Half Empty To Half Full by Brian R.

Walking down Redwood Street, Darren Patten kept his head down, making sure he made no eye contact with anyone walking the opposite way. Feeling his phone vibrate, he reached deep in his pocket to see who was calling him. When he saw that it was his mother, he ignored the call, shaking his head with disappointment. A few minutes ago, he had come running out of his house on the verge of tears, due to his parents fighting once again. Many times it had been over something foolish, but this time it was serious. Just last night, Darren’s father had come home acting differently, almost guilty. In the morning his mother found many clues leading to the discovery of his father cheating on her. Darren thought that she would start crying, but she seemed too angry to shed tears. He had never seen his mother so furious, besides the time when Darren had broken her favorite set of glass dishes from France, passed down from her great-grandmother. He couldn’t listen to the threats and yelling going back and forth between the two, so he ran out the door without glancing back.

The sun, which was just rising, peeked its brilliant head above the trees. The birds were singing their happy songs but Darren could not feel as cheerful as his surroundings. He understood that his parents would most likely be getting a divorce after all that was happening, but it could not sink in. His parents had been married for the past 23 years, he could not imagine them splitting up. What would happen to himself and his little sister, Amanda, who was only at the age of two. Thinking back, the whole morning had been a blur and he realized that he had been reluctant to eat anything. Feeling around in his pocket, he felt some money and change, and headed toward the drug store.

“Hey Darren,” Mr. Jenkins greeted him as Darren came into the store. The usual bells rang as the door shut behind him.

“Hi, Mr. Jenkins,” he responded, trying not to look up at him, hoping that he wouldn’t ask what’s wrong or why Darren looked miserable.

Jen Jenkin’s Drug Store had been around since before he was even born. Darrens father had always told stories of when he was a kid, going into Jen’s with all of his friends after a long day at the baseball field or in the park, during the summer. Darren always loved hearing these stories, it felt strange stepping into the same store his father had once stepped into when he was about his age.

Darren went to the back of the store and grabbed a soda. He had left his house only an hour ago and already had nothing on his mind for himself to do. He knew that his parents would be getting worried, but he also understood that they had enough on their shoulders at the moment with the fighting and arguing. Pretending to be deciding which chips he wanted, he glanced at Mr. Jenkins. He was quite an older man, dark skinned with wrinkles on his face, probably from smiling so much. Darren had never seen him yell or even get angry before. He always had a smile on his face, he eyes were kind and his heart warm. Ever since he could remember, Jem Jenkin’s Drug Store had been his home away from home. He personally enjoyed his time there more than his own house.

Deciding against chips, Darren purchased the half empty soda and stepped back out onto the street. Again, keeping a steady pace and his head down, he strolled alongside the trees that lined the street. He made his way into the forest, where there was an empty boxcar on the old abandoned train tracks. Darren sometimes came here to think things over and to be by himself. As he approached, and slid open the door with a high pitched squeak, he came to notice he would not be the only one using the box car. There was a short, grubby homeless man smoking a pipe in the corner of the car. He looked up with a startled look when Darren opened the door, but didn't seem to be bothered by him.

"Come on in kid, its ok, there's plenty of room in here," the homeless man said, "My names Jason, and I just moved in," he said, looking around the box car.

"Thanks, I'm Darren," he said, stepping into the car, which was filled with dust. "That's my dad's name, Jason"

Darren and Jay talked for a little while before Jason asked what brought him to the box car. Darren told him that this was him thinking spot when something was bothering him. Jason was curious to what was bothering him and Darren told him all of his troubles and everything that was going on at home.

"Sometimes I just wish I didn't have parents or family at all, they make everything complicated and they fight too much," Darren told him, looking at the floor.

"Don't say that kid," Jason responded, "I wish I could go back to my family but I cant, I screwed up kid."

Jason told Darren that when he was about 18 years old he started to use drugs and was a heavy drinker. After his parents caught him more than once, they apparently had kicked him out of the house. Since then, Jason had lived on the streets by himself, no matter how tough it was. He had tried to go back once or twice, but each time they had refused to accept him into the house. For five years, he had been living in the safest places on the street, praying every day that someone would take him in.

"See kid, family should mean a lot to you, even if they fight excessively," Jason finished. "Go back to your house and talk to your parents kid."
Darren sat on the floor pondering, and after about 10 minutes, thanked the man and jumped down from the box car. He lumbered out from the trees and jumped back onto the sidewalk. Walking back down Redwood Street, Darren Patten kept his head down, thinking about everything Jason had just told him. He had to be thankful for having his family and everyday that he spent with them.