The Lost-and-Found Window
1Every Saturday, Mateo helped his grandmother at the lost-and-found window in the city train station. Abuela Rosa had worked there for as long as Mateo could remember. He loved sorting the odd things people left behind: mittens, lunch boxes, umbrellas, and once, a rubber chicken.
2That morning, a cleaner named Mr. Okafor set a tan canvas bag on the counter. "Found this under a bench on Track 4," he said. Mateo peeked inside. He saw a pair of pink ballet slippers, a hairbrush, and a folded sheet of paper. Across the top of the paper were the words "Spring Show: Dress Rehearsal at 11:00."
3Mateo looked up at the big clock above the ticket booth. It was already 10:15. "Whoever owns this has somewhere important to be," he said. Abuela Rosa nodded and wrote the bag's number in her notebook. "Then let's hope they come back soon," she said.
4A few minutes later, a girl about Mateo's age appeared at the window. Her hair was pulled into a tight bun, and she wore a gray sweatshirt. She was breathing so hard that she could barely speak. "Did anyone find a tan bag?" she asked.
5Mateo's heart jumped. He wanted to hand her the bag right away. But Abuela Rosa held up one finger. "Every lost thing goes home to the right person," she said kindly. "Please tell me something that is inside your bag."
6The girl took a deep breath. "My ballet slippers," she said. "The ribbons are sewn on with purple thread, because my mom ran out of pink." Mateo turned one slipper over. Tiny purple stitches held the ribbon in place.
7Abuela Rosa slid the bag across the counter. The girl, whose name was Keiko, hugged it to her chest and closed her eyes for a moment. "Thank you," she said. "Our show is tonight, and I can't dance without these." Then she glanced at the big clock and hurried toward the exit.
8Mateo watched her go. "How did you know to ask about what was inside?" he asked. Abuela Rosa tapped the crowded shelves behind her. "Lots of bags look alike from the outside," she said. "But only the owner knows what is inside."