Cold wind moved down a street in Chicago. Nora looked out of her bakery window. It was the day before Thanksgiving. Many people came for bread and pie. Now the shop was almost empty.

Only one apple pie sat on the front table. A white card was on the box. It said, "David Cole, 5:00." Nora looked at the clock. It was already 5:20.

A man ran into the shop. Snow was on his black coat. "I am here for the pie," he said. Nora asked for his name. "Cole," he said, and he smiled.

Nora gave him the box. He paid and left fast. Five minutes later, the phone rang. A man spoke. "Hi, this is David Cole. My bus is late. Please keep my pie."

Nora felt worried. She looked at the credit card receipt. The first man was Daniel Cole, not David Cole. She put on her coat and ran outside. The street was busy and white.

She saw Daniel at a bus stop. He held the pie under his coat. Nora told him about the mistake. Daniel looked sad, but he gave the box back at once.

"The night team at a nearby shelter works tonight," he said. "I wanted to bring them something good." Nora knew the shelter. It was only two blocks away. She thought for a short time.

Back at the bakery, Nora gave David his apple pie. He was happy. Then she found a small cherry pie in the kitchen. She made it for her own dinner.

Nora carried the cherry pie to the shelter. Daniel and six workers sat around a small table. They had coffee, but they had no food. Their faces changed when they saw her.

One worker found eight paper plates in a cabinet. Another made fresh coffee for Nora. They moved their work bags and gave her the best chair at the table.

Daniel cut the pie into eight small pieces. He gave the first piece to Nora. "No one stays in the cold at our shelter," he said. "A baker should not eat alone."

They talked about snow, work, and family. Nora forgot about her empty apartment. The little room felt warm. Near midnight, Daniel walked her home through the quiet streets.

The next morning, Nora found a bag by the bakery door. David left cheese, fruit, and a note. The note said, "Thank you for saving our pie." Nora smiled. She gave away one dinner, but she did not lose it.

Vocabulary

bakery: a shop that makes and sells bread, cakes, and pies

Thanksgiving: a U.S. holiday in November when families often share a meal

almost empty: with very few people or things inside

apple pie: a sweet baked food with apples inside

card: a small piece of paper with information on it

receipt: a paper that shows what a person bought and paid for

mistake: something that is not correct

bus stop: a place where people wait for a bus

shelter: a safe place for people who need help or a place to stay

night team: a group of people who work during the night

nearby: not far away

blocks: parts of a city street between two other streets

cabinet: a piece of furniture with doors or drawers for storing things

fresh coffee: coffee that was made a short time ago

cut into pieces: divide food into smaller parts with a knife

midnight: twelve o'clock at night

quiet streets: streets with little noise or activity

note: a short written message

give away: give something to another person without asking for money

eat alone: have a meal with no other person

Multiple-Choice Questions

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What city is the story set in?

A. Boston

B. Chicago

C. Seattle

D. Phoenix

2. What was the only pie on the front table?

A. An apple pie

B. A cherry pie

C. A pumpkin pie

D. A lemon pie

3. Whose name was written on the white card?

A. Daniel Cole

B. David Cole

C. Nora Cole

D. Mark Cole

4. What was on the first man's black coat?

A. Rain

B. Flour

C. Snow

D. Coffee

5. What did the first man do before leaving?

A. He called David.

B. He paid for the pie.

C. He wrote a note.

D. He drank coffee.

6. What was the first man's full name?

A. David Cole

B. Daniel Cole

C. Daniel Clark

D. David Clark

7. Where did Nora find Daniel?

A. At the shelter

B. At a bus stop

C. In another bakery

D. At the corner store

8. How far was the shelter from the bakery?

A. Two blocks

B. Five blocks

C. One mile

D. Across the city

9. What kind of small pie was in the kitchen?

A. Apple

B. Cherry

C. Pumpkin

D. Peach

10. How many workers sat with Daniel?

A. Four

B. Five

C. Six

D. Eight

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence with the correct word from the story.

1. Nora looked out of her bakery __________.

2. A white __________ was on the pie box.

3. The clock already showed __________.

4. A man __________ into the shop.

5. Five minutes later, the __________ rang.

6. David said his __________ was late.

7. Outside, the street was busy and __________.

8. Daniel held the pie under his __________.

9. The workers had coffee, but they had no __________.

10. One worker found eight paper __________.

Comprehension Questions

Write short answers using information from the story.

1. What did Nora explain to Daniel?

__________________________________________

2. How did Daniel respond to Nora?

__________________________________________

3. What did Nora do for David at the bakery?

__________________________________________

4. Where did Nora take the cherry pie?

__________________________________________

5. How did the workers react when they saw Nora?

__________________________________________

6. How did the workers make Nora welcome?

__________________________________________

7. How did Daniel prepare the pie for the group?

__________________________________________

8. Who got the first piece?

__________________________________________

9. How did Nora get home near midnight?

__________________________________________

10. What three things did David leave?

__________________________________________

True/False Questions

Decide whether each statement is true or false.

1. Many people came to the bakery for bread and pie.

2. The shop was still full of customers late in the day.

3. Nora asked the first man for his name.

4. Nora kept the pie box behind the counter.

5. Nora felt worried after David called.

6. Nora had never heard of the nearby shelter.

7. David was happy to receive his apple pie.

8. A worker made fresh tea for Nora.

9. The group talked about snow, work, and family.

10. Nora gave away her dinner, but she did not truly lose it.