"Daddy, what's that sign say?"

JeffLieber

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Sunday July 13, 2008 · 1:34 PM PDT

2008/07/13 · 13:34

INT. CAR - AFTER SUNDAY BASKETBALL - AFTERNOON

"Daddy, what's that sign say?"

"Huh?"

"That sign. What's it say?"

I turn, seeing a rail-thin young woman standing under a palm tree in the median on Santa Monica Blvd.

"It says... 'Need food. Can you help?'"

"What, Daddy?"

"It says, 'Need food, Can you help?'"

"Why does it say that, Daddy?"

"Because she's hungry, I think."

"Why is she hungry?"

"I don't know, Jospehine. Maybe she doesn't have any money to buy food."

"How come?"

"I don't know."

Now I look in the mirror. Josephine is staring out the window at the rail-thin girl.

"How hungry do you think she is?"

"I-- I don't-- Jo--"

"Does she have any parents?"

"I'm sure she does. Or at least she did when she was a baby."

"She's someone's daughter, right? Every girl is someone's daughter."

"Yes?"

"Where are they now? Her parents?"

"I don't know."

"Do THEY have money?"

"I don't know."

"What's it feel like to be hungry?"

Now I reach over, finding my wallet, and fish out three dollar bills. I roll down the window and inch the car forward, offering the money to the young woman in the median. "God, bless you" she says.

"Did that help, Daddy? Will she still be hungry?"

"I don't know, baby. I just don't know."

I look back in the rear-view mirror again to catch Josephine, now staring at me.

"Will I ever be hungry, daddy?"

I stare for a long moment, trying not to fall apart. Trying not to answer with the honest, "I don't know." Trying not to simply pull the car over, climb in the back seat and hold her tight. Instead all I can muster is...

"Not if I can help it, Jo."

*****

America's Second Harvest

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"Daddy, what's that sign say?"

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