DO THE RIGHT THING - By Anthony Hedger – *Published*

DO THE RIGHT THING

By Anthony Hedger

Billy looked to see if anyone was watching him but there was no one insight; it was getting late and the park was due to close. He looked at the carrier bag and gave it a gentle kick. A friend found a bag just like this one and inside was a tiny puppy. He had been allowed to keep it and had named it, Asda, after the name of the store printed on the bag. Billy thought it was a silly name for a dog but it was good of him to give the puppy a home.
So here he was, looking at a carrier bag with the same name on the front of it. He hoped there might be something inside he could sell to add to the £49.36 pence he had saved doing his paper round; he desperately wanted to buy a computer so he could write and sell short stories and if he saved enough from selling them he’d treat his mum to a well deserved holiday. He poked the bag wondering whether there might be another puppy inside. He didn’t really want one for himself; he didn’t want the hassle of clearing up mess every time he took it out for walks. He poked it again; it didn’t yelp and didn’t feel squiggy like a puppy, it felt more like paper. Oh, that’s great, he thought, just what I need, someone’s discarded rubbish. He looked around again and saw in the distance the park-keeper locking the gates, so he picked up the bag and ran off home with it clutched under his arm.

‘Dinner is ready.’ Billy’s mum called as he came through the front door.
‘Thanks mum.’ He said kicking off his trainers and running up the stairs. ‘I’ll wash up and be down in a minute.’
‘Don’t be long, it’s getting cold.’
Billy took the bag to his bedroom and stuffed it under his bed.
‘I’ll deal with you later.’ He said wagging a dirty finger at it as he left his bedroom for the bathroom then felt silly for talking to a carrier bag.
All through dinner Billy was distracted, he couldn’t help thinking what the contents of the bag might be and why he hadn’t had a look inside he didn’t know.
‘Billy, are you alright?’ His mum asked.
Billy didn’t answer.
‘Billy.’ She asked again raising her voice slightly. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘What, oh sorry, mum? Nothing is wrong, I was just thinking about a bit of homework I have to finish before school in the morning. I better get on with it if you don’t mind?’ He rushed down the rest of his dinner.
‘Of course I don’t mind.’ His mum said collecting up the dirty plates. ‘Look, son, school is very important; you know that, you have to make sure you get the best you can from it. Now go on and hit those books.’
‘Leave the dishes for me.’ Billy said as he left the room. ‘I’ll do them later. Get some rest; I’ll do lunches for tomorrow as well if you like?’
‘Thanks son.’ She called as he was on the stairs. ‘You know you are the best son a mother could ever want and I love you very much.’
‘Thanks mum.’ He shouted from the top of the stairs. ‘Love you too.’
Billy went into his bedroom, switched on the small television set and almost dove under the bed to retrieve the bag.
‘Now, let’s take a look at what we’ve found?’ He closed his bedroom door, turned the sound down on the television a little, sat on the floor and placed the bag on his lap. He slowly opened the top and slid his hand carefully inside. He stopped as his hand came in contact with some paper. ‘Damn.’ He said without looking. ‘It is someone’s rubbish.’ He pulled a handful of paper free and dropped it to the floor then looking at it he gasped. ‘Oh my word, money.’ He tipped the rest of it on to the floor; it was now a big pile of money. He stared at the pile of £50 notes then started to count them.
’40.’ He screamed. ‘40, £50 notes, that’s, £2000; brilliant, I can now buy that computer I’ve always wanted.’
At that moment the local news came on the TV set.
‘…... Police are still looking for any witnesses to the mugging of an elderly lady, Ethel Pritchard from Enfield Town….’
Billy looked up at the two photographs on the screen of the lady who had been mugged. The photograph on the left was of Ethel as her normal happy self and if the one on the right was her, she wasn’t recognisable; her face was black and blue and puffed up as though she had been in a boxing ring. Billy looked at the photographs disgusted that someone could do such a thing to another human being.
‘That poor lady, I hope they catch the person who did this and do the same to them.’ Billy said under his breath.
The newscaster went on with the story. ‘….. The robbery took place sometime between 1 and 2 o’clock this afternoon as Ethel was going to the travel agent to book a holiday for herself and husband, Dennis. She had taken a short cut through the park where she was mugged. The mugger, a white man in his mid thirties, probably couldn’t believe his luck when he checked the carrier bag he had stolen from Ethel, it contained £2000.’
Billy’s face drained of colour.
The story went on; ‘…..Ethel was going to surprise her terminally ill husband who only has 6 months to live, to a mini cruise.’
Billy felt terrible; he didn’t know what to do. He ran a hand through his hair trying to weigh up his options.
‘I found the money so it’s mine. I’ve been saving for ages and only have about £49, but now there is £2000 in the equation and a computer is within my grasp. If I print my work rather than write by hand I will have a better chance at getting published and then mum can have the holiday I promised her, it’s a bit like Ethel and her husband really.’
He stood up and walked around his room cursing to himself.
‘But what about Ethel and Dennis’s holiday?’
He knew what he wanted to do but also knew what he should do. He went downstairs to get a drink of water. His mum was in the kitchen washing the dishes.
‘I told you I would do them.’ He said getting a glass from the cupboard.
‘It’s okay; you get on with your homework.’ Then she saw his face. ‘What on earth is wrong with you Billy?’
‘I saw the news just now; an old lady got mugged in the park.’
‘I did as well; they said she was planning a surprise trip for her husband. I hope they catch the person responsible and that they have a conscience and do the right thing by returning the money.’
I doubt it mum, after what they did to her; they’ll be long gone. Anyway, I’ve got to get on, thanks for doing the dishes.’
‘I’ll say goodnight now Billy, I’ll see you in the morning and don’t worry about the sandwiches, I’ve already done them.’
‘Thanks mum.’ Billy kissed her and went upstairs to do some more thinking.
That night he had a dreadful sleep; he woke up several times tossing and turning around in the bed and when he woke red eyed in the morning he knew what he had to do. Instead of going to school he first went to the hospital where Ethel was staying in for a few days observation. He picked a few flowers from his front garden and wrapped some old birthday paper around them to look like they had been bought.

Although he wasn’t family, a nurse let him in to see Ethel with strict instructions he wasn’t to stay too long and he wasn’t to tire her out. She needed well-wishers to help her get over the shock of the mugging but she still needed to rest.
‘Hello Mrs Pritchard, I’m Billy.’ He shouted. ‘I saw you on the telly last night and I just wanted to see you were alright. Here, I brought you some flowers from my garden.’ Billy thought better not to lie to her.
‘That’s very kind, thank you. And can you lower your voice a little, I may be old but I ain’t deaf. Now, can you help me sit up?’
‘Sure.’ Billy said.
‘You seem a kind boy, there isn’t many like you about these days.’ Ethel said with tears in her puffed eyes.
‘I’m sure there are, Mrs Pritchard, I’m nothing special.’
‘You mustn’t run yourself down, Billy.’
‘That’s what mum says, anyway, what are you going to do now?’
‘What can I do? There’s no money so there will be no holiday.’ You know I’ve lived in Enfield all my life, I’ve been married to Dennis for over 60 years and we have had some great times together.’ She started to cry. ‘Nothing has ever happened like this in all that time, so Billy, what can I do?’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be, it isn’t as though you took my money. Now, young man, if you don’t mind I feel rather tired, thank you for popping in to see me.’
Billy was about to speak but Ethel was asleep. On his way out of her room he left the carrier bag by the side of her bed with a note on top of it. Later, when Ethel woke up, a nurse handed her the bag and a confused Ethel, read the note.
“Dear Mrs Pritchard, I found your money yesterday in the park, I guess the thief must have dropped it. I must tell you how bad I feel because I wanted to keep it. I suppose I’m not so special after all, am I, just human I guess. The money isn’t mine so please keep it in a safe place and have the holiday with your husband as you planned to do and enjoy what short time you have together. My thoughts are with you both, love Billy. PS, send me a post card from somewhere hot my address is enclosed. PPS, I am sorry I was tempted to take your money; I’m not normally like this. My mum said if my dad was still with us he would have taken it and would have drunk it all away by now, but, thank goodness, I’m nothing like him. Anyway, get better soon.”
Ethel had tears streaming down her face.
A week later when she was out of hospital and sitting in the travel agent, she found another letter from Billy hidden between the £50 notes which read;
“Dear Mrs Pritchard, I expect you have found my note by now as I imagine you are at this moment paying for your holiday. I have put in my savings, of £49.36 pence that I have saved towards a computer which I probably won’t need for awhile. I am sure it will come in handy for something even if it is only the taxi fare to get you to the docks and your ship. Have a good trip. Love Billy”
Ethel had tears running down her face again. She had the cruise a month later and came back with a slight tan. Her husband, Dennis, died three weeks later. The insurance money paid for the funeral and there was enough left over for Ethel to treat Billy for his honesty and the kindness he had shown her. He bought the computer he wanted and is now very busy writing short stories and working on a thriller novel about a thief. He is hoping to take his mother away soon for a nice holiday in the sun.

The End

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anthony, by, do, hedger, honesty, love, right, short, story, the, thing, tony and truth