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- 10/04/2020
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
The Food Truck - 12. Chapter 12
Graduation day Andre received his culinary degree, Donnie and Denny received their degrees in accounting and computer science, I hosted a party for them and their families and friends. Jake had one more year to go before he graduated. He told me that he’d like to be a teacher. I told him he should then work towards his masters degree. Paul had finished his undergraduate degree and was almost finished with his masters degree. He was heading toward a pHD in mathematics.
That's summer a lot of changes occurred. Andre started to work at a very prestigious hotel in our city. As I thought, Donnie told me he’d stay with the Food Truck if I allowed him to pick up additional accounting business. I didn't have a problem with that, I knew that I’d need to find a replacement for him on the food truck. Denny found a job with the commercial advertising firm doing computer graphics. The overall resulting effect, I now had three openings.
I started to look for their replacements. Donnie said he would stay with me until I hired their replacements. So I call Mrs. Lawson and asked if she had any graduating students who would like to work on the food truck. She said she would have to think about it but offhand to her knowledge most of the boys in the senior class have either a job or are planning on going to college.
Donnie looked at me, “You know where you got your best workers. Maybe we should try it again.”
I couldn't believe that the only source of our workers had to come from the street. Recognizing that Donnie’s suggestion was true, I agreed.
So after we closed the food truck for the day, Donnie and I started to check dumpsters and the parks. Donnie suggested we should also try the bus terminal.
The first few nights we didn't find anyone. But on a Saturday night joined by Denny, we saw one young man sitting on the bench at the bus terminal. I’d thought that he was waiting for a bus, it was Donnie who recognized the boy as being lost.
Donnie went and sat beside the boy. Denny and I sat in the row of chairs facing them. We watched as Donnie started to talk to the boy. The boy looked at him, Donnie placed an arm around him. The boy turned his face into Donnie’s side and looked like he was crying. Donnie looked at us and nodded. We found one of the three boys. Denny and I went over introduce ourselves. I sat and listened as Danny and Donnie talk to the boy. The boy gathered his suitcase and followed us to the car.
Donny did the introductions, “Jim, this is Johnny.”
With Johnny in the car, we drove back to the Park. Every once in a while I’d hear a sniffle from the back seat. Now Denny took over comforting the boy. Upon entering the Park, Denny started to point out the various buildings and the food truck.
“Donnie, take Johnny’s suitcase to Andre’s old room. Then come back down to the kitchen and if Jake is awake ask him to come as well.”
While they were gone, “Denny, I want to buy back your and Donnie’s shares in the business. I’ll ask Donnie to calculate the amount per share times ten. You’ll probably have enough to make a down payment on a car.”
“It has been fun hasn’t it?”
“Yes, you and Donnie have contributed to our success and it wasn’t work, it was fun. I’m going to miss both of you.”
“We’ll still be around. You can count on us for the Holiday catering and maybe the fairs.”
I started to make coffee. “Now that you are leaving, do you think Jake can handle what you do on the internet for me?”
“Yes, I can do that.”
“I’m sorry Jake, I didn’t see you coming in. I have a question for you, are you old enough to get a driver’s license?”
“Yes, Donnie and I were just talking about that. He figured you would need another driver when he moved out.”
I was glad about that and now I’d need to make the arrangements to get Jake’s driving license. Before Donnie and Johnny entered the kitchen, we heard them laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“I was telling Johnny about our experiences at the fairs. Do you remember the kid with the corndog? He was upset that the cost of the corndog was more than what we charged for a hot dog and fries. Well, what you didn’t know, was that he went back and complained. He told them that they over charged him. They just laughed and told him to beat it. The kid stood at the end of the line and as people came to buy a corndog, he told them if they came to our truck they could get fries as well as a hotdog for the same price. The owners of that truck chased him off, he just went further back of the line telling people that they overcharged for their corndogs. The owners finally gave him his money back, then he left.”
“I didn't know that. That must have been when we got that rush.”
I offer Johnny a cup of coffee and the last piece of pie. While he was eating, “Johnny, in order to work on the food truck you need to get a health certificate. Tomorrow morning my mother we'll take you to the clinic to get your certificate. Donnie, did you explain about the salary and the monthly bonus?”
“Yes”
“Good I'll see you boys in the morning. Donnie, drop Johnny off at my house in the morning, I'd appreciate it.”
Driving home I knew I still needed two more employees. I also knew that Donnie would stay until we found someone to replace him.
Mom took Johnny to get his certificate and dropped him off at the truck. I offered her a lunch to share with Dad. Donnie was packing the jitney for deliveries.
“Donnie, show Johnny what you're doing and then take him with you. In a few days, I want him to handle the jitney with the lunches.”
When Donnie and Johnny came back I noticed a big smile on Johnny's face.“Well, what do you think?”
“I think it’s neat. It seems that my luck is turning. When I was sitting in the bus terminal I wasn't sure what my future what be. I had just gotten off the bus and really didn't have enough money to go any further. I was scared and felt lonely. Then Donnie came over and started talking to me. At first, I thought I was being hustled. I really didn't know what to do. But I listened as he explained about the food truck. He told me about how he met you and it was the best thing that ever happened. Listening, I became excited I thought my prayers were being answered.”
As I looked into his eyes there were a few tears. I have been fortunate and I've always had caring and loving parents. It's hard for me to fully understand what these boys have gone through. The fears that they must have experienced thinking they were alone in a cruel world.
That evening after supper was served, we cleaned up the truck and went looking for two more employees. As usual we check the dumpsters, the parks and the bus terminal.
It took us four more night searches to find another young man. After having no luck at the usual places, we were driving back towards the Park when Denny saw a young boy sitting in the doorway of one of the shops that were closed. We stopped the car and Denny took point on approaching the boy. Donnie, Jake, Johnny and I watched as Denny started to speak to the boy. At first as he approached the boy, the boy got up and started walking away. Denny must have said something to cause the boy to stop. And then we watched Denny speak to the boy, pointed to the car, and with his arm around his shoulder led him to the car. We found another young man to work with us on the truck.
Arriving at the car, Denny introduced us to Thomas. While we introduced ourselves Denny put his knapsack in the trunk of the car. On the way back to the Park, Thomas told us his friends called him Tom. We didn't ask questions about why he was on the street. I knew from past experiences he’d tell us when he was ready. I did explain in the car about the food truck. I should say I started to explain, the boys took over. When I looked in the rear view mirror, I saw again tears in the young man’s eyes. When we arrived at the Park, Donnie took Tom and his knapsack to the small room Andre used. I realized I’d have another job for Dominic.
While Donnie took Tom to his room, Dennis and Jake made coffee and fixed a dinner for Tom. When Donnie returned, the guys had soup and a sandwich ready. I could see he was hungry. While he ate, I let the boys explained about the food truck. A lot of what was said was the first time Johnny heard some of it. Donnie being the first, knew it all. Denny asked about their schooling and interests, I knew where that was heading. Denny had to show them the school room, this is what they called the area were the desks and computers were located.
I did explain about the need for a health certificate and that my mom would take him for the exam. As Donnie did for Johnny, I asked him to do for Tom. Now I had only one more vacancy to fill, Andre’s.
Denny found an apartment for Donnie and himself. So on the week-end we moved Denny and Donnie into their new apartment. I bought them their bedroom furniture as a gift and a thank you for their contribution to Food Truck Inc.
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Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you.
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