Helping Hand

I’ve been sucked in again by the wonderful Jenny who, not content with making me stretch my brain cells for Alphabe-Thursday, has now devised Saturday Centus. Each week she will give us a starter paragraph which we have to finish off in 100 words or less – harder than it looks. My first attempt ended up with 124 and it took me back to school days to make it fit.

The paragraph in italics was the starter.

My untied shoelace changed my life. As I leaned down to re-tie it, I had kicked away a few leaves. When I turned my head slightly to look where the leaves had been. I was astonished to see a rubber-banded wad of hundred dollar bills nestled in a little indention in the muddy ground.

I looked around, had anybody else seen it? After what I had been through this was an omen.  I cautiously leant forward and touched the bundle – I could smell a cross between damp leaves and used bills. Shivering I gripped the bundle tightly in my right hand while I pushed myself up with my left. Suddenly I became aware of somebody close by and looked around. It was my father – he smiled at me. The years slipped away, the self abuse melted. I reached out and he took my hand. I didn’t need the money.