Gail Helps the Homeless

Gail Rowey skipped happily through the door of her new house. “How was the first day of your new school?” her Mom asked. They had lived in Waterford for over a month now but they moved in late June so Gail hadn't gone to her new school until today. 

“It was great!" she answered, "I made friends with the principal's daughter Lucy and she talked to him about having a charity festival for the homeless and he agreed!” Gail squealed. "There's gonna be games and snacks and races and singing! Mom, I'm doing a solo!"

“That's great Gail,” her Mom said. 

“I'm going to sew shirts and Lucy is going do graffiti on them,” she went on. 

"Maybe I'll sell pies," her Mom said. Two weeks later, the day of the festival, Gail was jumping around backstage looking over the song she was going to sing. “Abigail Rowey, singing a song she wrote called ‘I Look Around,’” the announcer announced. Gail took a deep breath, straightened her purple headband, and walked on stage. Gail looked out into the crowd, then for what seemed like hours she froze. Gail tried to remember her song but she couldn't, she was so nervous she couldn’t even walk off the stage. She looked at the crowd again, then she saw Lucy holding up a sign that said “Help the Homeless” in bold letters. She had to sing to help the homeless. Gail took a deep breath, then the whole song came flowing out. Before she knew it Gail sang the whole song and everyone was clapping wildly. 

"Thank you!" Gail bowed and then said, "Any donations go in the bucket, if you have some money put it in there and help the homeless!"

When Gail got to school on Monday Lucy ran up to her immediately. "Did you hear the good news?!" she asked excitedly. 

“No,” Gail replied, “What?” 

They collected more than a million dollars for the homeless!" Lucy exclaimed, grabbing Gail’s hands and twirling her around. Gail smiled, now somebody else had a warm house and plenty of food to eat, and she had helped make it happen.

Sections: Excitement, Fall, Fiction, Happy, Helping, Kids, Nervous, Short Stories, Shy, Singing