Something REAL

The stairs creaked as Florence climbed them to the attic. There she sorted ancient letters and dusty photographs until she fell asleep wrapped in an old fur coat. She woke the next morning with a head full of dreams.

“We’re going to do something REAL today!” Florence announced to her family.

“What does that even mean?” Scoffed her sister, Maya.

She grabbed a bag from the floor and filled it with an empty jar, some cardboard, paper, pens and pencils. She dashed to the garden and collected a big bowl of Granny’s prized strawberries.

“Let’s go!” Despite their uncertainty, Maya, Granny and Penelope, the dog, followed Florence out the door. 

They got off the bus in front of the library where homeless people often slept. Florence arranged the strawberries in the bowl and next to the jar she made a sign on the cardboard that read, “Strawberry for Your Thoughts.”