Chapter 30 That Leg Can Still Be Saved
Yvonne ripped the room apart like a woman possessed.
Negatives were tiny and fragile. One wrong flash of light, and they were ruined forever.
That was why she was convinced Evelyn wouldn’t risk carrying them around.
The room isn’t that big–I’ll find them eventually.
She tore through every drawer, dug into corners, and even checked the cracks along the walls.
But it was no use.
There wasn’t even a hint of those negatives.
Where on earth did she stash them?
Yvonne dropped onto the bed, completely drained and overwhelmed with frustration.
Then, she heard a soft clicking.
It was coming from under the bed.
If she hadn’t thrown herself down so hard, she probably wouldn’t have caught it.
Bingo.
The defeat on her face disappeared instantly, replaced by a spark of wild hope.
She didn’t waste a second. The mattress and blankets went flying as she dove straight toward the noise.
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By May, Southville was already baking.
The heat in this little southern coastal town shimmered off the ground like a mirage.
Evelyn had always hated hot weather. She curled up in the back seat of the bus, slowly licking a popsicle.
Only two buses ran each day between Irene’s town and Southville–one pulled into the terminal around 11:00 a.m., and the other came in at 6:00 p.m.
Yvonne had pushed her out the door at 8:00 a.m. Evelyn didn’t need to guess why.
Not that she cared. It gave her the perfect excuse to ask for some cash.
Even if she used the cab, she’d still have a few bucks left over.
She thought back to how reluctant Yvonne was to hand over that money and couldn’t help rolling her eyes.
All that drama over a couple dollars.
If she’s already losing it over this, what will she do when things really go south?
Evelyn honestly couldn’t wait to find out.
The bus ride lasted more than an hour, so when she finally arrived, it wasn’t even 10:00 a.m. yet.
She decided to kill some time wandering around.
In her memory, the back side of the station hadn’t been cleaned up by the city yet, so food stalls still popped up everywhere. Most of them would vanish in the next ten years, gone forever.
It was the perfect chance to soak up some nostalgia and grab a snack while she was at it.
9:26 AM
Chapter 30 That Leg Can Still Be Saved
Heading around to the back of the station, she spotted an old man selling
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He was still using one of those classic iron canisters–round, blackened, and dented–where the kernels popped from steam pressure. After heating it up, he’d slap a cloth bag over the top and then, bang! A loud pop, a puff of white smoke, and the popcorn would shoot out into the sack like a snowstorm.
In another 20 years, this kind of thing would be gone for good. Microwaves and machines would take over.
The flavor wasn’t really the point. Watching it happen was what made Evelyn stop in her tracks.
She crouched nearby, eyes lighting up, totally absorbed.
“Want to buy a bag?” the old man asked, sounding hopeful.
“Sure.” Evelyn replied right away. “But make it a small one. I won’t finish a big one on my own.”
A whole bag of popcorn only cost 50 cents.
Just as Evelyn bent down to fish around in her bag for coins, a wrinkled, weathered hand beat her to it–snatching the popcorn, tossing a coin onto the counter, and popping a piece into his mouth like it was routine.
By the time she looked up, half the bag was already gone. He’d eaten it that fast.
Evelyn couldn’t help laughing, though there was a bit of frustration behind it.
Still, the guy was elderly and was not worth making a scene over.
She handed over her own change and asked the vendor to make her another bag.
But the old man didn’t walk away.
He shuffled toward her, still chewing, and said, “You were looking at his legs earlier. Did you notice something?”
That caught her by surprise.
He was right.
The popcorn seller was disabled. His legs were thin and twisted, clearly paralyzed. He sat on a worn–down tire, and his arms and elbows were thick with calluses–proof that he’d been dragging himself around for years.
She had noticed. But she’d only glanced a few times, careful not to stare.
The last thing she wanted was for him to think she pitied him.
People with disabilities didn’t want your sympathy. They wanted respect.
“I wasn’t,” she replied with a smile. “I was checking the time on the big clock behind him. I’m picking someone up and didn’t want to be late.”
The popcorn vendor chuckled. “Don’t worry. I don’t mind people staring.”
He seemed like a nice guy, but she still didn’t understand why the old man beside her had called her out like that.
Then, the second man gently tapped her shoulder and nodded toward the clock.
Evelyn stared at it for a full minute–then her face dropped.
The second hand hadn’t moved at all. The thing was broken.
If she’d actually been keeping time, she would’ve realized right away.
That was how the popcorn guy knew she was lying.
Slightly embarrassed, she figured she might as well be honest now. He wasn’t upset, and she didn’t feel the need to pretend
anymore.
2/3
9:26 AM
Chapter 30 That Leg Can Still Be Saved
How long have your legs been like that?” she asked.
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“Over a year,” he said with a tired sigh. “Fell down a mountainside. After that, they stopped working. The doctor said it was nerve damage. Told me I was hopeless.”
Once he got going, he didn’t stop.
He explained how he used to be a carpenter. A year ago, when his son was getting married, he’d climbed up the mountain to cut wood because he wanted to build a wardrobe as a wedding gift.
But the accident changed everything.
Still, his son never left him behind. Worried he couldn’t manage alone, his son moved him into the city.
He even gave up a spacious four–bedroom on the third floor just to get a smaller ground–floor apartment so his father wouldn’t have to deal with stairs. It was a big downgrade.
The old man had felt awful about it.
So he secretly started selling popcorn, hoping he could save up enough to help his son upgrade again someday.
Evelyn listened quietly before shaking her head slowly. “You can still recover, but you’ll have to do it soon,” she said gently.
If he kept waiting, one day his body wouldn’t cooperate anymore, and he’d be stuck like this forever.
His eyes lit up at that.
But only for a second. Just as fast, the light faded. He smiled sadly and waved her off. “Don’t tease me, young lady. There’s no cure. And even if there was, I wouldn’t waste the money. I’d rather save it for my son.”
“I won’t charge you,” Evelyn replied.
“No charge? Then… you really think you can help me?” His voice shook, stuck between hope and doubt.
She couldn’t promise anything. Not until she gave it a try.
“I’ll do the treatment,” she said. “But you have to listen to me, follow everything I say exactly. Can you do that?”
The man didn’t even pause. He nodded right away. “I trust you. Just tell me what to do. Where do we start?”
“Not yet. I’ll come by tomorrow. But first, I need to meet your son and his wife. It won’t work unless they’re on board too. It’s going to take time, and I’ll need their help.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the old man who had been silent all this time turned to look at her. There was something serious in his eyes, deep and thoughtful.
