June 5, 2013

Rushing to get home after work – still have to stop for some things. Groceries for me and also for the goats – both dogs and cats are fine for today.

Run into Publix to take care of my needs then plan a quick stop at Tractor Supply, then home. As I load my goods in the back of the truck, I notice a confused-looking woman walking across the parking lot. She is older, bag hung across her lower arm, pizza box firmly held with both hands and trying to balance an open orange soda as she walks. She doesn’t look homeless but poor. Sweating, hair wet. She looks at me.

“Do you need any help?”

“I am trying to get over there.”

I think I can carry her stuff for her. “Where?”

“Athena.”

I quickly look at all the store signs. No Athena. She looks puzzled. “Do you need help?” Then I realize she is trying to get home. “Need a ride?” I can see she really wants to say yes, but pauses. With each step she takes orange soda jiggles out of the bottle. “Come on – I will give you a ride.”

“Okay. That would be nice of you.” I finish loading my wares as she tries to get the pizza, purse, and orange soda into the passenger’s side of the truck. She is finally in, after jiggling orange soda on the seat of the truck, which upsets her. I say, “Don’t worry about it.”

I look at her. “I won’t be afraid of you and you don’t be afraid of me.” She says, “Don’t worry; I’m not that way.” I laugh to myself because the first thing that popped into my head was “lesbian.”

Okay, we are both in and ready to go. She lives no more than three blocks from Publix, but as I am pulling out I realize we are now going the opposite way from the direction she was walking. I think, “Shit. I bet she was trying to make it to the liquor store.” So I asked. If she really needed to go then I would take her. “Why were you walking that way when I stopped you?” She was going to try a shortcut through the woods to make it back home.

The truck is moving but not out of the lot yet. She sits up and says, “Do you know anything about rats or mice?” Way to go, genius – pick up a crazy just trying to be nice. In my mind I see huge rats running across some slumlord’s shithole. “A little –you having problems?”

“Yeah. I was at Rite Aid looking for some poison.” So we laugh and talk about this rat/mouse problem that no one at her housing believes she has. It’s not funny, though; either she or the mouse will have to go. “Okay, I’ll see if I can find something for you and drop it by, since now I will know where you live.”

Pull up in front of a nice older apartment building; I think the sign says something about church housing for older citizens. She is finally able to get the purse, pizza, and orange soda out of the truck. She turns around and thanks me. “I would give you some money but I don’t have any.”

“That’s okay. Do you shop in that center often?”

“Yes. Maybe I will see you sometime.”

“I hope so,” I say.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“Melissa.”

“Mine is Judy.”

As Judy is shutting the door, I say, “It is very nice to meet you, Judy.” Laugh and shake my head all the way home.