Chapter 6 - The Shadow of Eviction
Just as Thomas was wrapping the iron security chain around the cart's wheels, two men in tailored charcoal overcoats stepped onto the sidewalk from a silver luxury sedan parked across the street.
One of them was Derek Vance, the regional acquisition director for Vance Urban Real Estate Consortium—a predatory development firm that had bought up the entire city block to build a multi-million-dollar luxury retail plaza.
Derek stood before Thomas's cart, tapping a glossy leather clipboard against his thigh.
"Reynolds," Derek said, his voice flat and full of condescending impatience. "I see you're still cluttering up the municipal sidewalk with this eyesore."
Thomas straightened his back as best he could, wiping his hands on his apron. "I have a valid municipal street vendor permit, Mr. Vance. Issued by the city council through the end of the calendar year."
Derek let out a dry, dismissive laugh.
"Not anymore, old man," Derek sneered, thrusting a paper into Thomas's hands. "The city zoning board reclassified this entire pedestrian zone as a private commercial concourse this morning. Your permit is revoked. If this junk cart is still sitting on this corner at 8:00 AM tomorrow, the city sanitation department will impound it and crush it into scrap metal."
Thomas's breath caught in his throat. "Mr. Vance, please... this corner is my life. I've stood here for twenty years. If you take my cart, I have nothing."
"Then get a job in a warehouse," Derek replied callously, turning his back. "Progress doesn't wait for street peddlers."
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Derek and his assistant stepped back toward their sedan, leaving Thomas standing alone on the freezing sidewalk, holding the revocation notice in trembling fingers.
A tear slipped from Thomas’s eye, freezing against the stubble on his cheek. The world had finally closed its doors on him.
