The Man They Threw Out of City Hall

her as if afraid joy might vanish if held too tightly.

Near the entrance, a little boy from the children’s shelter dropped a quarter into the repaired jar.

Elias bent down slowly.

“Thank you,” he said.

The boy grinned.

“What’s it for?”

Elias looked around the lobby—at the veterans drinking coffee, at Mara helping a family fill out forms, at June speaking continue reading …