Page 220 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

happened. One ordinary day, as she was walking to her job at
the bookstore, an old woman walking ahead of her dropped a

bag of groceries. Clara stopped to help her pick them up. The

woman thanked her and handed her a piece of paper. “Go

here. Don’t wait,” she said. The paper bore a handwritten

address: 1237 San Ramon Avenue. “What is this?” Clara

asked. But the woman was gone.

San Ramon Avenue was familiar to Clara; she passed it on her

way to the bookstore every day. Curious, she took a detour
down San Ramon. Number 1237 was a plain door set back in a

brick entryway. Clara stepped closer to read a small brass

placard on the door. It said, “Enter and change your life.”

Story 2: Terminal

Shawn could not believe it. A week ago, he had had a job, a

family, and a place to sleep. Now here he was, living in a major

airport, washing in the men’s room, eating food that
passengers hurriedly left as they rushed to catch their flights.