Man Who Leaned
Untitled by zenjazzygeek
Aubrie, your pick up is here.”
I got my school bag from the floor of the gym where we lined them up with our jackets and sweaters. Mrs. Hendle smiled as I looked around the gym for Mommy. Mrs. Ulan, who helped Mrs. Hendle at the afterschool program, was talking to Keenan’s mom. Keenan had scratched his leg playing whiffle ball. Two kids took turns shooting a basketball into the hoop.
"Aubrie, it's time to go.” Mrs. Hendle was waving at me.
I walked to her from the door we came
through when our classes had ended for the day. “My mommy's not here yet.”
“Mr. Jonah Beese is getting you
today.” She pointed to a man I never saw before.
I hugged my backpack. “I don't
know him, Mrs. Hendle.”
She must’ve gotten her paper
work wrong. He was probably someone else’s pick up. His pants were falling down, and his
underwear stuck out over his belt. I couldn't see his shoes because of the
pants, or his one eye because of his stringy hair. He had hardly any lips and
swung his arm that wasn't on the counter, like he wanted to get somewhere but
had to wait. I needed to go to the girls’ room. I stepped back from the man and
Mrs. Hendle.
“I'll
wait for my mommy.”
Mr. Beese didn't look at me. He
stared at the floor’s shiny squares as Mrs. Hendle said, “Aubrie,
he's your pick up. Your mom can't get you today.”
Mommy
wasn’t coming! “M…my grandma said never to go with a stranger.”
I took three steps away from them.
Mrs. Hendle's eyes zig-zagged
between me and the man. He leaned on the counter where the lunch ladies gave us
our breakfast and lunch. Mrs. Hendle put the sign out board next to his hand.
She came over to me and stooped down.
“Aubrie, I have to release you
to him because your mom gave us his name as a person to pick you up. We checked
his driver's license. It's safe to go with him.”
The man who leaned didn’t say anything. “Maybe
there was a mistake,” I said.
She stood up. “Aubrie,
it's six o'clock. The program's closed. You have to go with him.”
I looked around the huge room. When did
the basketball stop thumping? When were the last two kids picked up? I needed
something bigger than just my backpack to hold on to.
“I want my mommy.” I started to
cry.
Mrs. Hendle came towards me. I backed up closer
to the door I had walked to her from. Even she was scary, telling me to do
something I knew was wrong.
“Aubrie, he's a friend of your
mom's. It's okay to go with him, honey.”
I ran the rest of the way to the door. It was the farthest place from the
outside.
“He's
a stranger,” I yelled across the gym. “I can't go with a stranger. Mrs. Hendle,
I'm scared.”
She
looked away from me. But I saw that she was afraid too.
Then, Mrs. Hendle said, “Calm
down, Aubrie. I'll call your mom.”
“What
if she doesn't answer?” That came out of my mouth without me trying. I hoped my
pee wouldn’t come out like that too.
“Well, let's just try, okay?”
“No, no, here.” I dug out the
phone and held it up. “Call my grandma.”
Mrs. Hendle didn't take the phone.
“Honey, your mom took your
grandma's name off the emergency card. I can't release you to her.”
I didn't understand. “But,
she's my grandma.”
The man walked back and forth in front of
the lunch lady window swinging both his arms.
Mrs. Hendle dialed a number on her
phone. “Hello? Ms. Petty? I'm just checking on who is
picking up Aubrie today...Yes he's here. Well, Aubrie would rather her
grandmother take her home...She's very upset Ms. Petty and won't go with Mr.
Beese.” She looked at me and my phone that I still held out to her. “Yes. Give
me the number...Okay, thank you. I'll call her. Do you want to speak with Mr.
Beese?”
He gave Mrs. Hendle back her phone. I watched him walk through the outside door as Mrs. Hendle talked to Grandma about coming to get me.
