London appeared to have its usual weather that day, as raindrops were falling thickly in front of Mr. Bennett's eyes.
That poor man's life was sadder than any grey cloud in the sky. Mr. Bennett was crying just like the sky, only it was inside his heart. Doing a dreadful job for a small salary, suspecting his beautiful wife of cheating, not spending time with his son... There was truly not much happiness in his sorrowful existence.
His walk made him look visibly pathetic, as if he regretted every decision he had ever made. A permanent frown was showing grumpiness on his long face, his hands clasped behind his back. The chap brown suit he was wearing was so old that it wouldn't be a surprise if some clothes moths were hiding inside that nice and cosy place, possibly living a better life than poor Mr. Bennett... The weather wasn't much of a help when it started raining more heavily and a speeding car splashed a wave of rainwater onto him. The driver honked a few times before disappearing down the street. Mr. Bennett just sighed deeply murmuring something under his breath as if it wasn't the first time he got a free shower while going home on foot.
As he continued his very familiar journey, suddenly a weak female voice reached him behind his back, right after the sound of a buliding door opening. He stopped his pace and turned around. His gaze fell on a jolly and sweet-looking elderly woman. She leaned her entire weight on her wooden walking stick which she was holding in her left hand. She smiled politely after she'd greeted him, though he wasn't even thinking about what she was saying as his mind was full of questions: "What is she doing? Isn't she cold?"
"Good evening Mr. Bennett," she repeated herself with even a softer voice assuming he hadn't heard her the first time. Mr. Bennett didn't even greet her back. Instead he asked her his questions, sounding like he almost cared about this stranger.
"I'm waiting.." she was interrupted by yet another bigger question.
"Do I know you ma'am?"
She shook her head, making him even more confused.
"Then how come you know my name?" He asked, still lost in thoughts trying to figure out that mysterious old woman.
She just smiled genuinely, looking away from him as she answered: "I see you almost every day, in the long afternoons of this young winter, always passing by in this exact street and yet you've never greeted me," her attention back on him, "Have I made you angry?"
He listened to every word she said, his gaze soft but focused as it lingered on the expressions crossing her face. He couldn't help but admire how life etched into her features those wrinkles and lines that were carved into her small face like a map, each one representing a different path she had walked. He snapped out of his thoughts, immediately shaking his head.
"You haven't made me angry, ma'am. If anything, I should be angry at myself." He chuckled shortly though Madam could sense the pain in his awkward laughter. She tilted her head with curiosity, but Mr. Bennett quickly looked away from her gaze, admiring how the rain continued to pour on the streets uncontrolably. He looked around, noticing no one was outdoors but them.
"It's really pouring," he commented, trying to wash off Madam's thoughts as he changed the subject smoothly.
"Yes... I'm waiting for my son, he said he was going to pick me up. Where are you heading off if I may ask? I need to buy some groceries, and since it's Black Week I can't miss it"
Mr. Bennett nodded but then raised an eyebrow. "How long have you been waiting for your son?"
"Oh, Derek..." Her lips curved up into that same soft smile at the thought of her son, "He called me about 2 hours ago. I thought if I came downstairs to wait for him at the front door, I'd see his car parked somewhere and I could head to meet him."
Mr. Bennett nodded once more, his eyes fixed on a dry piece of pavement, a door awning sheltered the from the steady downpour of rain. Some options were running in his head, his mind debating if he should or shouldn't do it. He shook his head slowly, not believing himself with what he was up to.
"You know... I could help you." He paused and turned his head towards Madam, looking at her with his usual emotioneless face. Madam's both eyebrows raised in genuine surprise. She hesitated not wanting him to do favours for her but Mr. Bennett in his stubborness didn't even listen and asked for her shopping list. From her pocket she pulled out a small piece of yellow paper giving it to Mr. Bennett. He glanced at it before looking back at Madam. He was about to leave when...
"Mr. Bennett, wait! I haven't given you the money!"
He looked at his palm as Madam was weighing it down with coins and folded banknotes. "What makes you think I won't just take this and never come back?"
She just smiled quietly wiping her lips softly with a scrunched-up tissue which she was holding in her right hand. Be careful young man. Black Week happens only once a year. It's the time when people fight for themselves with pure greed and selfishness.
"All right, but you go back inside, it's very cold without a jacket." Mr. Bennett replied and headed to the store while Madam was waving at him before entering the building.
Black Week was no joke, especially in the afternoons. Once Mr. Bennett got inside he couldn't take more than two steps any more. The crowd was slower than a traffic jam. Fortunately he got to do the easier tasks first - weighing some bananas, picking fresh tomatoes, choosing green apples over the red ones and so on until another wave of people appeared.
Slowly but successfully he was getting closer to the end of the shopping list paper and when he was fully done the last thing he needed to do was wait in line. Every checkout was open though the queues were still long. As Mr. Bennett was impatiently waiting, hoping to move at least, he pulled out the phone and dialled his wife's number. Nothing... He tried again but still nobody was picking up. At 6 p.m. the rining sound of a doorbell was heard in the old lady's appartment. She quickly stood up with the help of her walking stick and headed towards the front door.
"Mr. Bennett, thank you!" she giggled with excitement which made her look young and joyful again. He entered the hallway and put the plastic bags on a cupboard. He looked down at her forcing a friendly smile for Madam, not wanting to discuss any of his problems. After all, he didn't even have the time.
"Is this everything from the list?" Madam asked quietly admiring four huge plastic bags full of groceries. Mr. Bennett nodded, checking the time on her clock.
"I should really go now ma'am, it was my pleasure to help you."
They said their goodbyes and Mr. Bennett got out of the building. Madam peeked out the window looking at Mr. Bennett's spontaneous running. The last thing she managed to see with her poor eyesight was how Mr. Bennett got inside a black taxi.
"Where are you, huh !? Look at the time!" the first words that Mr. bennett got from his wife, with not even a normal tone, but rather with yelling at a pitch even higher than that of a boiling teapot. By now he'd got used to it, sometimes he even yelled back at her, but right after looking around to make sure their son couldn't hear them. At least that was what he was hoping for, although he knew very well his son was a genious, he still convinced himself just not to get more frustrated than he already was every day.
Once he was sure their son was in his room, he walked into the kitchen, closing the door behind him. His gaze was on her hardworking hands while she was washing the dishes. He knew if he didn't say anything that second, he wouldn't even be able to once she lost her nerve.
"Alma, look at me," he said calmly, his voice loud and clear, yet not louder than her usual yelling.
She turned around facing him with an emotionless face, that same face he had fell in love with 25 years ago. Her olive eyes always fascinated him, that curly messy hair always making her look so natural and so wonderfully beautiful. She rarely smiled once she got under Mr. Bennett's roof as life wasn't easy to them. But he still remembered those times; he would make her laugh with his childish jokes and he felt special because he was the one who made tha angel's face lighten up. The way her dimples showed when her cheeks lifted in that genuine laughter. Many other men had tried to charm Alma before Mr. Bennett had even met her. Yet, dear Alma chose him, hoping that she would be happily married. If only she had known...
"I'm not repeating myself! Where were you John!?"
"And where were you?"
"What!?"
"I tried to talk to you but you weren't answering!"
"Stop yelling at me!"
"Right, I can't yell at you, but you can even hit me without a question, huh?" Mr. Bennett thought to himself but still didn't dare to say it out loud. He was imaptiently waiting for her to answer, but she seemed to be doing the same.
She sat down at the dining table, sighing deeply: "I asked you first. I want an answer. Are you cheating on me?" She looked up at him with that same innocent look she had had when they first met, at a summer camp.
He got tired of the same old question over time but when he thought how much he doubted her....
"Woman, just look at yourself! It would be more realistic if I asked you the same..."
"You didn't answer."
"...No honey, I'm not cheating on you. As a matter of fact I was helping some old lady.... buying groceries," he replied, moving back and forth as he was waiting for her to continue the discussion.
"Which old lady?"
Mr. Bennett paused at her question. How could he be so stupid? After everything, he didn't even asked Madam about her name. He told her that, and she just scoffed in disbelief.
"Oh, really?"
"Alma, not now... Why didn't you answer my phone call?"
She stood up, slowly approaching him with terror in her eyes as she whispered:"I didn't even know you were calling me, John. Do you know why? Because George has been stuck there all day", she pointed at the door of the living room, her eyes not leaving Mr. Bennett's, "studying, doing some quizzes the teacher gave them to solve."
She stood right in front of him, her hands on her hips, as if looking for even a tiny bit of regret on his face.
"Are those quizzes that important.." his question was immediately cut by more of her yelling.
"He's not a kid any more, John. He's sixteen. Or you just didn't know? Of course not! You never even spend time with him! You'd rather be with some old woman, isn't that right?" Her sarcasm was just another typical strategy in their arguments. And he knew what was coming next, his low salary, miserable job, unpaid bills, small savings and so on in a neverending circle that he needed to face every day.
"Haven't we agreed that you'd buy a laptop for George?"
"A laptop?"
She nodded getting back to the sink to finish her work, adding "It's not healthy for him to be on the phone all day. With a laptop it's easier to read and do schoolwork" She paused at on plate, turning around to look at her husband's eyes: "What kind of parents are we if we can't afford our son to have a normal school life?"
Mr Bennett remained standing in silence. The ugly truth was banging in his head and Alma knew it as well. He felt sorry for his family, he wanted her and her son to have a better life than that. He'd messed up. Nothing new about that.
"Alma... I'll fix this, I promise you..." he whispered softly, more to himself than to her and left the kitchen without closing the door.
He tightly held the doorknob, fighting his emotions before opening the door, looking into his son's room, seeing him already desperate that he couldn't fulfill his tasks for top marks. He was going to drif off, but not before he whispered to his son: "Good night my son, I'm going to buy you a new laptop."
The next day Mr. Bennett was in quite a hurry. Once he finished work he immediately walked towards the closest store he could find. After all it was Black Friday and he was already immune to the crowds in the shops.
"Good afternoon Mr. Bennett," he sighed, turning around to see Madam walking towards him with her walking stick. He made a slightly nervous gesture to show that he was in a hurry but Madam didn't seem to notice.
"You forgot to buy me something yesterday."
"Did I?"
She nodded, answering right away "A laptop for my grandso- " She got cut off by his worried question.
"Yeah, OK, you need me?"
"Well, if you don't mind, I don't have my money right now, but I could give it to you when you come back..."
Mr. Bennett was walking towards the store even faster than before. He ran, squeezed into the shop and headed towards the shelves with electronical equipment. However... there was a single laptop left. He could barely afford that one but he didn't have time to think or hesitate. He hurried towards the shelf when suddenly...
"Hey, excuse me!" Mr. Bennett yelled at the man who had grabbed the box, "Listen, mate, I really need that laptop, it's an emergency!"
"Oh yeah? My mother called me to get this for her. Sorry pal."
The bald man turned round to leave but Mr. Bennett grabbed him by the collar pulling him back towards him. He really didn't want to do this if he didn't have to.
"Hey, let go of me!!!" the man protested, but Mr. Bennett completely lost his temper, spitting threats right into his face. He shook his head though he realised the trouble he'd got himself into. "I'm not giving up, not this time, give me that laptop!"
"No!"
Mr. Bennett didn't let go until security guards separated them and literally lifted Mr. Bennett to take him out of the shop. He cursed under his breath apprehensive of what might happen now that he didn't get his son a laptop... or the one for Madam.
As he was walking as miserably as usual his mind was filled with the truth he had failed once again. And this time it was a double failure. Unfortunately he needed to pass by Madam's place one way or another since it was the only way to go back home. And she was already waiting for him by the door, waving at him with that same warm smile. He sighed and put on a fake smile, appproaching her doorstep, saying "There were not any laptops left, ma'am. Some idiot took the last one before me."
However, that same idiot appeared right behind her at the door. Mr. Bennett looked at him with surprise and disgust as he opened his mouth to say something, but she spoke with serious voice: "You almost hit my son."
"Son!?" Now he really wanted to just disappear in this exact moment. He stepped back, embarrassed as Madam continued:"That wasn't very nice of you. I expected much more from you..."
That bald man handed his mum that same "stupid laptop" that Mr. Bennett desperatly needed, but she just sighed heavily with a speck of disapppointment "My son bought this for me. But I want to give it to you, because of your kindness, fo. r helping me yesterday..."
Mr. Bennett buried his face in his palms. It looked like he wanted to cry, to beg for forgiveness, to show gratitude... all at the same time.
"My son," he muttered "really needs a laptop...Thank you..."
Madam looked at her son and he looked at the miserable Mr. Bennett, leaning against the doorframe as he spoke: "My mother raised me on her own, working hard, exhausting herself just so that I could have a good education. Now, I'm not rich, let's make that clear...But I have a job and I visit her occasionally to hug and remind her that her efforts haven't been in vain. Today is a good time to pay off a tiny bit and to pass her kindness forward. You can keep the laptop for your son."
That evening rain felt less heavy on Mr. Bennett's umbrella and the smiles of his son and wife seemed sincerely thankful. Thinking about how a small act of kindness among ordinary people can inspire a big change, for the first time since he could remember he fell asleep with a hint of hope and a fervent drive to start the next day with more ambition and enthusiasm.