A/N: New chappy! Huzzah!
Jack LeJeanJean Valjean
Robert HoughelphineBishop
Jack wandered the streets of Lake Charles. He was alone. All alone. No friends, no family. He shivered as he thought of what could have happened to his sister and he family.
"Now I walk through New York, a grey silhouette," he sang to himself. "Trying hard to remember what I'm supposed to forget. That look in your eyes on the 12th of July." Jack wasn't arrested in July. He was arrested in December, when the cold winds were blowing. He closed his eyes and imagined the winds pushing against him. "WAH!" he exclaimed as he fell into mud. The streets had begun to fill with people. He grinned. "A new day begins," he said to himself as he started down the street. He passed two rich men talking to each other. "I would hate to end up like them," he muttered. "Rich yuppies. Still......It's better then where I am now." He passed a café and went inside. The people inside sipped their drinks and starred at him. Mothers whispered things to young children. He frowned. What was wrong with these people?
"Excuse me?" he said to the woman behind the counter. "Do I have the pleasure of addressing the owner of this fine establishment?"
"Yes," she said.
"Might a young traveler find work here?" he asked.
"It depends, would this young traveler happen to be an ex-convict?" Jack gulped. Word travels fast in Louisiana.
"Yes, but he's promised to turn his life around!"
"He'll have to do it somewhere else. Next!" she called. Jack lest the café and went to a nearby hotel.
"Excuse me," he said to one of them receptionists. "Might I be able to find a job here?" One of them giggled.
"Who wants to know?" she asked.
"Jack LeJean," he answered lifting his hat.
"Sorry," said the other girl. "There are no open spots. Try somewhere else." Jack shrugged and left. After he was gone the giggly girl, Bethany, continued to talk with her friend, Claire.
"But Claire! We need a bellboy!"
"You mean, you need a boyfriend." Claire laughed. Bethany crossed her arms in front of her chest.
"So?" she asked.
"Listen, I've heard about that man," Claire said.
"What about him?" asked Bethany eagerly, popping her gum.
"He's an ex-convict." Bethany shivered and expelled her lusty thoughts from her mind.
Meanwhile, Jack had come to a stop outside a townhouse in downtown Lake Charles. He sat down on a bench and sighed. Starting a new life would be harder then he thought. The door behind him opened.
"Excuse me sir," Jack turned and saw an elderly man standing behind him. "Are you looking for a place to stay?"
"Yes," answered Jack, handing over his yellow ticket of leave. The man refused it, and welcomed Jack into his home. Jack found a meal already set out for him. "What's your name?" Jack asked the man.
"Robert Houghelphine. Bishop Robert Houghelphine. Most people just call me Bishop Bob."
'Ah,' thought Jack. 'A Bishop, that explains it.' Jack starred at the silver in front of him, and pondered his life. All his life he had wanted to be treated like this, another person giving him food, eating the food with precious silver. Now that he had it, he wasn't sure he deserved it. Later that night, when Bishop Bob was sleeping, Jack crept into the kitchen, stuffed the silver into his socks, and ran out the door.
A local girl that was walking saw Jack running from the Bishop's house with silver shaped bulges in his sock. She did the only thing in her power. She screamed. Loudly. She woke up the entire neighbor-hood, including the cop that lived across the street. The cop and his friend ran out of the house and grabbed Jack by his arms. They then brought him back to the Bishop's house.
"Bishop Hougelwatchamacallit," said the first cop. His partner sighed.
"Bishop Bob," said the second cop. "Was this man robbing you?"
"No, "said Bishop Bob. "He was taking the silver because I gave it to him."
"What?" questioned the police.
"Huh?" question Jack. "I mean, uh, yeah. He gave me these and I put them in my socks so they wouldn't get lost." Fortunately for him, the cops were very gullible.
"And, for putting up with this, he gets these," Bishop Bob gave Jack LeJean two precious candlesticks. After the police left, Bob turned to Jack and said "Sir, I could've let them arrest you, but I feel you needed a new start. Take the candlesticks, keep them with you. Go, start your life over."
Jack got up and walk out of the house. He walked down the street, and threw his yellow ticket of leave into a trash can. He started running. He didn't stop until Bishop Bob's house was out of his sight.