren’t in a fight.”

  “Oh please, I’ve got no enemies in this town, except maybe your father.”

  Phaedra stormed away and left me by myself to clean the whole dining room. So I took my time and cleaned everything until it sparkled.

  I strolled into the kitchen and saw the tray of cornbread with three slices left.

  Raymond came out of the tiny kitchen office, “Help yourself to some cornbread. Otherwise, I have to throw it out.”

  “You know it’s not Christian-like to waste food especially with the numerous homeless people in town.”

  “And don’t forget the hungry students. Help yourself to some cornbread.”

  “Amen, brother.” I grabbed the last slices and piled them on a napkin and slipped them into my jacket pocket. I would eat these on my long walk back to campus.