Information Please

INFORMATION PLEASE

By Molly Melville  

        I used to have a job as a telephone operator. All you had to do was dial 411 and you got me. 411 provides telephone numbers whenever there's an enquiry; however, many people think,"Gee! Call 411. Information, they know everything about everything." I would get calls for,"Ya know dat girls? She lived in brown house on dat one roa full of iris flowers? She my frien in ma class. She got brown hair." Or "Can you tell me how to make egg salad?".

      Well, one day I got a call and it was around Christmas time. I picked the phone and took my similar saying, "Directory assistance, may I help you?" There was rather old man on the phone and in a very lonely voice he said, "Ma'am, I need...my cat needs some food."

      He sounded so helpless but I had to disconnect him. It was against the rules to give out anything other than phone numbers, so I disconnected him

      He called back, and by some miracle, I got him again. In his frail voice, he whispered, "Ma'am, please don't hang up on me. My poor cat....She's so hungry. All I want for Christmas is for her to have some food. Please, miss....please help me".

      What could I do? This poor man's voice sounded so sincere. I had to do something! I quickly asked him for his address and told him I would see what I could do. At that time, I just knew I had to do something for this poor old man and his pitiful cat. I went to my supervisor and asked if I could take the rest of the evening off. It was getting dark out, and it was starting to snow.

      I left the building and went to the grocery not very far from there. Then, I bought a big bag of cat food, tied a big red ribbon on it and attached a card from Santa. I got old man's address out of my pocket and started to go in search of his house.

       It was in bad section of city. When I got there, it was dark and snowing. I walked up to the porch and crept up the musty, creaky stairs. I set down the bag of cat food, rang the door bell and ran hurriedly to my car and hid.

       I watched from my  shelter-car, an old thin man slowly opened the door. the bright smile on his small wrinkle face when he saw the food and read the card was the best Christmas present I ever received!

                                                                                - Molly Melville