Mom finds some things at Larry's Deli are priceless

WARWICK-On the corner of South Street and Galloway is a deli Warwickians have come to count on in more ways than one. Larry's Deli is a prime location for people shuffling to work, students on their way to school, a lunch break for local contractors or that last minute item on the way home. But something else is served up besides sandwiches, coffee and sundries. In this case, it's a happy ending. The week before last, Alex Killeen, 7, and his brother Michael, 13, were playing outside, just a few blocks away when Michael soon realized his little brother wasn't anywhere in sight. Michael ran inside his house to alert his mother. What Jeanine Killeen feared was every parent's nightmare. Meanwhile, Alex had walked down to Larry's for a blue Powerade. He didn't have any money. But as he approached the counter, cashier Danny Wright noticed that the little boy was by himself. "I know he always comes in with his mother or brother, so I knew something wasn't right," Wright recalled this week. He told Alex to wait right there and then notified John Chardavoyne, the manager of Larry's for more than 20 years. Chardavoyne quickly took a look outside to see if Alex's mother was anywhere in sight. She wasn't. When he came back inside, Chardavoyne asked Alex for his phone number and called his mother. And within minutes, Jeanine Killeen came rushing down the street to find that John and Danny were keeping him safe behind the counter. This week, Alex's mom gave Wright and Chardavoyne gift certificates as a way to say thanks. She also called The Warwick Advertiser because she wanted to share her appreciation with the rest of the community. The folks at Larry's Deli downplayed the incident. It may not be on the menu, but looking out for customers is always served, especially for seven-year-olds without a penny in their pocket for with a thirst for blue Powerade.