She Was Very Poor but Ambitious

Cindy was laboring to make ends meet. Her waitress job was hardly enough to feed her. But in her heart, she was determined to change her life, always dreaming of a better living standard. She always pacified herself by seeing others who were even worse off. At least she had a home and job that many people don’t.

Such thoughts would always cross her mind whenever she passed by a homeless man for whom she had immense pity. Something about the guy moved Cindy’s heart whenever she talked to him. Little did she know then that all was not as it appeared.

A Job Was a Necessity

Cindy lived in Canada, and her only way of supporting herself was her gig as a waitress. She knew it wasn’t the best job in the world, but it did not come without some perks. The first benefit was she could do it even with zero experience, and the flexibility in available shift timings allowed her to continue her studies.

The last and the biggest bonus were the tips she would earn besides her minimum wage salary. She needed the cash to help pay rent and her educational fees. So, for her, this employment opportunity was no less than a blessing.

Her Employment Kept Her Positive

She regarded herself as a well-reputable waitress and was also very friendly. Thanks to waitressing, Cindy got to meet many unique and fascinating people from different walks of life. Also, her place of work seldom got boring as it was never empty, and she often got delicious food to eat during the break made by the sous-chefs.

On top of that, she was ever on the move, constantly lifting, twisting, reaching, and carrying things, so Cindy never really had to go to the gym to burn calories. It was typical of her to focus only on the positive aspects of her otherwise grueling life.

The Homeless Man on Her Way

Helpless at the hands of her loving nature, Cindy was friendly to everyone, including those she passed on her way to the restaurant or back home. But one day, something strange happened, or at least it was the beginning of something unusual in her life. She didn’t know then that sometimes the events we don’t pay much attention to can bring about significant transformations.

Cindy saw a homeless man trying to stop every passerby, though no one paid heed to his calls. On seeing that his requests were falling on deaf ears, Cindy thought of offering some money and that generous act would change her life forever.

A Chef’s Apron Was Her Dream

Cindy’s employment was at one of Canada’s most prestigious restaurants, with two Michelin stars under its belt. The management was friendly, but they wanted their employees’ highest quality work. That condition was not challenging for Cindy, who never shirked work and loved industrious jobs.

Our big dreams keep many of us going through the hardships of life, and Cindy also had one. Her ultimate wish was to become a chef, perhaps even at the same restaurant. To that end, she was already attending a prestigious culinary school. Fortunately, this job gave her the experience she required and the money, too.

Learning the Culinary Arts Is No Child’s Play

Unlike what many folks might misperceive, one cannot master the culinary arts as easily as shown in TV ads. The same is the case with a career as a chef. Anyone can be inspired by watching chefs on reality TV shows, but the truth is that reaching that place requires a lot of hard work and back-breaking hard work.

It’s typical for cooking school teachers to inform their students beforehand that 75% of them will not complete the degree and drop out midway through the course. And many do, especially those with a skewed perspective that learning to cook would be just fun and delicious foods.

Social Inequality Troubled Her

Cindy knew her place of work wasn’t like those more affordable places where anyone could dine at as low a price as $20. The patrons coming through the restaurant doors were the city’s elite class, who would order fancy dishes worth several hundred dollars.

On the plus side, at least she knew that the restaurant was doing great because it meant she would have a job for as long as she required one. But a part of her was not ready to accept how some people could afford such expensive dishes while she knew that a person just around this place regularly slept with an empty stomach.

Facing Facts

None should ever stress about whether they’ll have the next meal on their plate or a roof over their heads. But the tragic fact is that homelessness and hunger are aplenty all around us, and these problems target thousands of people.

The possibility of ending up living on the streets is never too far for those who must make the impossible choice between paying rent or feeding their family. Such thoughts made Cindy shudder. She was empathetic towards all who had nowhere to call home and did not want the same for herself. That is why she always remained grateful for what she had.

The Homeless Man Knew the Art of Living

Cindy never changed her route to and from work, and owing to this fixed routine, she knew that the homeless man was also present at the same spot every day. Even when the weather conditions were unfavorable, the man was always there, but what amazed her the most was that he smiled at every passerby each day.

She couldn’t wrap her head around the idea that someone in his position could ever be so merry. She knew that if it were her in his shoes, she would be too bleak and low to smile or engage with other people. But this guy didn’t seem to have that issue.

The Beggar Was Talkative

One of the primary reasons people typically avoid talking to homeless folks is that they think such people wouldn’t have much to talk about besides things like food or money. But what Cindy found intriguing and strange at the same time was how the poor guy never seemed to stretch out his hand to ask for anything. All he desired was for people to acknowledge his presence and perhaps spare a moment to talk to him.

He just wanted to be noticed. As Cindy’s interest and empathy grew further for the homeless stranger, she had no idea that the guy wasn’t displaying his authentic self.

No One Wanted To Engage

The man was like most other people living on the roads, contained in a corner, attempting to stay warm against the extreme weather. As Cindy kept noticing him, she concluded over time that the man might seem jovial but was, in truth, very lonely and sad.

That was heartbreaking for her. But she admired that the poor guy still managed to keep a smile on his face and amuse anyone he could with his gift of gab. He did not want anything but the company of another human being, and it seemed that what he was genuinely fearful of was being alone. Sadly, not everyone wanted to talk to him.

He Was Mistreated By Many

The soft-hearted Cindy was often devastated when she would see people dealing with that homeless guy as if he were not a human being. A few seemingly felt his pain and tossed some coins in his direction; otherwise, several people behaved pretty nastily. Some boys even spat in his cup while their companions made fun of him.

Cindy knew why he was not considering finding a shelter home instead of putting up with such insults. Life was not easy in those places. The limitations and strict rules and regulations like no pets, no visitors, and nightly curfews often only end up worsening the pain for those residing there.

Homeless People Once Had Homes

The world may shun them, but homeless people at least still have the support of those in the same boat for moral support. They often make encampments in one area to be closer to one another. But the general public’s mistreatment and contempt push some into shelter homes, thus breaking apart chosen families.

People looking at them with scorn forget that things were not always like this; there was a time when these individuals had loving parents, friends, and their own residences. Only a stroke of hard luck turned the tables, and they ended up on the roads without hearth or home.

Cindy Planned To Cheer That Man Up

On seeing the man treated poorly for days, Cindy was moved a good deal and wanted to reach out to him offering help. Still, she could not ignore the possibility that he might be unwell, perhaps even have a mental condition, and attack her unprovoked.

Despite her doubts, enough was enough. She was now determined to approach him because she was fed up with seeing the worst side of humanity; each passerby mistreated the poor guy. Fortunately, she had a plan, something that might make him smile again. It was characteristic of Cindy to think of others despite being poor herself.

She Wanted To Jeopardize Her Job for Him

What Cindy wanted to do for the poor soul was cook a wholesome and delicious meal. Already living on a shoestring budget, she hoped to get all the required ingredients from the restaurant kitchen; there was always plenty, and some even went to waste. But it would jeopardize her job, and losing it could mean ending up on the streets herself, if not in prison.
Her salary also paid her school fees and rent, while the work experience would be a shining star on her resume. But Cindy had decided. She would risk losing all that and help the guy as long as the head chef never found out.

She Was Thinking Big

Another thing that gnawed at her heart was that homeless people did not have regular access to facilities allowing them to practice standard hygienic measures. Since they’re unable to bathe often enough, they’re prone to contagious skin conditions and lice infestations.

Her passion for doing something for another human motivated Cindy despite her limited resources. She was thinking more of others than herself. She knew her life was marked by deprivation and struggle, allowing her to do little for those less fortunate. So, in the form of this man, she had a chance to serve humanity and be proud of herself.

Time To Execute Her Plan

Cindy felt like a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing riches from the well-off to distribute among the poor. She also secretly wanted to get even with her boss, a mean individual who constantly bullied his staff, making their lives a living hell.

One day she heard him yelling at the sous-chefs as usual, and she knew it was time to execute her plan and steal ingredients from the freezer. She felt like a spy. One last time, she asked herself if she was ready to face the consequences if she got caught in the middle of her secret mission. Her uncertainty made Cindy shudder.

Sneaking Into the Freezer

Using the distraction in the kitchen, Cindy made it to the freezer successfully while revising the list of ingredients she wanted. She picked up all the stuff so no one could notice the decrease. With almost 20 items in her bag, she was happy at the triumph of her small heist for a noble cause.

She was about to leave when there was a loud knock at the freezer door. Terrified out of her wits, she was sure she’d already lost her job. No one was allowed to enter the freezer without the head chef’s permission, who had clearly noticed that someone went in without asking.

No Way To Escape

She heard her boss’ voice outside the freezer’s door; he had arrived. She tried to find any other exit point from the room, but the head chef stood outside, the only one there was. She was ready to lose all courage and pressed herself against the back wall waiting for her boss to come and discover her with stolen goods.

All her dreams of making a name in the culinary world were dashed off one by one before her eyes. The management would demand an explanation, and Cindy did not have one. No one would believe she acted like Robin Hood to help a homeless man. But then something happened…

An Unbelievable Stroke of Luck

Fortunately, the wall against which Cindy leaned in her depression was pretty decrepit by that point. When she sat down against it in fear, it began crumbling at the pressure. The building was old, and this fragile part of the structure remained undiscovered since no one thought to check the freezer’s wall for durability.

Cindy pushed a little harder, and she fell out to the other side. After catching her breath and removing dust from her hair, she realized that she was standing in the hallway. The establishment used that passage for servers to pass, but at that moment, no one was around.

Time To Cook

To cover her tracks and the hole in the wall, she put a nearby serving tray against the damage and bolted home. Cindy’s boss entered the freezer and found none. And she had ensured she left no evidence behind anyone could connect to her. Reaching home, she waited for her boss to call or the cops to knock at her door.

Neither happened, so she put her plan into motion once again, happily spreading all the ingredients on the kitchen counter. She had made sure she dropped none. With a beaming smile, Cindy started cooking while imagining all the joy she hoped the homeless man would feel.