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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Miracles / Wonders
- Published: 06/06/2025
"I know that look!"
Born 1951, M, from Wilmington NC, United States.jpeg)
He didn’t know where he got these thoughts. He just knew that he had to act on them. Maybe it is why he always did so well in Business. Not that anyone knew his true wealth. Lots of women ignored him, because he dressed and acted like the best he could do was Kirkland Clothes at Costco. Not broke, maybe at the bottom rung of Middle Class, if there even was such a thing anymore.
That was fine with him. He didn’t care about the trappings of wealth, or for women who didn’t want to build something, but just wanted to take and not give. Besides, he liked the feelings he had when those thoughts turned out to be the right ones. Just because he could recognize “that look.”
You know, the look that says someone is hurting, desperate, lonely, or in need. Each look was a little different, yet, somehow, when he got those thoughts, he could read “that look” precisely. Allowing him to give the specific need attached to that look. A smile broke on his face. He was getting those thoughts. So he looked around the little restaurant to see if “That look” was on anyone’s face.
He lit up. It was. On …her.
*****
“Excuse me Miss, are you okay?”
She turned towards the ordinary looking guy. He had a sincere questioning look on his face. So she didn’t brush him off at the rudeness he displayed by asking a complete stranger if she was okay. She knew (from sad experience) that sometimes guys used that as a pick up line. The last thing she needed was another free loading guy to mope around her apartment while she went out and worked.
So she just tried to brush him of gently:
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just fighting off a bit of overwhelm. Something we all have to do…right?”
Then she offered a wry smile. Thinking that would be enough to make him let it go. It wasn’t enough. For he continued on:
“I know that look. I have had it on my own face…a time or two.”
Now she was curious.
“What look?”
He smiled gently.
“You know, that look you get when the end of the month is near….and you don’t have the rent, let alone enough to get groceries.”
She froze in place. Was he a stalker? How in the world would he know that? Is he a friend of Stacey’s? WTF. I will have a word with her if she blabbed everything she had told Stacey just last night in a crying fit that helped…a bit. Stacey doesn’t have two nickels to rub together anyways, but she is a good friend. Or was.
“Do you know Stacey Adams?”
He smiled, looked up for a bit, and then said:
“No. Should I?”
She shook her head. She had seen in his eyes that he did not recognize Stacey’s name. Then how in the heck did he know? Or was he really just remembering some rough patch in his life? Thoughts tumbled through her head like her blouse did at the laundromat. With no rhyme or reason.
“No. I guess not. Anyways, thanks for asking, but I can solve my own problems.”
She shrugged and turned to walk away, embarrassed and a bit angry that her situation was so apparent to a stranger. She felt a light touch on her elbow. She turned to offer a strongly worded warning about touching her. But she froze when the man was holding an envelope in one hand.
“Wha…what’s…that?”
He smiled as he stood.
“Don’t open it until I leave, but it is for you.”
With that, he took his coat off the back of his chair. Slipped two twenties under the thirteen dollar and seventeen cents bill she had placed on his table just a few minutes earlier. A twenty seven dollar tip!
Her mind offered up a very quick prayer of thanks to the strange man. It wouldn’t fix things, but it sure made her mood crank up a notch. She put the envelope in her apron, then yelled a : “Thank you very much!" Across the room as he walked out the door.
Later that night, her and Stacey sat on her double bed. Both of them staring in silent wonder at the bills spread out on the duvet.
Stacey spoke first:
“Was he an Angel? Some kind of mind reader? Does he have a brother?”
She couldn’t help it. Stacey could make her laugh at the weirdest times.
She laughed as she said out loud:
“If he does, he’s mine. You leave your hands off!”
They laughed again. All the tension, strain, and tears of 24 hours earlier…gone. The small stacks of hundred dollar bills arrayed in front of the two girls.
Stacey spoke again;
“This is like a miracle…or …I don’t know…magic?”
She nodded.
‘He said: “You have that look.” And then he said: I know it. I have worn it on my own face a time or two.” ‘
“But how did he know exactly how much you needed? I mean your rent is there for two months, the $986 bucks to fix the brakes and replace the shocks on your car…and get a tune up and oil change. I mean that is an exact number! And how in the world did he know your iPad died? And you now have enough to buy another one. And then a few hundred to pay off your secured card. Weird.”
She didn’t know. She just thanked him over and over again in her head. She would go to Church on Sunday and light a candle for him. She knew, somehow, she would never see him again. People that can do things like this…they don’t need validation.
With a tear in one eye, she started scooping the money up. It was time to make a deposit. Stacey smiled and said:
“I bet that tip he left was so you could treat me to pizza tonight.”
She laughed. She saw that look of hope on Stacey’s face. She knew that look. She had seen it in the mirror. That look that says: I hope my friend can feed me tonight.
“I know that look! I would love to get pizza with you!”
Stacey clapped her hands in glee.
*****
Things were tough. She hated motorcycles. She used to love riding on the back of Buddy’s Harley. Until they had kids. When the second baby came…she told him he had to ride alone. When the third one came…she asked him to stop riding his bike. What if something happened. He would laugh.
“Honey, one of the reasons you fell for me, is because you loved going for a ride. It will be okay. I have ridden my Harley since I bought it when I was sixteen. I am twenty seven now…no way will it let me down. You worry too much. You know how careful I am!”
A tear fell. He was careful. It was the car full of half drunk teens, on their way back from Graduation…that were not. But that was years ago. The kids were all in Grade school now. Next year, the oldest would start Middle School. None of them really remember their Daddy…except the oldest. And even for her, his memory was fading.
Another tear formed. She wiped it away. She had to get groceries, then drop the kids off at her trailer, and head out to her second job. She knew her eldest hated playing Mom, and making supper. But she showed no resentment at all. Just the after effects of having too much responsibility…too early. If Buddy had just listened to her.
She couldn’t let her mind go down that well worn down trodden track with her shoes and soul covered with the mud and muck of: “if only’s, should have’s, could have’s.” That was a path that led to nowhere.
Then she heard a voice from a man pushing a cart towards her.
“I know that look. Too much on your plate. Too much guilt and blame. Want to tell me about it?”
She had so many emotions pent up, she had no idea where to start. He was ordinary in every aspect. His clothes all screamed Kirkland brand. A level of economic security she could only wish for. There was no way she could afford a Costco Card. And Target was a dream beyond a dream. She had no clue why she did what she did. But she did it anyway.
She told him everything. She poured her heart out. She left out nothing. She had no energy left for life. She had been in survival mode for so long, all she had time for was putting out the little fires in her small families life every day. They were poor. No way around it. But they had love and strength. And that would have to do.
The Man listened with intent.
Just one week later, she took her kids to Costco. Her executive card all shiny and new. She could afford Target for a couple of outfits, but the girls were all fine with the outfits, and shoes…they got at Costco. And Buddy Jr, well, he was like his Dad. Jeans, a clean T-shirt, and some boots, and he was all decked out…he felt. It made her smile.
They would get a slice of Pizza for each, and a hot dog for Buddy jr. Who, just like is Daddy, preferred hot dogs to pizza any day of the week. Another little smile and she looked up to speak to Buddy in Heaven.
“Hey Buddy, I don’t know how you did it, but we are okay now. Thanks for sending that man. I don’t know how he knew I could rise so fast in a Tech Start up…but, well, here we are. You can stop worrying now.”
The old couple at the table across from her smiled and reached for each other’s hands. They knew that look. It is called “Gratitude.”
*****
In a parking lot of a fast food place, a harried single mother was holding one baby in her arms- and the other toddler’s hand in her other. They were both looking down at the bald, and now flat tire. She was just about to explain that they couldn’t go to the burger place now. She needed that money…and a little more to fix the tire. Her heart dropped a little.
Then she heard a polite cough.
“Excuse, but I know that look. I have seen it on my own face. Maybe I can help.”
The single mother looked at him …bewildered. She searched his face and eyes. She knew he did know that look. It was all over his face. So she told him how tight money was. And how the car was on its last legs.
She told him all that over burgers, fries and the chocolate shakes they shared.
He noticed the look on her face as they wandered through CarMax. He had seen it on his own face. It is the look someone gets when something in their life looks like a miracle.
He knew that look.
That was fine with him. He didn’t care about the trappings of wealth, or for women who didn’t want to build something, but just wanted to take and not give. Besides, he liked the feelings he had when those thoughts turned out to be the right ones. Just because he could recognize “that look.”
You know, the look that says someone is hurting, desperate, lonely, or in need. Each look was a little different, yet, somehow, when he got those thoughts, he could read “that look” precisely. Allowing him to give the specific need attached to that look. A smile broke on his face. He was getting those thoughts. So he looked around the little restaurant to see if “That look” was on anyone’s face.
He lit up. It was. On …her.
*****
“Excuse me Miss, are you okay?”
She turned towards the ordinary looking guy. He had a sincere questioning look on his face. So she didn’t brush him off at the rudeness he displayed by asking a complete stranger if she was okay. She knew (from sad experience) that sometimes guys used that as a pick up line. The last thing she needed was another free loading guy to mope around her apartment while she went out and worked.
So she just tried to brush him of gently:
“Yeah. I’m fine. Just fighting off a bit of overwhelm. Something we all have to do…right?”
Then she offered a wry smile. Thinking that would be enough to make him let it go. It wasn’t enough. For he continued on:
“I know that look. I have had it on my own face…a time or two.”
Now she was curious.
“What look?”
He smiled gently.
“You know, that look you get when the end of the month is near….and you don’t have the rent, let alone enough to get groceries.”
She froze in place. Was he a stalker? How in the world would he know that? Is he a friend of Stacey’s? WTF. I will have a word with her if she blabbed everything she had told Stacey just last night in a crying fit that helped…a bit. Stacey doesn’t have two nickels to rub together anyways, but she is a good friend. Or was.
“Do you know Stacey Adams?”
He smiled, looked up for a bit, and then said:
“No. Should I?”
She shook her head. She had seen in his eyes that he did not recognize Stacey’s name. Then how in the heck did he know? Or was he really just remembering some rough patch in his life? Thoughts tumbled through her head like her blouse did at the laundromat. With no rhyme or reason.
“No. I guess not. Anyways, thanks for asking, but I can solve my own problems.”
She shrugged and turned to walk away, embarrassed and a bit angry that her situation was so apparent to a stranger. She felt a light touch on her elbow. She turned to offer a strongly worded warning about touching her. But she froze when the man was holding an envelope in one hand.
“Wha…what’s…that?”
He smiled as he stood.
“Don’t open it until I leave, but it is for you.”
With that, he took his coat off the back of his chair. Slipped two twenties under the thirteen dollar and seventeen cents bill she had placed on his table just a few minutes earlier. A twenty seven dollar tip!
Her mind offered up a very quick prayer of thanks to the strange man. It wouldn’t fix things, but it sure made her mood crank up a notch. She put the envelope in her apron, then yelled a : “Thank you very much!" Across the room as he walked out the door.
Later that night, her and Stacey sat on her double bed. Both of them staring in silent wonder at the bills spread out on the duvet.
Stacey spoke first:
“Was he an Angel? Some kind of mind reader? Does he have a brother?”
She couldn’t help it. Stacey could make her laugh at the weirdest times.
She laughed as she said out loud:
“If he does, he’s mine. You leave your hands off!”
They laughed again. All the tension, strain, and tears of 24 hours earlier…gone. The small stacks of hundred dollar bills arrayed in front of the two girls.
Stacey spoke again;
“This is like a miracle…or …I don’t know…magic?”
She nodded.
‘He said: “You have that look.” And then he said: I know it. I have worn it on my own face a time or two.” ‘
“But how did he know exactly how much you needed? I mean your rent is there for two months, the $986 bucks to fix the brakes and replace the shocks on your car…and get a tune up and oil change. I mean that is an exact number! And how in the world did he know your iPad died? And you now have enough to buy another one. And then a few hundred to pay off your secured card. Weird.”
She didn’t know. She just thanked him over and over again in her head. She would go to Church on Sunday and light a candle for him. She knew, somehow, she would never see him again. People that can do things like this…they don’t need validation.
With a tear in one eye, she started scooping the money up. It was time to make a deposit. Stacey smiled and said:
“I bet that tip he left was so you could treat me to pizza tonight.”
She laughed. She saw that look of hope on Stacey’s face. She knew that look. She had seen it in the mirror. That look that says: I hope my friend can feed me tonight.
“I know that look! I would love to get pizza with you!”
Stacey clapped her hands in glee.
*****
Things were tough. She hated motorcycles. She used to love riding on the back of Buddy’s Harley. Until they had kids. When the second baby came…she told him he had to ride alone. When the third one came…she asked him to stop riding his bike. What if something happened. He would laugh.
“Honey, one of the reasons you fell for me, is because you loved going for a ride. It will be okay. I have ridden my Harley since I bought it when I was sixteen. I am twenty seven now…no way will it let me down. You worry too much. You know how careful I am!”
A tear fell. He was careful. It was the car full of half drunk teens, on their way back from Graduation…that were not. But that was years ago. The kids were all in Grade school now. Next year, the oldest would start Middle School. None of them really remember their Daddy…except the oldest. And even for her, his memory was fading.
Another tear formed. She wiped it away. She had to get groceries, then drop the kids off at her trailer, and head out to her second job. She knew her eldest hated playing Mom, and making supper. But she showed no resentment at all. Just the after effects of having too much responsibility…too early. If Buddy had just listened to her.
She couldn’t let her mind go down that well worn down trodden track with her shoes and soul covered with the mud and muck of: “if only’s, should have’s, could have’s.” That was a path that led to nowhere.
Then she heard a voice from a man pushing a cart towards her.
“I know that look. Too much on your plate. Too much guilt and blame. Want to tell me about it?”
She had so many emotions pent up, she had no idea where to start. He was ordinary in every aspect. His clothes all screamed Kirkland brand. A level of economic security she could only wish for. There was no way she could afford a Costco Card. And Target was a dream beyond a dream. She had no clue why she did what she did. But she did it anyway.
She told him everything. She poured her heart out. She left out nothing. She had no energy left for life. She had been in survival mode for so long, all she had time for was putting out the little fires in her small families life every day. They were poor. No way around it. But they had love and strength. And that would have to do.
The Man listened with intent.
Just one week later, she took her kids to Costco. Her executive card all shiny and new. She could afford Target for a couple of outfits, but the girls were all fine with the outfits, and shoes…they got at Costco. And Buddy Jr, well, he was like his Dad. Jeans, a clean T-shirt, and some boots, and he was all decked out…he felt. It made her smile.
They would get a slice of Pizza for each, and a hot dog for Buddy jr. Who, just like is Daddy, preferred hot dogs to pizza any day of the week. Another little smile and she looked up to speak to Buddy in Heaven.
“Hey Buddy, I don’t know how you did it, but we are okay now. Thanks for sending that man. I don’t know how he knew I could rise so fast in a Tech Start up…but, well, here we are. You can stop worrying now.”
The old couple at the table across from her smiled and reached for each other’s hands. They knew that look. It is called “Gratitude.”
*****
In a parking lot of a fast food place, a harried single mother was holding one baby in her arms- and the other toddler’s hand in her other. They were both looking down at the bald, and now flat tire. She was just about to explain that they couldn’t go to the burger place now. She needed that money…and a little more to fix the tire. Her heart dropped a little.
Then she heard a polite cough.
“Excuse, but I know that look. I have seen it on my own face. Maybe I can help.”
The single mother looked at him …bewildered. She searched his face and eyes. She knew he did know that look. It was all over his face. So she told him how tight money was. And how the car was on its last legs.
She told him all that over burgers, fries and the chocolate shakes they shared.
He noticed the look on her face as they wandered through CarMax. He had seen it on his own face. It is the look someone gets when something in their life looks like a miracle.
He knew that look.
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