So Far

I saw a woman with dyed blue hair. She was smiling "You haven't changed at all she said. I was your neighbor 20 years ago. Now I'm 35, married and I have a 14 year old. Philomena is my mom and Sylvia is my meme. Sylvia is my best friend. You remember Matt my brother. Absolutely. He has on fire red gorgeous hair. Join us. Mat! How are you. Matt folded up the black quilted insulated pizza bag. He works at palace Pizza on Park Ave. He's worked there since he was 15.
Great to see you, I said.
My brother always drops of so much food she said opening the Styrofoam containers of fries and chicken fingers.
Because he loves you, I said. I've never had a chicken finger.
They're good, Steph said. They give you sauce but I like mine plain. They filet the breast and hammer it and bread it and fry it. It took me a long time to figure that out she said. I picked out a boomerang shaped one and pretended to throw it. And then too k a bit. Yum, I said. Beach food. Normally I refuse anything fried because my stomach reacts badly to fried and oily things. But I was willing to risk it for the communal moment.
Eat your food, you said you were hungry, Steph said tearing the chicken fingers into bites for all three girls. Okay I'll save it for later she said. The girls wanted to pet Lily and then return to the splash park. We were enjoying the breezy shade.
I recognize you from the police station a lady said coming over. You remember my girl?
Yes I do!
You go to the station a lot? Steph asked.
I have friends who work there I said. Lily comes too. I had an officer say I met your dog at the station. he was on Social Street one day when I walked by.
Is your name Kyle? he was startled. I was upstairs talking to Tammy one day and you were outside at the flag pole petting lily. Tammy said "Oh that Kyle he's such a good guy"
He blushed.
We ate lunch at the picnic table with three little kids, the three nieces of Stephanie. They were all enthralled with Lily and she was loving the fries and fingers.
Can I feed her? Sure just keep your hand flat. I said demonstrating.
Then I refilled the water in the ladies room. The lady who I keep seeing was there. Hi I said. Do you have some money or food. No but I know someone who can help I said finding Stephanie.
Steph gave me a pen and paper. Have her dial 211, and ask for help. Also Community Care Alliance is around the corner and Sayles St Shelter off Arnold St, off main Street. I wrote it all down.
I got kicked out and I'm going to meet my mother in long beach CA August 10th. She said. Wow good luck. I hope it goes well.
The park ranger gave her his lunch spinach calzones and pizza and she was eating it with a cold root beer he poured for her
This is a good place to land. people are caring here.
She got kicked out.
No matter what she's doing she still deserves the dignity of a place to stay.
She's probably addicted and selling herself to pay for it. it's a vicious cycle my husband said.
She's young tall and beautiful.
Last night I saw her again lifting her shirt to touch her bare belly as she chatted out in front of the variety store, flirting with the owner.