Character - Calvin Kwok

I (Pip) was making his way through the dirty London streets to a fancy restaurant. I was to meet Mr. Pocket and Herbert for lunch. Prior to this, I had overspent my time browsing for a new suit and was in a rush, as a Gentleman should not be late. I began to quicken my pace and my heart began to beat faster and faster. All of a sudden, I stepped on a small bump on the path and I heard a squeal.

“Eeep!” the voice said.

I turned to my right, and noticed a small girl, bundled up in her ragged clothes, light brown from the dirt and dust on the street. As her messy head of un-kept black hair looked up at me, I felt my heart stop. The young girl resembled my sister when we were younger. Her innocent black eyes, gleaming in the sunlight, burned through my skull as she looked deep into my eyes and quietly said, “Sorry, Sir! I’m truly sorry! I didn’t mean to get in the way!”

“I-it is qu-quite all right, sister,” I stuttered, still shocked from her resemblance to Mrs. Joe and wondering if her fragile skinny body could have sustained my weight.

“Thank you, Sir,” the girl said, “but please, Sir, I am not your sister. My name is Miss Bridgette, but everyone around here calls me Annoyin’ Little B. I’m not sure why nor what it means, but that’s what they call me.”

“Oh, I’m very sorry Miss Bridgette!” I exclaimed, finally realizing what I had done. “How is your foot? Did I hurt you?”

“You’re very kind to ask, but I’m not in any pain. This happens often.”

“You are so young; where is your mother and your father?” I asked, beginning to feel that I had to care for this young girl. This young girl, who had reminded me of the sorrow in my heart from the loss of my beloved sister.

“They passed away two years ago, and left me with my big brother. But I have not seen him since then. He yelled to me that he was going to be rich and that he was going to be a Gentleman and ran out of the house. I stayed up all night waiting for him to return, but he never did,” Miss Bridigette cried, “I waited seven days and seven nights, before coming out to the streets to look for him. I eventually returned home, hoping he’d be waiting for me there, but I was only to find that my home had been broken into and all my possessions stolen. I haven’t had much to eat; only the scraps that I could find in my house and what I could carry with my weak body. Please, Sir, do you have any money or food to spare? I’m very hungry!”

I thought about this girl and her sorrow, wondering if Mrs. Joe, my sister, had felt similar in any way when I had come to London. After a short pause, which seemed like hours as Miss Bridgette stared at me with her tearful eyes, I finally reached into my money pouch and pulled out three shillings. As the cold metal came into contact with her hands, she gasped. “Thank you, kind Sir! Thank you! God bless you!” Her face was bright and beaming.

I nodded to her as I turned and continued walking down the path to meet Mr. Pocket and Herbert.