It was when Vin was searching through the dumpster that he first heard the song.
He was looking for some dinner for him and JD. The dumpster in this particular alley usually had food from the deli that wasn't too mushy or sour tasting or green. The top of the dumpster was also usually left open, so Vin didn't have to worry about struggling to hold it open. JD always offered, but Vin knew how bad it felt when the hard plastic lid smashed fingers. So instead, JD was given the job of "look-out," ready to yell out if anyone looked their way or tried to enter the alley.
The deli where the food came from had speakers over the front door. If they could, they would try to eat their food in the alley, listening to the different songs. JD liked fast songs and would often make up his own words. Vin was partial to the slow ones. He never told JD, but he would imagine his mama singing or humming along. He remembered that she liked music. Even in the hospital, she would hum along with the radio, running her fingers through his hair as they laid together on her bed.
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
"Vin?"
Vin shook himself out of the past and looked over the edge. "What, JD?"
"I gotta go."
"Hold on, I'm almost done." He slipped the heel of a loaf of bread into his pants pocket and climbed out of the dumpster. "Do you want to eat now or wait 'til we get back to the warehouse?"
"The warehouse. I really gotta go."
"All right, let's go."
Vin led them to the bookstore that was about 2 blocks away. They tried not to visit it every day, but the bookstore was so big that no one would notice two kids using the restroom. It was a good place to clean up and get warm, if needed.
Waiting for the traffic light to change, Vin looked up and saw the first star of the night. Normally this would make him nervous. They would need to hurry if they were to get back to the warehouse before it got really dark. Bad things happen when it got dark.
But tonight he thought about the song. "Look, JD, it's a star. Make a wish."
"What can I wish for?"
"Anything you want."
"Really? Okay. I wish for warm French fries, and candy, and milk. Wait, chocolate milk! And a house and a bike and a puppy and . . ."
Vin let JD ramble on as he thought about what he could wish for. He knew he couldn't wish for his mama. She was with the angels now. But maybe he could wish for someone to take care of him like his mama used to. And take care of JD, too. Someone to make sure they had enough food to eat and were warm enough all the time. Someone to keep them safe in the dark. Someone to go to when they were tired or scared or sick. Someone to make them a real family with a real home.
Vin looked up at the star and made his wish.
From the Walt Disney movie Pinocchio
When You Wish Upon a Star
When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you
If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
As dreamers do
Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing
Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true