Regret 

           A kid cried next to the crosswalk. For a second, I almost walked up to him and asked what was wrong, but I pulled away at the last second. I couldn’t be seen with the common folk. What would that do to my reputation? The kid just wore a normal T-shirt and shorts. That's what gave away his lack of wealth. I was pretty new to the area, and had to keep up high standards. Associating with the rich was the only way to do that.

           I ended up walking straight past that kid, leaving him there by the side of the road. I’m sure someone else will help him. That’s what I was thinking. I went back to my house and sat on the couch. I was mulling over what I had just done. I’m sure that kid would be fine. I shouldn’t have felt any regret, but I did. I don’t even know why. The thought of helping someone for no personal benefit had never even come across my mind at the time. But something about this situation felt different, strange. What if the kid had lost his parents? What if he was hurt? No, no. He wasn't hurt. He looked fine when I passed him. I quickly got off the couch and headed back to the  street.

          It didn't take me long to find the right spot again. It was pretty close to my house. But there was one problem; I couldn’t see the kid anywhere. I guess someone helped him after all. I went back to my house. 

         The next day I got an Amber Alert on my phone. A kid had been kidnapped. In the corner of the alert there was a picture of the victim. It was the same kid I had seen the other day. 

          Sometimes, I still think about that day. About what I could have done, but I can’t go back now. I just have to live with it.