Chapter 9 - THE LAST SATURDAY SHIFT
Evan worked at Sal’s until he was sixteen.
Not every Saturday.
School got harder.
Soccer appeared.
Then a girl named Claire Bennett appeared, and suddenly Saturdays became mysteriously complicated.
Sal complained loudly.
“I lost a good dishwasher to romance.”
Evan turned bright red.
Perfect.
At sixteen, he decided to leave the diner for a summer internship with a local bicycle-repair nonprofit.
On his last shift, Sal gathered the staff after closing.
He handed Evan an envelope.
Evan immediately frowned.
“What is this?”
“Your final check.”
“I get direct deposit.”
“Different check.”
Inside:
$689.99.
The exact original price of the bicycle.
Evan stared.
“What?”
Sal smiled.
“Remember six months you worked and gave almost everything away?”
“Yes.”
“Some people around here remember too.”
Employees.
Customers.
Tasha.
Even Mason, now twelve.
They had each contributed small amounts.
The total deliberately matched the bike’s original sticker price.
Evan shook his head.
“I already have a bike.”
“We know.”
“Then why?”
Sal pointed toward the bicycle-repair nonprofit where Evan would work.
“Use it there.”
Evan’s eyes filled.
He donated the entire amount.
Of course.
I said:
“You have a condition.”
“What?”
“You are forbidden from giving away your final paycheck too.”
He smiled.
“No promises.”
I gave him the mother look.
“Fine.”
Sal gave me the same face.
I realized I had become terrifying.
Good.
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Every parent deserves one superpower.
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