Times Square

The steam blew into my face as the train blew into the station.  I had always wanted to come and see this train station.  I had never ridden a train before.  I was so excited.  The train made a "psssh" sound and came to a stop.  The passengers exited almost immediately.  All of them were laughing and talking to one another.  I guess some people had made friends along the way.  Maybe I would too.  The light came from the big windows above.  I was standing right in the middle of one.  Then I remembered why I was here.  My name is Carson.  And I have a story to tell you.

When I was six, my dad was killed in a work fire.  My mom was a stay home mom because dad got lots of money at work.  So when daddy died, we had no car and no money.  We went out on our own.  We had it all worked out with the stealing and all that stuff.  Mom would even pickpocket, attack and steal movie tickets from people so we could watch movies sometimes.  Then she was caught.  We saw a sign that had mommy's face on it one day.  Mom said no more movies.  I was sad.  One day we were walking down the street when we heard police cars.  Mommy told me to run away but I didn’t go.  Mommy promised movie tickets later so then I ran to the nearest alley and watched the whole scene.  Some big bullies came out of the police car and put mommy in handcuffs.  They put her in the car and drove away.  I knew mommy wasn’t coming back.  I was on my own now.

I had walked and walked and walked, stealing food from grocery stores and sometimes pick pocketing people for actual money that he could use for movie tickets or anything I wanted. I mostly stole food and water though, because that was all I needed.  I didn’t have any friends to pass the time with.  No one to talk to except the big people in the alleys or the homeless guys in the woods.  No one.  But I still had one hope.  The last thing my mom said was, "5th Avenue, across the street from the subway station.  Room 245." And then they took her away. 

So here I am.  I took my ride from Brooklyn to 5th Avenue.  And the light for the crosswalk turned to the white sign for walk.  I walked. I was stunned. I didn’t know what was going to happen.  It happened all too soon. I snuck in from the back and climbed up to the second floor.  240…241…242...243…244…245. The knock.  My heart could have burst out of my chest and start to walk away because I had so much adrenaline. The door opened. Mommy was there.