Turned Away for a Bowl of Soup

She waited until the restaurant was almost empty before walking in. Her name was Sarah

Miller, a 34-year-old woman living in Toledo, Ohio. The smell of food

twisted her stomach. She hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning, but she told herself

to stay calm. Just soup. Just something warm. Sarah sat near the window,

pulling her worn jacket closer. Her shoes were old. Her hands shook slightly.

Life had taken more than she could hide. A waitress named Ashley approached, smiled briefly,

then hesitated. Her eyes moved from Sarah’s shoes to her tired face. “I’ll just have

a coffee,” Sarah said softly, “and maybe the soup.” Ashley nodded and walked away.