Oscar went for a walk a few days later in the rainy town park. No one there except for Chocolate Boy, who was rummaging through a trash can. Oscar was very depressed because he missed Suzie dearly and was starting to lose hope she'd ever return. "Hey, little boy," he said to Chocolate Boy, walking over to him. He looked up with chocolate all around his mouth and helplessness filling his big eyes. "Why are you eating out of the trash? Don't you have any other food?"
"No, no, no," Chocolate Boy mumbled, licking his hands. "J-just chocolate. I love chocolate!"
"I love eating pickles," he chuckled, sitting on the bench beside the trash can. "Ha ha ha. What are you doing here, little boy, all by yourself? Don't you have any friends... and where are your parents? You must be scared all alone."
"I do this all the time! Arnold got me off chocolates for a little, then got me addicted to radishes. But then I saw this delicious chocolate cake in the bakery and stole it. Mmm... chocolate... so good. Yeah, yeah, yum chocolate."
"Come on," Oskar said with a friendly smile, "I'll take you to the grocery store and buy you a king-sized chocolate bar! How does that sound?"
Chocolate Boy snapped around with an evil grin and licked his lips like a dog. "Yeah, yeah, chocolate! Sounds good!"
"But on one condition. You must go to work for me every day for the rest of this week. Wake up at five in the morning, and come down to my house. Ride my bike all around the city delivering newspapers to people. Then, come back to my house, drop off the bike, and go back to wherever you came from."
"What about the chocolate?"
"Friday after school I'll give it to you... how's that sound?"
Chocolate Boy clapped his hands in agreement and continued searching for thrown away chocolate. Oskar walked back home knowing that he could be lazy for the last couple of days without being caught. It was a good way to just do what he did best: nothing at all! He knocked on Grandpa's door begging for money once he got home. "You're nothing but a bum, Kokashka! And I pity that baby because he is never going to have a father worth anything!" he yelled at him, slamming the door in his face.
"But Grandpa," he cried, kneeling on the floor, "why are you so mean to me? I'll pay you back tomorrow, I promise!"
"Along with the two hundred bucks you borrowed last Tuesday!"
When Oskar went to sleep that night, he thought about what Grandpa said and realized it was true. He had no money because he spent it all yesterday on useless toys he thought would keep him busy. His job was delivering papers to people who despised him. And the only two people in the whole entire world who cared about him were Arnold Shortman, a nine year old boy, and Suzie Kokoshka, his beautiful wife that was somewhere in the city with his baby. His life was worthless anymore, and it almost seemed to late for a turn around. Heck, he'd even bribed a nine year old to do his job for him because he just didn't want to.
Four more days later, after not being his usual self, Arnold knocked on his door. Oskar was napping on his couch, still in his pajamas from four nights ago, and he got up slowly and steadily. "Hey, Arnold," he yawned, while opening the door. "What're you doing here so late?"
"Mr. Kokoshka, it's three in the afternoon," Arnold replied sarcastically. "I need to talk to you."
"Eh, um, Arnold, I'm a little busy, can't you see? Ha ha ha ha, yeah, I'm watching an episode of I Love Lucy and-"
"NOW, Mr. Kokoshka!"
Oskar reluctantly let the blonde haired boy into his home; they both sat on the cheap gray sofa together. He crossed his arms and gave the man a dirty look. "How has work been going for you?"
"Really, really good," he lied with his fingers shaking. Mr. Kokoshka was never any good at lying, even in elementary school, when the teacher asked him if he did his homework and he said he dropped it in the mud while walking.
"Oh really? A friend of mine told me different."
Sweat started to fall down his forehead. He bit his tongue nervously as he tried to come up with a good fib. "Heh heh, what are you talking about?"
"I think you know what I'm talking about. How could you do something... so... well... selfish? You know Chocolate Boy has a real problem, so you bribe him to do your job for you so he can what he struggles with? That's just wrong, Oskar. And I've given you so many chances to change... it's almost like you don't WANT to."
"I dunno what you're talking about," he said while staring at his black shoes. Arnold got up furiously from his seat and walked over a few steps to the front door.
"Cut the act!" he screamed out of control. "I'm so done with you!" And he stormed out of the room and ran back upstairs. And there sat Oskar, realizing that he lost everyone that ever cared about him.
