The Man in the Square

Treat Others the Way You Want to be Treated

Coin #4: A Penny

The man in the square watched as a little girl and boy ran past. They were siblings, ages five and six. The girl had short hair much like her brothers. A fresh bruise lay over her right eye. The boy had a band of black and blue over his wrists. They ran around as if they were happy though. Perhaps as if they weren't being hurt somewhere else. The girl held out a penny and smiled at her brother. He held on to part of it as they recited a wish much too grim for those of their age. They tossed the coin, watching as it sank and continued on with their day running through the square.

"May we get out of the hands we are forced to live with now. May we find a forever home with parents who will never abuse us."

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Then there was light.

Small hands, frail and barely big enough to wrap around his finger. Big eyes the same dark shade, chubby cheeks and a head already full of hair. Amelia was a near carbon copy of her father, and she was the light if his life, both of her parents lives actually. Three years of nothing but a living caring family, but with the birth of her brother, Amelia's perfect world came crashing down.

Substance abuse, cheating, blood sweat and tears. Her father became a raging alcoholic, mother was no longer in the picture, beaten one too many times, she disappeared one night with an unnamed man and they never saw her again.

They learned to grow fast, taking care of themselves while also trying to say on father's good side. 

Amelia soon started school and it could only be so long before a teacher would notice the ever growing canvas of black and blue on her body. 

One day she couldn't cover the black eye she received the night before, and without a good cover story, she finally told the truth. That night, at the age of eight years old, Amelia didn't go home, instead she was taken to a new place with her brother, given the promise of happiness.

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Now 13 years old, Amelia has moved time and time again from different foster families, ripped from her brother and reunited when things wouldn't work out. They had given up, a false hope fed to them at such a young age. This home would be the same, they always were. Except it wasn't.

They had found themselves in a lush, comforting place, two men greeted them, and suddenly that false hope felt real. 

The foster fathers soon because their adoptive parents, the kids grew strong, never had a hand lain on them in a harmful manner, no wild children running through the home, no rationing food to ensure they wouldn't go hungry. No more hiding bruises and secrets, they were finally in a place they could call home.

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A girl and a boy, about 13 and 10 ran through the square, two men following behind, all laughing and smiling.

The man recognized the kids, they had been there years before but this time they were different and in a much better way. 

He watched as they ran past, the two men walking past, dropping a bit of spare change in his cup. He knew that they had had their dreams come true, a coin he pulled from the fountain happened to be theirs, he knew that for a fact. He loved to help, and to see the smiles and happiness from those around him.

The man got up, and pulled a dollar coin from his pocket, a gift from his father many years back. With a deep sigh he tossed the coin and watched the water ripple in it's wake. One day he would wake up in a cozy bed and all would be right in this place we call home.