The Moody French Woman

Amelia did the same thing each morning. She woke up, walked 5 blocks to her bread shop, warmed up the ovens, and made the first 50 loaves of bread. She new exactly how much flour, butter, yeast, sugar, etc. to use without even needing to measure. She had been doing the same thing for 7 years and she was very happy with her life. But one week ago, something changed. As she was walking home after a long day at work, she heard a quiet cry. She stopped and turned around to find the source of the noise. Down an ally between two buildings, she saw the outline of a small child. She thought about going to the child to help, but it was dark, and there was nobody else around to help her if something happened. She didn't want to go in there, but she couldn't just leave the child. Amelia called out,

"Hello, are you okay?"

Nobody replied, but the crying continued. Amelia knew she had to do something.

"I'm going to get myself killed!" she thought to herself as she stepped into the ally and walked over to the child. He was wearing ragged clothing, and his shoes were full of holes. "Hello, um, I was just walking by and you sounded quite upset. What's wrong?" she said again in a calm voice.

The little boy, startled, jumped back and looked around in panic for a way out of the ally.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you, I just wanted to help. Why are you crying" Amelia said

The young boy just stared for a long time, but then very quietly, he responded,
"My father. He left to go find some food but he's been gone for hours. I don't know where he is and I haven't eaten for days."

"Well, I can at least help you with the food. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small roll that she was going to eat the next morning. "Here, take this".
She handed him the roll and he snatched it out of her hands, devouring it within a minute.

"Do you have anymore?" he asked. By the light from the street, Amelia could see how thin the boy was, how much he needed food. She had an idea.
"No, that's all i had with me, but I'll tell you what, do you know that little bakery on the corner?"
The little boy just nodded.
"Okay, well why don't you stop by tomorrow and I'll have some more for you."

The little boy nodded his head again, and Amelia left.

The next day when she came into work she made 53 loaves of bread. She brought out her measuring cups and adjusted her formula for the extra 3. When they came out of the oven, she put the three extra loaves in a small paper bag and stuck it under the counter. As the day wore on, she waited for the young boy. The hours past and still the little boy was nowhere to be seen. But then, just as she was about to close shop, an older man, wearing clothes just as ratty as the young boy's enter her shop. At first she was frighted, but then she realized that this must be the father of the boy. He didn't say anything, he just stood there looking around and taking in the warmth of the small shop. Amelia grabbed the paper bag and handed it to the man. He, just as his son, nodded with a little smile and walked away. Since then, that man has come to the store every day as a sort of unspoken agreement. Amelia bakes the extra loaves and the old man takes it back to his son.