He saw a girl begging on the sidewalk and couldn’t stop thinking about her face. He had to find out more about her.
Roger Landers, a wealthy businessman, was often frustrated by the growing number of homeless people begging near his office. Every year, it seemed like there were more of them, and it bothered him.
One day, as Roger passed by a young woman sitting against a wall, someone kindly gave her a coin. She looked up and smiled at the person, and that smile struck Roger deeply. In that moment, she went from being just another beggar to a beautiful woman who captivated him.
Roger walked into his office building, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the girl’s smile. Her face kept replaying in his mind. Who was she? What led her to live on the harsh streets of L.A.?
All week, Roger found himself obsessed with the homeless woman. He watched her from a distance, and once, when he dropped a coin in her cup, he saw that same magical smile up close.
Love can sometimes hide in the most unexpected places. Roger couldn’t stop thinking about her, making up stories in his head. He imagined she might be a reporter living among the homeless for a story or an actress preparing for a role.
Finally, on Friday afternoon, after finishing work, Roger decided to do what he had been wanting to all week. He walked up to the girl sitting on the sidewalk and spoke to her.
“Hi,” he said awkwardly. “Would it be okay if I bought you a cup of coffee? You look really cold.” The girl looked up and smiled at him.
“Thank you,” she said sweetly. “I’d like that.” Roger was surprised by her calm, educated voice and her graceful way of standing up. She was small, only about 5′ 3″, next to his 6′ 2″ frame.
He took her to a nearby coffee shop and ordered her hot food along with the coffee. As she ate, Roger noticed how polite and refined she was. This was an educated girl. How had she ended up living on the streets?
When she finished her meal and looked healthier, Roger finally asked, “How did this happen to you? Why are you living on the streets?”
The girl looked him in the eye and smiled bitterly. “I was stupid and trusted the wrong person,” she said. “It’s not an original story. I was in love with a boy back in my hometown—Idaho, if you can believe it.
“My parents didn’t approve of him, which only made him more attractive to me. Long story short, he convinced me to take out my college savings and run away with him to L.A. He was going to be a movie star, and I was going to be a screenwriter…”
Roger shook his head. “A lot of people come out here with dreams, but very few make it.”
“I’ll never know,” the girl said bitterly. “On our first night in L.A., we stayed at a motel. When I woke up, he was gone. So was my money and everything I had.”
Roger gasped. “Did you call the police? Your family?” The girl shook her head, tears in her eyes.
“I was too ashamed. I made a deal with the motel owner. She let me sleep in the storeroom, and I cleaned the rooms. Some guests tipped me, and I managed to get by. But then her husband started… you know. So, I left and ended up on the streets.”
“What’s your name?” Roger asked gently.
“Emma,” she said with one of those bright smiles. “Emma Sinclair from Preston, Idaho!”
“Well, Emma Sinclair from Preston, Idaho,” Roger smiled, “I’m Roger Landers from Los Angeles, and I’m sending you home.”
Roger took Emma to a nearby mall and bought her clothes and a suitcase. She changed, and when she came out, she looked like a new person.
He drove her to the bus station and bought her a ticket home. He gave her a $100 bill. “Listen,” he said. “Don’t let any more charming guys convince you to come back to L.A., OK?”
Emma was crying and smiling at the same time. She hugged Roger tightly. “Thank you, thank you, and God bless you!”
Roger watched her board the bus with a heavy heart. Why did he feel like this was a mistake? He wanted to run after the bus, to ask her to stay. What was happening to him?
That night, Roger realized that Emma, the petite girl with the beautiful smile, had stolen his heart. “If I let her go, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life,” he told himself. “She’s special, and I love her.”
Two days later, Roger drove to Preston, Idaho. He went to the police station and asked where to find Emma Sinclair. “Emma?” asked one of the officers suspiciously. “What do you want with her?”
Roger blushed. “I met her in L.A., and I wanted to see if she’s OK.”
The officer nodded. “You can find her at her mom’s laundromat, two doors down. I’ll come with you. I don’t want any more trouble for Emma!”
Roger’s heart raced as he walked into the laundromat and saw Emma. She looked up, and her face lit up. In that moment, Roger knew she felt the same way—they were meant to be together.
Just three weeks after returning home, Emma went back to L.A., but this time with a man who truly loved her. By the end of the year, Roger and Emma were married, and she began helping runaways return home through a special program.
