Better Than Picture Perfect

by Stephanie Perry Moore

  I didn’t know how to respond to that. I was still a kid myself, and so was she. I had lost my parents, and so had she. Why was I on one side of the tracks, and she was on the other? Was it fate? Was it God? Was that just the way it was? I didn’t have the answers, and I didn’t want to fuss with her. I was getting text messages that I needed to get back home because we had an appointment with my dad for a charity event.

  It was now September, and with each day, there was more pressure put on our schedules to accommodate his so we could possibly help him win.

  “Where am I taking you?”

  “Not some place you would want to stay, but home for me. Turn right here.”

  We were turning into an abandoned warehouse. I knew she didn’t have a true place to live with brick, mortar, a floor, and a ceiling. The place I was pulling up to looked condemned. I kept driving as she insisted, and when we got closer in, even on the outside of the building were little camps, tents, and make-shift structures.

  These suspicious guys with gang symbols were hanging out around a couple motorcycles and a beat-up truck. One dude with a patch over his eye spotted Katera. She slouched down. I wouldn’t want to cross that crew.

  “Hurry, keep going,” Katera said, confirming she wasn’t comfortable with the guy. “Park here. Come on. I need to introduce you to Momma Dee because she’s going to be mad if I don’t bring you in to say thank you. We won’t be long, and our spot is set up right when we go inside. So you won’t have to walk far. No one is going to touch your stuff, but lock your doors.”

  I reached in my car to get my camera out of the glove department because what I saw was amazing. No words could describe it. Only a picture could adequately tell the story of strength in the midst of suffering. I snapped one man sleeping on a palate like he was lying on the beach with no worries. I saw another lady feeding her two children soup out of a cold can, but the kids were smiling. Then there was an elderly man who had holes in his shoes but who was still walking tall.

  Katera snapped, “You really should ask people before you snap their pictures.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m not going to put it on the Internet or anything. I just … I don’t know. I followed my instincts, and I really need it for a class project.”

  “Who is this you have with you?” sweet, plump, Momma Dee said.

  “A rich, brat who took pity on me,” Katera rudely said.

  Momma Dee swatted her arm. “Oh, don’t give her a rough time. You look beautiful Katera. I sure wish I had the means to make you look like this every day.”

  “I don’t need to look like this,” Katera assured her caretaker when she saw a bit of sadness in Momma Dee’s eyes. Then Katera perked up, “But I don’t want to get dirty tonight because when I get to school, people are going to be looking!”

  The two of them hugged. Momma Dee twirled Katera around. They were so giddy.

  I got another text message. I knew I needed to get going. The precious lady couldn’t thank me enough. I could tell Katera wanted to as well when her eyes got watery, but she was all tough and only said “bye.”

  About an hour later, I was getting out of the limousine with my family, a steep contrast from the place I’d just been. I was quiet in the car. My parents thought it was because I was still mad at them, which I probably was, but I was also quiet because I couldn’t believe what I’d just seen. I was even more shocked when we pulled up to a similar place. We were at a soup kitchen.

  Our dad prefaced our community service by saying, “Now I know you guys aren’t used to this, but our family’s got a chance to serve dinner tonight to some folks having a tough go at it. I expect you to be respectful. We’ll be about an hour, and then we’ll get going. I know you all have school tomorrow.”

  I hadn’t even looked up in the car, but when we walked in and I saw a lot of the Hispanic people, I realized I was on Hugo’s side of town. Just as I thought about him, I saw him at a table giving his food to his little brother. I held Shelby’s arm and made my head nod in his direction.

  “Go, talk to him. I’ll take care of Daddy.”

  He didn’t know what to say when he saw me. I could tell he wanted to smile, but it also looked like he wanted to cry.

  “I’m sorry for interrupting your dinner. I’m not following you. My family, we’re … ”

  “What? Volunteering here tonight? I didn’t even know you were here. I got you.” He stood and shocked me when he said, “I’ve been over the top mean to you, and I’ve been wrong. The one good thing that was going on in my life was you. You helped me see that my doodling is art and uh, if we can be close friends again … ”

  I leapt in his arms and hugged him so tight. I probably shocked everyone in there, but it didn’t matter to me. A guy who had nothing and a girl who had everything, in the eyes of the world, were not really equal. However, to me we were equal because everything to me was him, and he finally realized he was nothing without me.

  “Oooh, alright now. Step back! You’re hugging my baby a little too close. Ansli, give me an introduction. Who is this young man?” my dad embarrassed me by saying.

  Reluctantly, I said, “Dad this is Hugo.”

  “And Hugo is?”

  I didn’t know whether I could say he was my boyfriend. I thought Hugo was saying we could get back together, but I was trying not to be embarrassed in front of my dad, and I wasn’t even sure if it was a good idea to tell my dad I had a boyfriend.

  Rolling my eyes, I said, “A friend.”

  “If I may, sir?” Hugo said, surprising me by talking in such a polite tone. “I’m Hugo Green, and Ansli and I are really good friends.”

  I held my head down at that moment. Really good friends is not what I wanted him to say. But whatever.

  “I don’t know if I buy ‘really good friends’ from that hug,” my dad said in a cool tone.

  “Alright, well I know y’all are busy, sir, so I’m not going to keep you talking to me,” Hugo said, starting to walk away.

  My dad touched his shoulder, “No, no, no. Anyone who’s a friend of my daughter and has got her interest, which I can see by her eyes you’ve got her interest, I’m interested in.”

  “Well, I just don’t think I’m worthy to be her friend. I mean you’re meeting me at a soup kitchen. How do I look asking you if I can talk to your daughter?”

  “It’s not where you are that impresses a father, son. It’s where you plan to go. How high you’re aiming? What kind of heart you have? What you do with your time … giving your little brother your food is honorable. I understand you’re only able to get a certain amount here so that they can feed everybody.”

  I hadn’t even realized my dad saw that. I saw that too, but to know he did and was impressed made me feel good. Hugo was a good person, even if I wanted to kick him in the shin for not saying he was my boyfriend. I could see my father was helping to give him pride. His mother came over and talked to my father about her struggles, and he said he wanted to help her.

  Hugo’s mom said, “I knew you were a good man. There’s something I want to show you. Hugo, give me your drawing pad.”

  “No, no … I’m embarrassed. No.”

  “What’s on the drawing pad?” my father asked.

  I was wondering the same thing. When Hugo’s little brother handed his mom the tablet, there were so many drawings that were out of this world. Then she flipped to a page where it had, “Stanley Sharp, Mayor of Charlotte,” and it wasn’t in my father’s current logo for running for mayor, but it was one he would be able to use if he won.

  “See, my son believes in you. When you win, you could license this. ‘License,’ that’s the right word, Hugo, right?” his mom asked with bright eyes and big hopes.

  “He’s not interested in that, Mom. They’ve got professional people for that.”

  “Well, I can’t imagine anyone creating anything better. Most things are digital, but some of the greatest designs come for sketches. You’re talented. Can I have this? I don’t want to be
presumptions that I’m going to win, but right now, I’d love to buy it from you. Is two-fifty good?”

  His mom was so excited. Hugo didn’t know what to say. I was thankful too. My dad wrote his mom a check. It was time for us to go after my dad met more people.

  My dad stepped over the door and said, “Can I have your attention?”

  There were about seventy people in the room, and I loved that there were no cameras. My dad began.

  “I’m Sterling Sharp. This is my wife Sherri and our daughters. Many of you may know, but if you don’t, I’m a candidate running for may-or of this great city of Charlotte. Last time I checked, anyone who was a citizen of our great city had the opportunity to go out and vote, so I’m hoping you guys do. I’m here today because I wanted to show you that I care about who you are and what you’re going through. Life is tough and can knock us down sometimes, but as your mayor, I’ll understand that we need to help each other rise above our challenges. I’m going to put together a task force that can help people transition out of poverty. So over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be coming back. Not only to serve food, but to listen to things you think your city government can do to help. When we get all of our citizens on their feet, the taller Charlotte can stand. So, you stay encouraged. I’m a man of faith, and I believe we can handle a rough night, but joy comes in the morning. You might be going through your season, and you might not feel good where you are, but that’s alright. We’re going to put a plan together to get you back to work. Stay Sharp.”

  People stood to their feet and clapped for him. Hugo was among them, and that made me feel good. It was good that my father was giving people with no hope something to hope for, but it wasn’t good when I got in the car and all of my family wanted to know what was going on with me and Hugo.

  I actually couldn’t wait to see Hugo the next morning when I walked into Marks High School. I hoped he would say we were boyfriend and girlfriend again, but I couldn’t find him. Instead, the principal walked up to me.

  “I’m having a meeting with the homeless kids in our school during second period, and because of what happened earlier in the week, I just felt like maybe you would want to be there and encourage them.”

  “Yes, sir. Count me in.”

  “Alright, I’ll get you a pass out of class. I know you’ll be able to share something encouraging.”

  When I was standing before about fifteen of the twenty homeless kids, I was a little uneasy because they were looking at me like, “you’re not homeless; why are you here?” They were sizing me up like most kids do them, thinking I was cocky, had a hard heart, and didn’t really care. I wasn’t trying to look down on them, and I wanted them to know it. If only Hugo and Katera were in there to vouch for who I was, it wouldn’t be so hard, but they weren’t, and I couldn’t worry about that now because there were people in front of me whom I needed to connect with.

  “I don’t even know why you’re in here, rich girl,” said this guy who sported a necklace with the name Freddie on it.

  “Yeah, why should we listen to anything you have to say?” one girl said.

  “Because it’s not fair that other people look away like your problems don’t matter, and I can’t speak for other people, but your problems matter to me. I know how it is to go through stuff. I’ve been living for the past fourteen years without my biological parents. I was told that they were killed when I was three, but that’s not even true. I just learned that my dad killed my mom and then killed himself. If it wasn’t for a family who took me and my little sister in, who knows where I’d be. So, I’m not standing before you because I’m perfect. I’m standing before you because I’m just as broken. If you can look at me and see someone who you think has it together, then you can be just like me, if not better. We’ve just got to help each other and figure it out.

  “No one should be homeless, be hungry, and have to deal with adult problems at our age. I don’t know a lot of people, but I know some people who can help. They just need to know. So, I need you guys to tell me what’s going on so we can try to fix some of this stuff. I care. Until we get you all some better situations, I’m not going anywhere.”

  It was like the people I was talking to changed. They sat up straight, and their eyes got brighter. I saw some smiles and grins, and the frowns went away. They were looking at me like they believed what I was saying finally. I was happy that they did because I was real.

  Freddie said, “I just can’t believe you told us your real business. Your dad killed your mom and himself? Dang, that’s deep. Maybe you are being straight up with us. We do need some help. I’m not just believing you care like that for real, for real. I’m in awe.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  ATTITUDE

  “What is wrong with you, Hugo?” I said as soon as my guy got into my car at the same McDonald’s Shelby picked me up from days earlier.

  “Did you have to tell your sister and her boyfriend to follow you? He’s driving his girl around, but you have to come pick me up,” Hugo uttered, clearly with a bruised ego.

  “We are all going to the football game, and we had to pass this way. Actually, I can leave my car here, and we can get in the car with them. Let’s all go together.”

  “What? You just don’t want to drive or something?” He looked at me awkwardly and said. “I want to spend time with you. I don’t want to be uncomfortable.”

  “Well, I don’t really know Spencer either.”

  “So, why are you trying to force us to hang? Are you able to drive? Do you have gas?”

  “Yeah, I’m straight with all that,” I said as he threw his hands in the air like “okay then.” “Okay, well let me just tell my sister.”

  I turned off my car, got out, and headed over to the other car. My sister was motioning for me to hurry. Opening the backdoor, Spencer had gotten out thinking I was going to get in the backseat of his car.

  Quickly, I said, “No, no, no, that’s okay. I just came to talk to Shelby.”

  “Y’all not going to ride with us?” he asked, squinting like that made no sense.

  In my mind I was thinking, ‘I just said I wanted to talk to my sister about this,’ but since he was pushing me, there was no need to be rude, so I said, “Yeah, I’m going to drive.”

  “No, you can’t drive. It’s far. It’s farther than Concord, up I-85,” Shelby yelled out.

  Shelby was trying to convince Hugo that we should all ride together, but I dashed around to the front and blocked her from going to him.

  “No, leave it alone.”

  “Well, what is his problem? He’d rather you drive a long way than be in the car with us and have a guy drive? I mean shucks!”

  “This isn’t the old days. I’m perfectly capable of driving, and you and your guy need time to talk like we do.”

  “I just don’t want you to be alone with a nutcase,” she said to me.

  Rolling my eyes, I said, “Shelby.”

  “I’m not judging. I’m just saying. If he’s going through and making you feel all bad, then maybe you shouldn’t be alone with him.”

  I kept Shelby from going over to talk to Hugo. However, I didn’t see that Spencer went over there and tried to convince him. Obviously, it didn’t work. Spencer came back to his car and said, “Don’t worry about it, Shelby. Just let them follow us.”

  My sister huffed. When I turned, I could tell Hugo was mad. Before I walked away, my sister grabbed my arm.

  Shelby whispered, “You get behind us. Make sure you keep up, but if anything happens or if you need me, call me. You can’t text because you’ll be driving. Flash us, and we’ll pull right over.”

  I shook my head. I wasn’t mad, simply irritated. I knew she cared, but I could take care of myself.

  As soon as I got to the car, Hugo looked like I annoyed him. “What did you say to them? Why did you tell them I didn’t want to ride with them?”

  “I didn’t,” I told him.

  “Yeah, but you told them something to come over and
sweat me … trying to change my mind.”

  “Whatever Hugo. Believe what you want. We’re driving on our own. What they think doesn’t matter. Dang,” I said, truly frustrated.

  Hugo looked out the window as we pulled out of the parking lot and didn’t say two words to me. As we drove in silence, I tried to lead the conversation. “How is your mom?” “How is your brother?” ”How are things coming?” “How are you feeling?” I wanted to say, “How about you quit being a jerk and talk to your girl?” but I didn’t. I was too afraid that he would bail on me. What kind of relationship was that?

  So I finally said, “You know what? If we’re going to be together, we need to be able to communicate. You can’t just act like I’m bothering you. You’re the one who wanted the two of us to drive alone. If you weren’t going to say anything, we could’ve been in the car with my sister and her boyfriend, at least I could’ve been talking to them.”

  Grunting, Hugo said, “What do you want me to say?”

  “I want you to open up and tell me the truth. Why are you so hot under the collar?”

  “Because I can’t take care of you like he can. You think I like it that you had to come pick me up at a McDonald’s? You think I’m excited that I don’t have any cologne I could put on so I could smell good and look good for my girl on our date? You think as a man I’m alright that I don’t have two nickels to rub together, especially when I’m double dating with this dude who seems like he’s rolling in dough?”

  “Do you think I want to be with you because of the material things you can give me?” I asked, needing him to know that was not the answer. “My dad already gives me enough. We connected online before we ever met, held hands, or kissed. We have a deep relationship, a strong bond, and a connection that is serious.”

  “I don’t know. When your dad gave me that check for the design I made, you seemed happy.”

  “Yeah, because you got skills and deserve to be paid for that.”

  “I deserve for your poppy to give me pity money? I don’t think so.”