Chapter 62

I watched as the car disappeared into the dark streets, and before I knew it, I found myself with my heart racing. No one had ever told me they needed me with such certainty, and they weren’t just empty words; he had dared to follow me. Why? Why me? Unable to sleep the entire night, I got up as soon as the sun began to rise, moved aside the sheet that covered the hole in the window, and saw his car was gone. He had finally given up. Would he leave me in peace? I sighed in relief as I prepared to start my day. I made breakfast, left some for my roommate, grabbed my recycling bag, and followed my usual route of collecting bottles and cardboard. As I greeted the neighborhood scavengers, I looked around, searching for him, while his words kept echoing in my mind.

“Belle? Belle... Belle!”

“What? Tell me, tell me!”

“What’s wrong with you? I’ve been calling you for hours. Did you even hear me?”

“Sorry, I have a lot on my mind. Did you say something important?”

“In a few hours, a factory garbage truck will arrive at the dump. Do you know what that means? It could be good.”

“Of course! We have to be the first ones there, or they’ll take the best stuff.” She signaled to me, and we quickly headed down one of our secret alleys to cut down on time.

“And what about you? I haven’t seen the fancy man since last night.” My face darkened, and I replied, almost convincing myself.

“I chased him off; he probably got scared and won’t come back here.”

“He didn’t bother me. I think you were the one bothered. Why does he come looking for you?”

“That’s a question I ask myself every day. I just need to forget that I ever agreed to enter that mansion; it’s only brought me trouble.”

“Well, I don’t think so.” I looked at her, confused, and asked.

“What do you mean?”

“That you’re not the same person who left. You’re different...”

“Different? Different how? I’m the same scavenger as always.” She shook her head slightly, a small smile on her lips.

“No, now I see a spark in you... like you’re hoping for something better.” My steps slowed as I thought about it. I didn’t feel like the same person as before; I didn’t even think this was the only thing I could do until I died. I stayed quiet and followed her.

“If I were you, I’d take that deal; something like that shouldn’t be wasted.”

“I don’t want to work with that family.”

“Why?”

“Because they insulted me! They... they made me feel worthless, despite all the hard work I did for them. They just judged me for who I was... a garbage picker.”

“I’m surprised that a few simple words affected you, Belle. Have you forgotten where you come from? The things they say to us, how they treat us every day. Until the day you die, you’ll always be a street dweller; you can never change your past.”

“But I’m not just that...”

“Ha!” Sassa smiled and said.

“Well, it seems you really have changed. Now you have pride, woman... only someone who thinks they’re better than this life and can be more than a scavenger would think like that.”

“And is that bad?” I lowered my gaze, lost.

“No, but this is no longer your place, Belle. You should go with that man... maybe you’ll find the answers you’re looking for.”

“But if I’m not a scavenger, then what am I?”

“Someone who wants something better.”

“But... these people also want something better!”

“These people want a warm meal before they sleep and a roof over their heads at night. They don’t aspire to anything more... they no longer expect anything more from life.”

“But there’s a world beyond all this, if only they could see it.”

“And who’s to say they don’t already know?” I looked up and saw some talking excitedly as they picked up bottles, others bathing in a public fountain, laughing, others sharing a cigarette while eating from a street vendor. Their faces looked tired, their clothes in tatters, but they never seemed willing to give up; they held onto the little moments of happiness.

“You’re right... I’d forgotten that you don’t need much to be happy, after all,” I said, resuming my walk, but Sassa stopped me.

“You don’t want to settle for so little; I can see it in your eyes... life beyond this has dazzled you.”

“A simple life isn’t bad; you said it yourself.”

“A life that drowns your ambition, your desires, is an empty life. That won’t make you happy; it’ll make you miserable.”

“And you... are you happy?”

“Of course I am. I love the streets... I wouldn’t see myself anywhere else... and I’m sure of it because I’m where I want to be. Ask yourself if this is really what you want.”

♡

When night came, after a long day at the dump collecting as much plastic as I could imagine, our smiles shone with happiness, and trivial conversations filled our walk home. Yet my mind was still on Sassa’s words, and she hadn’t been wrong at all. Since I came back, I’d felt different, as if I no longer fit this mold. I wanted to know more... I felt like something better awaited me. What if I was wrong? What if I ended up in a hell I didn’t want?

“And what’s all this commotion?” Sassa inquired, snapping me out of my thoughts again. We ran toward the group of street dwellers, who were arguing heatedly.

“They’ve opened a soup kitchen a few blocks away, and they’re inviting all the homeless, no charge.” Sassa looked at me, frowning, just as I did.

“Wait a moment, everyone!” they all turned to look at her, and she said.

“Do you really think something like that can be true?”

“So what do we do? Letting an opportunity like this pass would be foolish.”

“The foolish thing is to be naive again, for some suit who wants votes from the poor for a few plates of food. I bet it’s like that politician who promised to fix so many things in the neighborhood and did nothing once he got what he wanted. Maybe think a little with that head, idiots.”

“You shut up, you slut! You’re not the boss here; we don’t have to listen to you.”

“You shut up, you drunk!”

“A rich man... Wait! I think I know who it is...” everyone went silent, and they watched as I ran toward the square.