Sometimes
the story finds you and such was the case last night when I headed out
for my usual night running. I wasn't even a mile from my house when a
young lady who seemed to "walking the streets" stopped me and asked if I
was related to Shaka Zulu. I was about to explain that Shaka has been
dead for a while yadda yadda but swiftly switched tact and asked why
after she gave me a warm hug. Shaka was
her frequent customer and was late for their session today. I wasn't
going to believe such rubbish but this lady seemed apart from your usual
Lowell street walker. She was witty and willy and fully engaging in a
conversation and perhaps strangest of all to me, she was sober. I tucked
him my phone and walked with her to her stairs where she had been
seating. I had questions of my own but I first wanted to hear her story
which I still found bogus. Shaka was his real name and drove a minivan
she adamantly claimed. She didn't know what country he came from but had
been her customer for a while and only came to her(no pun intended)
after work around midnight. Now her story was starting to make sense and
I found myself sitting down between to street ladies. She told me of
her story from a small town in New Hampshire where she had a baby early
and a failed marriage. She talked of her childhood dreams of being a
lawyer and how she hit rock bottom at around 25. I didn't ask how and
why but I adjusted her estimated age to now around 28.
When faced with a new situation which draws or demands my interest, I tend to go mute and listen while absorbing words and the environment. Her conversation was frequently interrupted by her peer who seemed more interested in the date Shaka was bringing later on. She was less articulate and least intriguing so Id politely reverse the conversation to Shaka`s lady. Surely nobody would drive into this dark side street and park their car I presumed . But I was dead wrong as soon this minivan pulled up and a gentleman my new friend ran towards it. It seemed these two had a deeper connection that john/commercial worker kind. As soon as both gentlemen alighted and we came face to face, I realized I knew both very well and for what felt like a minute or two we just starred at each other. I quickly broke the silence off with a hug and a smile and joked of how I was hoping to get a massage for my swollen ankle today but they were getting a better massage for their bulging organs.
After sharing a quick and uneasy laugh, it was time for me to bolt but not before my new friend offered to drive me home with "Shaka`s" ( Now I knew his real name) minivan since I was visibly limping. I declined but asked her to walk me a few meters. I had one more question...." besides the obvious, what else do you guys do coz it seems like you know each other well?".... " Oh he just cries about his domestic problems and loneliness. Sometimes I feel like I am his mother even though hes twice my age. " ... Now I knew her real age...shes 31!!!! I bade everyone goodbye and limped home to finish off my Chinese food.
By
Festus Kasyoka Mbuva
When faced with a new situation which draws or demands my interest, I tend to go mute and listen while absorbing words and the environment. Her conversation was frequently interrupted by her peer who seemed more interested in the date Shaka was bringing later on. She was less articulate and least intriguing so Id politely reverse the conversation to Shaka`s lady. Surely nobody would drive into this dark side street and park their car I presumed . But I was dead wrong as soon this minivan pulled up and a gentleman my new friend ran towards it. It seemed these two had a deeper connection that john/commercial worker kind. As soon as both gentlemen alighted and we came face to face, I realized I knew both very well and for what felt like a minute or two we just starred at each other. I quickly broke the silence off with a hug and a smile and joked of how I was hoping to get a massage for my swollen ankle today but they were getting a better massage for their bulging organs.
After sharing a quick and uneasy laugh, it was time for me to bolt but not before my new friend offered to drive me home with "Shaka`s" ( Now I knew his real name) minivan since I was visibly limping. I declined but asked her to walk me a few meters. I had one more question...." besides the obvious, what else do you guys do coz it seems like you know each other well?".... " Oh he just cries about his domestic problems and loneliness. Sometimes I feel like I am his mother even though hes twice my age. " ... Now I knew her real age...shes 31!!!! I bade everyone goodbye and limped home to finish off my Chinese food.
By
Festus Kasyoka Mbuva
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