Oh crescent moon
Sitting low in the sky
Just before dawn
Saturn Mars and Jupiter
Cluster around you
You outshine them
Dawn approaches
The planets fade away
Your smile is enchanting
As you gently slip away
Hidden by the sunlit sky
We have lots to share
Come back tonight
Tell me your secrets
I will whisper mine
My crescent moon
It was ten days since James had met with Dianne
He was waiting for the story to hit the headlines when he got a call from her
She was very businesslike and asked if they could meet again soon
James suggested they meet for a meal and she agreed
He sent her details of the reservation which was ironically the same restaurant where Belinda once worked
James arrived early and sat at the table patiently waiting for Dianne
Heads turned when she walked in wearing a stunning red dress with a big smile
Maybe this is not going to be a business dinner James thought to himself
She greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and ordered a glass of champagne
Is this a celebration? asked James
It is for you James because I saw my editor and killed the story
So now its your turn to keep your promise and tell me the full story
James smiled and said Thank you so much Dianne I will tell you everything in private later
Lets just enjoy a nice dinner together
The wine flowed and they got to know each other over a delicious meal
She held his hand when they left the restaurant, kissing passionately in the back seat of the taxi
They kissed more once inside his house and soon they were making love
She was till sleeping when James left for work early the next morning
He left her a note saying please come back soon, I love you
He placed a key to the front door on the note
She was there when he came home from his shift and greeted him with a loving kiss
Lets talk more about you please said Dianne as she pulled out her notebook
James handed her a bunch of papers You have to sign this NDA first
My lawyers drafted it to make sure you never reveal my identity
She read it quickly and signed without any hesitation
I will never betray you James but I do want write a story based on you about your life
Not a newspaper article but a book with the main character based on you
I have always wanted to write a novel and I know this will make a great story
James proceeded to tell his life story as she took copious notes
Over the next few weeks she took more notes every evening before they retired to bed
Dianne quit her job at the newspaper and spent her days in James’ office writing her novel
Three months later she handed a printed draft to James as he walked in the door
It told the story of his life and all the good deeds he had done without revealing his identity
There is one chapter missing in your book said James
You did not mention me getting married to a beautiful novelist
He reached into his pocket and handed her a big diamond ring
Will you marry me Diane?
I will she beamed
Her book was a best seller and she started on a second novel
James continued to deliver the mail and make anonymous donations
James was doing his mail delivery round and greeting everybody as usual
There were seven birthdays and two wedding anniversaries on that day
Everybody was happy to see him and they appreciated him remembering. their special occasions
When he got back his supervisor was waiting to see him
I had a reporter here this morning asking lots of questions
She has identified lots of people in our town that have been receiving anonymous gifts
Some are small token amounts in gift cards
But others are significant like paying for a college tuition
So what does this have to do with me? asked James
The reporter has figured out that all these folks are on your round
All the donation letters were delivered by you
I just deliver the mail and I am not responsible for what is in it said James
That is true said the supervisor but this woman wants to interview you
I have no problem talking to her said James
The supervisor handed James her business card and said make the Post office look good
James called her and arranged for her to visit his house that evening
He was surprised to see an attractive young woman when he answered the door
She introduced herself as Dianne Smith then proceeded to fire lots of questions at him
Some were about his background and if he had wealthy relatives or friends
Then she produced a map with his delivery area outlined
There were stars showing the locations of every home that had received a donation
They were all within James deliver round
How can you explain this? she asked
James knew the game was up at this point and she had him cornered
If you publish this story my life would be ruined said James
People will be lining up at my door demanding handouts
That’s not my problem said Dianne
OK I admit that I am behind these donations but I want to show you something in my office now
They moved to his office next door
it was a simple desk with a big computer screen
Do you have a favorite charity Dianne?
My mother died of breast cancer so I try and raise money for cancer research
How much have you raised so far and what was your mother’s name?
Her name was Emilia Smith and I have raised over $10,000 in her memory so far
James worked on his computer for a brief moment
An envelope addressed to cancer research popped out of the printer with postage marked
He then wrote a check for $100,000 with In memory of Emilia Smith in reference
He placed the check in the envelope and handed it to Dianne
Just hold onto that for a few moments while we do something else
He brought up on the screen a list of people living in the town but outside his round
He Asked Dianne to pick out 10 randomly before printing out envelopes
James opened a safe behind a picture on the wall and took out a stack of gift cards
Placing one in each envelope and handing the pile to Dianne
So now you have a choice Diane and its entirely up to you
You can go ahead an print your story about me or mail these letters
You could tell your editor that you have tracked anonymous gifts outside my round
Tell him the story is not worth publishing
I can give you dozens of human interest stories to publish said James
First responders, nurses, teachers,Rotarians all doing incredible service to our community
What do you think your mother would want you to do?
Publish or kill the story?
Dianne hesitated and said I need to know the full story before I decide
I will tell you everything after you kill this story about me replied James
There was a long silence………
Alice was a thirty year old woman with three children
She became ill during her third pregnancy with kidney disease
The doctors believed her high blood pressure had damaged her kidneys
He husband was killed in a car accident soon after the birth of their third child
He mother stepped in and helped Alice rise the kids
Things got progressively worse and Alice became seriously ill frequently
Eventually her kidney function fell dangerously low, she had to start dialysis to survive
Spending four hours on a machine three days a week
Somehow she still managed to work full time and look after her kids
But the dialysis regime was tiring so she signed up for a kidney transplant
None of her family matched so she would have to rely on an anonymous donor
It was her only hope for a normal life
She was told it might take five years and it could be a long struggle
She did not know if she could wait for years under dialysis
She was desperate to find a donor and contacted the local TV news company
By coincidence they were preparing a story about organ donation and she agreed to be interviewed
A week after the TV program featuring Alice was aired, she got the call, a match from a living donor
She would never meet the person giving up a kidney for her, they had requested anonymity
Alice was nervous about the surgery but it was her only chance of survival
She prayed hard as she was wheeled down towards the operating room
Please let me survive this so I can get back to raising my kids
Please give me my strength back so I can earn the rent money
Please give blessings to the person donating a kidney for me
James checked out two days after his surgery
He was little sore but would soon recover to live a normal life with one kidney
Alice had a to stay a few days longer to be sure there were no rejection issues
Alice was excited to have a new life and the doctors said everything was looking good
Alice was signing papers to check out of the hospital
Her medical insurance had a huge deductible so she was fearing the worst
Then she learned that somebody had anonymously paid all her medical bills
When she got home there was a new car in the driveway
The key was on the dash and the title was in her name
In the glove box she found a parcel containing $100,000 in cash
Gerald made his way to the homeless shelter
Being hungry he lined up early to be sure to get some food
A light meal was served daily at 5.30pm, it was his only regular nourishment
Thinking back to the days when he had a job
Remembering how good life was back then
He worked hard and was married to Liz
They owned a small house and had a comfortable life
But that seemed a long time ago now
Gerald joined the long line at the shelter
Recognizing many of the guys he had seen here before but this was no family
You could easily be robbed while sleeping
Gerald thought back to how he got here
Liz had fallen sick and had to quit her job and the medical bills had to be paid
Other bills and their mortgage were neglected
As shelter door opened he shuffled along towards the front desk
Volunteers telling each person the shelter rules as they entered
No alcohol, drugs or weapons allowed
Gerald missed Liz terribly
He was laid off from work while he cared for her
She passed away from the cancer three years ago
Soon after that his home was foreclosed
The line moved forward slowly as Gerald’s mind came back to the present
He reached the check-in window
James was volunteering as usual, he smiled and handed Gerald a large envelope whispering
Make sure you open this in private Gerald
Gerald stuffed the envelope in his pocket fearing it might be bad news
After dinner he went to the bathroom
Inside the envelope was $50,000 in cash
He hid it quickly in his pockets and went back to the office asking James where it came from
Somebody dropped it off and told me it was for you Gerald
They said it was personal and private
I have no idea who they are sorry
Linda was shopping for groceries
Her six your old son Danny was trying to help her
He kept putting items in her cart but she was very patient with him
Shopping very carefully to keep within her budget
It was hard making ends meet as a single parent
Working two jobs while her mother watched Danny
It was a struggle to pay all the bills
She put most things he picked back on the shelves
Why did you put that back? Danny asked
Because we cannot afford it she explained
Danny kept looking for more things and was always asking questions
He pointed to a woman paying at the checkout
How come her cart is so full mommy?
Maybe she has a big family said Linda
They finally reached the checkout with her cart only half full
Linda put her credit card in the reader to pay
The cashier whispered to her I am sorry but your card is declined
Linda had no other cards or cash to pay
Common Danny we have to leave the groceries here today
We will come back another day
Danny started to cry yelling but I am hungry
Linda picked him up and hugged him
Its OK I got this said the man next in line
He put his card in the reader, Linda caught sight of the name James on his card
She thanked him profusely and he smiled but said nothing more
A week later there was a knock on her door
Linda signed for a FedEx envelope
Inside was a hand written note on a folded card with a debit card
The message was short and unsigned
Danny will never go hungry, this card is good for $500 a week forever
With only a couple of days left before the end of the year
James opened the mail from yesterday
It was mostly junk mail as usual but one letter caught his eye
From a lawyer he did not know, probably a circular he thought
Maybe some more bad news relating to his divorce perhaps
He left it on the kitchen table unopened
Thinking no more about it he went about his usual daily tasks
Later in the day he was tidying up and almost tossed the letter away
Something told him it was important so he opened it
It was from an estate attorney advising him that a distant relative he never knew had passed away
Advising him that he had been left an inheritance and to contact them
If it was significant this could save him from financial ruin
He tried not to get too carried away, it may have been just a token amount
He made an appointment to see the attorney the following week
The fancy offices implied that this was a top class expensive law firm
James learned that Arthur was his distant cousin, a wealthy businessman who had never married
The attorney handed James an unopened letter from Arthur, he read it slowly
I am sorry we never met James
My attorney recently traced you as my closest relative
I did not want you to see me terminally ill
I am leaving you my entire estate
Wishing you good health and a happy life
The attorney then read out the details of the will
Arthur had four large properties and a lot of investments
His total net worth was close to $50M
Dave jumped out of bed and ran by a stunned James
James confronted Belinda for an explanation
Their is no point she said I don’t love you anymore
Since when? he asked, she defiantly shook her head before answering
I have not loved you for years but you were too dumb to notice
I am going to live with Dave and I want a divorce
James was heartbroken and felt totally numb
She packed a suitcase and left without a goodbye
There was nothing James could do to stop her
He kept to his usual work routine to keep himself busy
Belinda being gone made little difference as he hardly ever saw her before
He was upset that she was cheating on him and very angry at Dave
Then he remembered that Dave always asked him about his plans for the week ahead
Using their Sunday golf game as a cover to find out if Belinda would be home alone the next day
A few weeks later James got a letter from her divorce lawyer
There was a lot of legal mumbo jumbo which James found confusing
A work colleague recommended a lawyer to James
After several meetings with his lawyer they reached a separation agreement
There was hardly any money left in their joint savings account
Belinda had either spent it or hidden it away over the years
She had also ran up massive credit card debts for which James had to assume half
She was demanding half the equity from the house
James was able to raise the money by remortgaging the house
He breathed a sigh of relief when the divorce was finalized
The increased mortgage payments along with household expenses was more than he had budgeted
He cut down on all non-essentials and severely limited his food budget
But the credit card bills kept getting bigger every month
James was soon in a debt spiral with no viable financial rescue plan
He contemplated filing for bankrupsy and selling the house
Imagining what it would be like to live in the back of his small car
He set himself a deadline of the end of the year to figure out a plan
December came around fast and James had not solved his debt problem
He spent Christmas alone eating cheap meals in a cold empty house
The TV had been sold together with anything else of value
There was only one week left before his end of year deadline
Belinda had left some clothes behind and James decided it was time to dispose of them
He gathered them up into a bag to take to goodwill
Upon checking the pocket of an old coat he felt something
There was an envelope containing $200 in cash with a withdrawal slip
He studied the slip and noted it was from their joint savings account before they separated
James kept the cash, turned up the heating and treated himself to a delicious meal
He felt slightly guilty for not sharing the cash with Belinda
James married his childhood sweetheart Belinda
She was very attractive with blonde hair
They lived in a small town where James was the local mailman
He was well liked and took time to chat with everybody in the community
He would sing happy birthday to anybody receiving a birthday card
Belinda served tables in the local restaurant
She was very popular and her personality and stunning looks helped earn extra tips
They had saved enough to buy a small house on the edge of town
James worked extra shifts to earn more money
Belinda paid all the bills and managed their finances
She told James that most of her paycheck and tips went into their savings account
They wanted to have some reserves before starting a family
Belinda worked evenings 6 days a week so they had little time together
She always went out shopping with her girlfriends on her Monday off
She would never answer the phone if James contacted her on a Monday
Reminding him that Monday was reserved for her girlfriend time
They passed by like ships in the night but James loved her dearly
He spent the evenings cleaning the house and doing DIY projects
Leaving a love note for her every night before he went to bed signed I love you
He was always asleep when she got home
James did not wake Belinda when he left for work early each morning
She always replied I love you too on his notes which made him feel good
The years went by and James wanted to start a family
Belinda kept saying it was too early and they needed to save more
She seemed content with everything but James wanted changes
We only get to hang out a few hours on weekends he complained
So lets make the most of it she said with a wink but you still need your guy time with Dave
James looked forward to his Sunday golf outings with Dave
Dave always asked how things were going with Belinda
James opened up saying he wished he could spend more time with her
He had suggested she look for a different job but she never made any effort to look
Don’t worry it will all work itself out with time said Dave
You are a good hard working man so just keep at it and count your blessings
You are right Dave I should not be pressurizing her to change
She seems very happy right now so that’s all that matters
James focussed hard on beating Dave at golf but he never achieved it
Dave was a crack golfer and seemed to have a perfect life
A beautiful wife, big house, well paid job and seemingly a lot of money
James always looked up to Dave and hoped one day he would be like him
One Monday James was starting his morning delivery round
He got a text reminding him of a dentist appointment later that day
He had completely forgotten about it so he finished delivering the mail in record time
His supervisor gave him time off so he quickly drove back home
Hoping to spend half an an hour with Belinda before his appointment
He was excited to see her car in the driveway
Belinda did not hear James opening the door or climbing the stairs
James walked into their bedroom to find Belinda and Dave together
By our Cheeky Monkey website manager and guest writer Addison West
I woke up early on a September Sunday somewhat grumpy for reasons I cannot remember.
As I skulked through Carroll Gardens doing my errands for the day, the nice weather lifted my spirits slightly.
My last stop was a flower shop for something to bring home to my partner.
Later, walking down my block with the bunch of pink roses I had picked out, I heard a man say: “Wow! ¡Qué lindo!”
I turned and saw my barber and his buddies working on a car.
“¿Para tu novia?” he asked with a smile.
Yes, I said.
I was no longer grumpy.
Cheeky Monkey Poetry 