Excerpt: The 25 Box & Writing in Ink: Don't Erase

PROLOGUE:

Sharon strode down the aisle of the liquidation center. She felt slightly guilty with herself for shopping there_ could she really stoop that low? Could she really be down so much that she had to buy what others rejected or had excess of?
It’s only for a while, she told herself. Only until you get your feet back on the ground.
Sharon turned her small red cart into the school supply aisle. There were quite a few more people in this aisle, as September was rapidly approaching. Sharon’s son, whose name was William (she usually called him “Will” or “Billy”), was entering Kindergarten. His teacher didn’t request much on her school supply list, but she did want crayons.
The crayon section of the aisle was full of bashed boxes and misprints. Another lady was picking through them. This lady was overweight, wearing an ugly, probably second hand, dress, and her black curly hair was beginning to gray. The dress was obviously too small and Sharon had to force herself from looking at her cellulite ridden thighs.
“Here,” the woman said. “You seem new to this.” She had stood back up and was holding a box of crayons out to Sharon.
“No…” Sharon said. “I… couldn’t.”
“Yeah, you could,” the woman said. “I can tell you have no idea how to discount shop.” She gestured towards Sharon’s cart, which held a mass of generic products.
“You don’t have to shop generic here,” the woman said, still holding out the box of crayons. “Everything costs the same.”
Tentatively, Sharon reached out and took the crayons. It was yellow and green, and it was Crayola® brand, none of those cheap generic brands that broke right away. The box was a 24-count crayon box, but there was a big “25” right on the front. It was just a misprint. The crayons were probably perfectly fine on the inside.
Sharon mumbles “Thank you” and looked up, but the lady was gone, off hunting for another bargain. With a sigh, she dropped the crayon box in the cart and made her way to the checkout, navigating through other customers and displays.