A Self-Aware Sucker

I reached back and caught a small hand just as it was about to make off with my wallet. I whipped around to see a small girl staring back at me with eyes as calm and dark as night under a garishly bright little pink hoodie. Unconcerned, as though I hadn't just caught her stealing. I took the wallet back, and looked around.

"Hey, whose kid is this?" No guardians made themselves apparent. I cursed. This was going to make me late for an important interview, but I couldn't leave the little urchin on the streets... Gritting my teeth, I took my last twenty out, handed it over, and said, "stealing is wrong," before jogged on down the street.

Hours later after bombing my first interview in weeks, I thought back on the encounter, hating myself for not taking the kid to the police or social services or something. Just to avoid some hassle, I left a poor child to fend for herself. I stuffed my hands in my pockets wondering how I became such an asshole. Then I froze.

Where did my wallet go?

I gave myself the customary frantic pat down, before I really started to flip out. I retraced my steps, searching the ground. I didn't see my wallet, but I did catch a flash of pink slip into a taxi. I sprinted after the vehicle, waving and hollering at the driver to stop, but he didn't see me. A pair of dark eyes stared back at me once more before disappearing into traffic.

I stood panting in the street, before breaking out in laughter. I wasn't the asshole, I was just a sucker. Somehow that didn't bother me so much. I wandered toward home with the mad levity of someone who had absolutely nothing to lose.