2 Fictions by Rod McConkey

A Parent’s Love

A loud crash and the sound of glass shattering brought Noah out of the book he was reading.

“Is everything okay, Matthew?” Noah called out.

“Um…” Matthew said.

Noah set the book aside and got up off the couch.

“Don’t move, I’ll be there in a second,”

“Don’t! There is broken glass everywhere,” Matthew said with a hint of something in his voice.

“What broke?” Noah said as he made it next door.

Matthew pointed at the destroyed picture frame that was lying on the ground.

“How did that happen?”

“I…” Matthew started to say but burst into tears.

“Come here Matthew,” Noah said as he sat in a chair. When Matthew came close enough, Noah grabbed him and pulled him onto his lap.

“Matthew, I won’t be mad,”

Noah waited patiently while Matthew calmed down.

“I was playing with the soccer ball and accidentally kicked it too hard,”

“Matthew-“

“-I know I am not supposed to play with the ball inside but-“

“-Matthew…”

“Dad, I am so sorry,” Matthew hiccupped out.

“Why were you not outside?”

“There’s a circus clown next door…”

Noah hugged Matthew harder.

“Oh, Jenny’s birthday is today,” Noah said, recalling that Rebecca had warned him a few days ago.

“Son, I’m so sorry I forgot about Jenny’s party,”

Matthew hugged his father back, gripping on tight.

“I was trying to be a big boy Dad,”

“You are a big boy Matthew, we all have something that scares us,”

“You’re scared of stuff?” Matthew said with surprise in his voice.

Noah brought his hands to Matthew’s sides and gave him a bit of a tickle.

“Of course, I am scared of spiders, burning dinner…”

“I don’t like spiders either!”

“Let’s be scared of spiders together,” Noah said, smiling at Matthew.

“I love you Matthew,”

“I love you too Daddy,”

Noah had a thought.

“Hey Matthew, how about we go grab some ice cream?”

“Ice cream! Can we go to Utterly Mad?” Matthew asked.

“Of course, we can,”

“Can I get chocolate ice cream with chocolate sprinkles…oh and fudge!”

“Are you going to share with me?” Noah teased.

“Dad, you don’t like chocolate ice cream!” Matthew said.

“You know me so well son,”

“Of course I do, your my dad”

Noah watched Matthew look over at the mess on the floor, he knew what Matthew was thinking.

“Don’t worry about it Matthew, I’ll clean it up when we get home,”

“Can I help?” Matthew said.

“We will see. How about we go and get our shoes on, should we walk or take the car?” Noah said.

“Let’s walk!” Noah said as he tore out of the room and ran to put his shoes on.

Noah chuckled as he followed. When Noah got to the front door, Noah’s heart swelled. Matthew had put his shoes on all by himself, his boy was growing up. Noah quickly put his shoes on and grabbed his keys.

“Are we ready to go?” Noah said as he padded his pocket, making sure he had his phone.

“I am Dad! Are you?”

“I have my keys and my phone, I think I’m good too,”

Noah opened the door and let Matthew go out first than followed behind him, locking up as he went.

“Race you?” Matthew said.

“You’re on, on three?”

Matthew nodded in confirmation but Noah saw the smirk.

“1…2…Matthew!” Noah said through a laugh. Matthew hadn’t waited for the 3 before he was off.

“I’m going to caught you!” Noah said sprinting after Matthew.

Ripples of Kindness

Luke held onto the weather-beaten sign and tried to mutter up a smile. The sun raged overhead like it was just as angry as he was. Sweat beaded his forehead, and his stomach was twisted into knots. He didn’t want to be there. Luke waited for the traffic signal to turn red. The vehicles would line up.

The first car, an older man, stopped at the light and ignored Luke and his sign. Luke could see the driver mumble the words etched on the cardboard, “Homeless, please help,” and then shake his head.

Luke didn’t need a mirror to know what he looked like. He had been on the street for more than a few days at that point. His clothes stuck to him like a second skin. Luke looked down at his clothes and tried brushing some of the more notable dirt away, but it was futile.

All Luke wanted was enough money to buy some food. Luke had given up hope of a miracle. He just wanted something in his stomach. He hadn’t eaten since yesterday, and all he could afford was a couple of cheap hamburgers.

Thinking about food made his stomach twist more. So far, Luke had only received $1.25 standing there for the last few hours, and that wasn’t even enough for one of those cheap burgers. He felt tired and embarrassed.

Luke almost missed the window rolling down a few vehicles back and a hand waving him over. He sprang forward eagerly.

Luke approached the vehicle as a hand came out to meet him. Luke extended and opened his left hand to accept what the stranger was offering. “A whole dollar,” Luke thought with his mouth wide open.

Luke quickly recovered and said, “Thanks!”

Luke quickly stuffed the dollar in his pocket.

“Have a good day,” the stranger said.

“You too,” Luke said, waving his hand.

Luke walked back to his chosen spot on the cement island. He had enough for a burger. It was almost lunchtime. He wanted to wait and see if he could get enough to afford a second burger so that he could justify giving up the rest of the day.

Another car pulled up to queue for the light change. Luke watched as the window rolled down. Luke knew better than to approach the car before they waved him over. A hand waved him over. Luke moved quickly. The light was going to change at any moment.

Once Luke got to the car, he extended his hand. The man opened his hand, and he dropped pieces of garbage into Luke’s hand. Luke didn’t say a word. He simply turned around and walked back to his spot.

As he walked, the man yelled, “Oh, you didn’t want trash.”

Luke didn’t react. He had learned already that by reacting that it gave the person what they wanted, the satisfaction of getting under his skin.

“He’s just an asshole,” Luke thought to himself.

It hurt. It wasn’t his choice to be homeless, to be so poor he had to beg to eat. The rage inside was a flash fire, but the car that was waving him over was a bucket of water, just what he needed.

As Luke approached the car, he noticed the guy was about his brother’s age. Just as he reached the window and made eye contact with the stranger, a horn squawked behind the stranger. Luke didn’t need to look to know that the light had betrayed him. Luke looked anyway, and his gut was right. The light had turned green.

Before Luke could move, the car was moving.

With his sign in front of him, he walked back to his starting position. Three hours and all he had to show for it was $2.25.

Luke watched as cars drove by. He stood there, waiting for the red light. Luke sighed. “I should just give up,” Luke mumbled to himself.

The light changed to red once again. Luke watched as three cars queued up, but none rolled down their windows. That didn’t help Luke’s mood.

“Hey!” said a voice from the parking lot.

Luke heard another “Hey!”

It took a moment, but Luke realized the guy was talking to him. Luke turned toward the voice to see that it was the man that had waved him over as the light had changed.

Luke stood frozen in place. He didn’t know what to do. He had never had someone come back.

“Can I buy you some lunch?” the man yelled as he walked closer to Luke.

The offer felt dangerous to Luke. It was like the man was hitting Luke right in the stomach.

“We can even eat at Bianca’s,” the stranger said, gesturing to the coffee shop he had parked at.

“What do you want in return?”

The man stopped at the edge of the curb. Only the road separated them.

“I don’t want anything, other than a chance to buy you a meal,” the stranger said.

“I don’t believe you,” Luke said, suspicious of the offer.

Luke looked the stranger up and down, taking him in.

“My name is Michael,” Michael said, ignoring Luke.

“Tell me, Michael, why should I trust you?”

“Because I want to help,”

Luke let out a laugh. “You want to help? Am I your good deed for the day?”

Luke immediately regretted his words as he saw the hurt look come across Michael’s face.

“I’m sorry, I’ve just heard it before,” Luke said.

“I understand,”

“The offer is still open,” he continued, gesturing to the coffee shop.

Luke stood there frozen again. He had acted like an ass, and Michael was still willing to extend his offer of food.

“Thanks Michael. I guess I can have lunch with you,”

“My name is Luke, by the way. Nice to meet you,” Luke continued.

“Hey Luke, nice to meet you as well. You okay with Bianca’s?” Michael asked.

“Yeah,” Luke said, tucking his sign into his backpack as he walked toward Michael.

Luke continued walking past Michael, toward the shop. Michael left some space but followed Luke.

“Did you want to leave your bag in my car?” Michael said.

A look of concern was enough for Michael to know what Luke was thinking.

“I won’t steal it or hold it hostage,”

“Fine,” Luke said after a moment.

Michael reached into his pocket and hit the unlock button.

“Put it on the passenger seat or the backseat, whichever you want,” Michael said.

Luke walked over and opened the passenger side door and placed his bag on the floorboard of the car and then, after a moment, he closed the door. Michael locked the car back up.

Luke followed Michael into the coffee shop without a word.

Once inside, Michael turned to Luke and said, “Can you grab us a seat, and I will grab us some food? Are you allergic to anything? Is there anything you don’t like?”

“I’m not allergic to anything,” Luke said reluctantly.

“What about foods you don’t like?”

“It’s okay,” Luke said dismissively.

“Whatever you choose is fine,” Luke continued.

Luke didn’t want Michael to regret his offer of a free meal, he would take whatever Michael ordered.

“Is there something you don’t like? Just tell me so I can order,” Michael said.

“I don’t want to be a bother, you’re buying the food,”

“Yeah, and I want you to enjoy it,” Michael said.

“I don’t like onions,” Luke finally said.

“See, that wasn’t so hard. Was there anything else?”

Michael felt like he was navigating a mine field blindly. He didn’t want to push too hard, but he didn’t want Luke to not enjoy the meal.

“Mushrooms,” Luke mumbled.

“Sorry, what?” Michael said as he leaned in closer.

“I don’t like mushrooms or mustard,” Luke said louder.

“Now, what do you want to drink?”

“And don’t say whatever,” Michael continued.

“Cola please,”

“Good choice” Michael said.

“It’s my favorite,”

“You okay with a turkey sandwich, with mayo?” Michael asked.

“That sounds…” Luke said, but his stomach screamed.

Luke felt betrayed by his stomach, but the sound of a turkey sandwich sounded way better than a cheap burger.

“Sounds like your stomach likes that,” Michael said with a laugh.

“Oh, did you want a donut or cookie for dessert? I was thinking of grabbing one myself,”

“Ummm,”

“Don’t give me that…” Michael said sternly.

“It’s too much.”

Luke was feeling overwhelmed.

“It’d be too much if you asked for both,” Michael tried to joke.

“Michael…”
“Stop, I asked to treat you,” Michael said.

“But-” Luke started.

“No buts, mister.”

Luke took a deep breath and then gave in.

“A cookie please. Are you sure?” Luke asked as doubt crept into his voice.

“Yes, now go grab a seat and I will order.”

“Okay…. thanks Michael,” Luke said.

Luke walked away, leaving Michael to order their food. Luke picked a table away from everyone else. He didn’t need a sense of smell to know that he was ripe. The stares did it for him.

“Why did I agree to this?” Luke thought.

A few moments later, Michael arrived with the food.

“Thanks,” Luke said, eyes locked on the delicious sandwich.

“That looks so much better than a burger,” Luke thought.

“No worries, Luke,” Michael said as he sat the tray down and handed over Luke’s meal.

Luke was already devouring the turkey sandwich before Michael could sit down.

“Is it good?”

“Willy ood” Luke said with his mouth full.

Luke stopped long enough to grab a long drag of his pop.

“Thank you,”

Michael smiled as he took a bite of his sandwich.

“You’re welcome,”

Michael had a question to ask, but he wasn’t sure how Luke was going to react. Michael watched as Luke moved onto his cookie. Luke took his time with the cookie.

Michael placed down his sandwich. “There isn’t going to be any good time,” Michael thought.

“Luke…”

Luke caught the tone right away and perked up and looked Michael in the eye.

“I knew it was too good to be true,” Luke thought.

“How did you end up on the street?”

A moment passed and then another, and Luke didn’t say anything. The silence that was growing between Luke and Michael was becoming uncomfortable for them both as time continued. Michael’s question still hung in the air like an offending odour. Luke looked like he was deep in thought, a war waging in his mind. Michael was sitting there awkwardly, wishing he could take back his question.

Michael glanced outside and noticed that it had begun to rain. As his glance returned to Luke, Michael noticed that the dining room was pretty much empty except for a man in the corner sipping his coffee leisurely and a couple across the room enjoying lunch as well.

Luke refused to hold Michael’s eye again. His eyes seemed to be locked on the empty plate on the table. Michael didn’t know what to say or do. Luke knew that lunch had been too good to be true. There was always a cost to pay.

Michael was afraid that Luke would bolt for the door. He wouldn’t blame Luke. Michael just wanted to help him out, but he didn’t really know how to. Luke’s brother had been little help.

Tommy should have been the one that had come. Luke didn’t know Michael. Tommy was away at College and had no way back to town. Michael had been the only choice that Tommy had to help find his brother. Tommy had only heard about Luke being kicked out when Tommy called his father, wondering why Luke was ignoring his texts and calls. It would devastate Tommy to see the condition his brother was in. Luke’s clothes were caked in dirt and were beyond ripe. It surprised Michael that they had not asked them to leave yet.

Luke focused on Michael’s question, and he didn’t want to answer Michael’s question. It was too painful. He did not want to relive that day. The wound was still wide open and bleeding. Luke was just ignoring it. He hoped that with time that it would close and heal on its own.

Just bringing up that his father kicked him out caused pain to erupt in Luke’s chest. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes. It was taking everything in Luke’s power to fight against, thinking about why his father kicked him out and everything he had experienced since.

In the next instance, anger burned where the pain just was. Luke clenched his jaw. Michael didn’t understand. He didn’t know what that day was like. How quickly Luke’s world changed. Luke lost a piece of himself that day. He no longer had a family.

Michael observed that something was going on inside Luke’s mind, but he did not know what was going on.

Michael finally reached out and placed his hand on Luke’s trying to offer what little comfort to Luke that he could, but it surprised Luke. Luke, without thinking, retracted his hand.

Luke tilted his head so that he was looking Michael in the eye. “Why?”

“I want to help,”

Luke wanted to believe Michael, he wanted to trust him, but how could he? Michael was a stranger. His gut even told him he could trust Michael, and it didn’t sit right with Luke. He felt confused.

“Thanks for the offer, but I don’t feel comfortable,” Luke said.

“What if I could make you feel more comfortable?”

“I don’t think that’s possible.” Luke said with a sigh.

“If I do, I have a couch with your name on it,”

“Yeah okay,” Luke said.

Michael straightened up in his seat. “What if I told you I know your brother?”

“You know Tommy?” Luke said, surprised.

Michael let out a small laugh before answering, “Know him? He’s one of my good friends.”

“We went to Crestwood together,” Michael continued.

“I don’t remember you,” Luke said, almost accusatory.

“Let’s just say I wasn’t welcome.” Michael hissed.

Luke’s eyes widened, “Oh”.

“Yeah,”

A few moments of silence passed.

“Did my brother send you?” Luke said finally.

“No. He doesn’t know I was out looking for you. He called me last night in a panic after getting off the phone with your father. He’s so worried about you. He was ready to hitch a ride back here.”

“So, he isn’t…”

“God no!” Michael said.

“You should have heard him on the phone,” Michael said.

Michael watched as Luke’s shoulders dropped and tears fell down Luke’s face.

“Do you want to call him?” Michael continued, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

“Are you sure?” Luke said, worried it was too good to be true.

“Yes, now grab it, it’s dialling,” Michael said, as he handed over the phone.

Hands shaking, Luke reached out and grabbed the phone and put it to his ear. “Hello?”

“Luke? Is that you?”

“Yeah Tommy, it’s me.”

“Are you okay?”

Luke looked over at Michael and said, “I am now”.

“Thank you,” Luke mouthed to Michael.

Return to Journal

Rod McConkey, an emerging writer from Peterborough, Ontario, immersed himself in books during high school. Attending Fleming College twice, while uncertain of his path, he now pursues his undergrad at Trent University. With a passion for storytelling, Rod’s writing is characterized by keen observation and emotive narratives. Dedicated to growth, he crafts his unique literary voice, drawing inspiration from Ontario’s landscapes and diverse tales. As an emerging literary force, Rod promises readers captivating stories that authentically explore human experiences.