The Cupcake Catalyst
Mary stepped out of the front door of the bank. Hannah was in her sling, patting at her mother's face and babbling. Mary didn't think she was really saying "mama", but had chosen to believe it anyway.
There was a tall, thin woman standing on the sidewalk, wearing a very short denim skirt and holding a white cardboard box. She looked like she was lost or confused, so Mary stopped. "Excuse me," she asked her, "are you looking for something?"
"Yeah," the young woman said, "This is a bank, right, do they have a loan office or is it just, like, a call center or something?"
"It's an administrative facility. Yes, there's a call center, but there's no customer service."
"Fuck. Okay, well, thanks." She flopped down on a bench, the box in her lap.
Mary started to walk away, but looked over her shoulder and realized the woman was crying. She turned back.
"Are you okay, dear?" she asked.
The woman nodded, but Mary walked over to the bench and sat down next to her. "What's your name, honey?"
"Jessica Dixon."
"Well, nice to meet you. My name is Mary. This is my baby, Hannah."
Jessica looked up at Hannah. "What a pretty little girl. How old is she?"
"Ten months."
"I've got a little boy." She shrugged. "Well, I don't have him. He's in foster care."
Mary winced. "So,Jessica, why do you want a bank loan?"
Jessica flipped open the box. Mary looked down and saw a half dozen cupcakes, each topped with a different color frosting.
"Try one," she urged.
Mary picked up a pink topped cupcake, peeled back the paper and took a bite. It was delicious, rich chocolate with a creamy strawberry frosting.
"Wow, that's really good."
"You have frosting on your nose."
"Oh thanks." Mary wiped the frosting off with her finger. Hannah grabbed her hand and yugged it toward her mouth. Mary pulled back, but then decided to let the baby lick the frosting.
"Well, that's an endorsement," she laughed.
"Yeah, I have a talent." Jessica sniffled and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "Not that it does me any fucking good."
"That's why you want a loan? To sell cupcakes?"
"They are just a sample. I can bake anything."
Mary swallowed the last of her cupcake. "I believe you," she said.
"I went to every bank in town. Then I went to the banks in Camden and a couple in Rockland. Nobody would give me the time of day."
"Let me take a look at your proposal," Mary said, flicking crumbs from her skirt.
"You just ate it."
"Oh, no, you have to present the lender with a detailed plan, how much you need, what it will be spent on, listing your collateral, all that sort of thing."
"Won't matter. It was stupid to think anyone would want to help me."
"Why do you say that?"
Jessica looked off into the distance, shaking her head. She put the box of cupcakes down on the bench and stood up. "You can take those home to your family."
As the young woman walked away, Mary looked down at the cupcakes. Damn, they were good. When she looked back up, Jessica was already halfway across the parking lot.
"Hey," she called after her.
Jessica kept walking.
"Hey!"
She turned and looked at Mary.
"I want to help you."
"Why?"
"I don't know," Mary said, "Why not?"
Jessica marched back to the bench. She stopped in front of Mary, leaned down close and looked her in the eyes.
"Because six months ago I walked out of Women's Correctional after serving two years for selling drugs."
Mary held her gaze."Were you good at it?"
"At selling drugs? Yeah, I was wicked good."
"Then you ought to be able to sell cupcakes. Especially really good cupcakes."
"So, you going to get me a loan?"
Mary stood up. She took her wallet from her purse and pulled out her business card.
"No," she told Jessica, putting back her wallet,"But if you decide to get serious, give me a call. I'll do what I can to help you."
Jessica took the card and read it. "Okay, thanks," she said, sounding dubious.
Mary started to walk away, then turned back and picked up the white box from the bench. "And thanks for the cupcakes," she said.
***
Alvin took a bite from a yellow frosted cupcake. "Jeezum," he said, "that's some kind of raspberry with a lemon top. Wicked good."
He looked into the box. "I thought you said there were six. You ate one, I have one, but there are only three left."
"Yeah," Mary said, grinning, "Hannah ate one."
Alvin laughed. "Right, Hannah did. Well no doubt they are good, but that don't mean this girl can run a business."
"That's why I thought I could help her. Teach her how to make and keep to a budget, control her inventory, set her price points..."
"All the stuff you want to teach Diana, but she won't let you."
"Basically, yeah."
Alvin picked up another cupcake. "But, honey, you know nobody's going to give her a loan. With a criminal record? No experience or probably much of an employment record? It's not going to happen."
"Maybe not, but at least I can give her a fighting chance."
Alvin looked thoughtful as he finished his second cupcake. "Here's my concern," he said at last, "you just started back to work a couple of weeks ago, you've got a baby that, whether you know it or not, is soon going to be more of a handful than she already is, and you are still dealing with getting Jennifer's business in order. So, taking this on too, helping this gal, is going to put even more on you. I have to ask you, what makes it worth it?"
Mary shook her head. "I don't know, Alvin, all I can say is that I'm not an impetuous person and I'm a pretty good judge of character. There's something about her that makes me feel like she's worth taking a chance."
"Well, I won't argue with you. You know that I'll back you in whatever you want to do."