After getting out of work late tonight, around 11pm, I decide I need some more fresh veggies (and fine, maybe some wine), so I head down to Safeway to grab a quick totebag's worth. As I pull into the nearly empty lot I notice a small group of people standing around the front door.
I park, walk up. By the time I get to the door the group's gone inside, except for a large white girl in a torn black hoody. "Excuse me, sir," she says, shuffling up without making eye contact. "I've been moving apartments all day up to Everett and I'm just trying to get something for me and my baby to eat tonight before we head home."
Well that's a new combo. I've heard the 'moving' story before, and the 'not enough for my bus' story. I've heard the 'lousy boyfriend/husband/babydaddy' story before. But moving-to-Everett/hungry-baby is a nice twist.
Unfortunately I never carry cash. Not because I only use plastic, or don't have to worry about tipping the 'little people', or crap like that. I never carry cash because I never have enough money to carry cash.
(See previous post:
I tell her I don't have any money on me, explain how I'll get some cashback with my groceries, even though I don't have much money myself and don't get paid 'til next Friday. She says "God Bless" and shuffles off.
There's a delay at the checkout; something is wrong with the register. This late there're no Managers on duty, just the poor schmucks (like me) who are still working retail at 11pm. They can run cards as 'Credit', but not 'Debit', and No Cash Back. It takes about 10 minutes to get through the one checkout line, and when I get to the front door she comes shuffling over.
I tell her they weren't giving any cashback to anybody, something wrong with the register. I think a moment about my bank, just up the road, but they only give out 20's, and I can't really afford that much anyways. (I'd decide to give her 10, instead of my initial decision of 5, which seemed too little). Then I remember my vidstore; I can get some cash out of the safe and replace it later. "I'll be back in, like, 10 minutes," I tell her. "I'm gonna run up to my store and I'll be back in 10."
I can tell she doesn't believe me, but I'm too tired to disabuse. I just know I told her I'd get her something and goddammit I'm not going back on my word, even if it is to latenight (probably scamming junky) streetkid.
You should know by now I believe in telling the truth. Besides being the 'right' thing to do, it's really just a hellofalot easier to get through life not bothering with lying, or misleading, or half-truthing, or abusing your Executive Powers and refusing repeated subpoenas to appear before Congress, etc.
This, by extension, means I'm a man of my word. (Oh, and it matters a very great deal to me that I'm a man of my word. If I tell you I'll be there, I'm gonna fucking be there, okay? And not in some self-righteous or 'chest-thumpy' way, it just matters a .. very .. great .. deal .. to me that I'm a man of my word). Don't know why, but there it is. (Probably has to do with pain I've caused others by lying, but that's for another session).
Anyvays, I drive back to my store and take 10 bucks from my deposit from tonight, leaving an IOU in the envelope. (Not strictly against the rules, and since I'm the one who puts together the deposit each week it's unlikely anybody else will even notice, much less object). On the way out I charge a Snickers bar and a Gatorade to my account. (Hey, I've crawled up my share of sidewalks in my life, I know what your body needs right now).
When I get back to the Safeway lot she turns and watches me pull in, approach her. Either she didn't think I'd come back or she didn't recognize my car; I get right up to her before she clicks on & walks up to my window.
I give her the 10'er, but she really lights up at the Snickers & Gatorade. Which makes sense; if she's really stuck moving apartments as a single mother the Snickers/Gatorade should be a nice boost. And let's be honest, if she's just a strungout junky working the street? Well, the Snickers/Gatorade will still be a nice boost. (Trust me, I know what your body needs right now).
I apologize to her for not having more cash, explain again I don't get paid 'til next Friday, so...
"God bless you, God Bless", she says. And again, "God Bless you, God Bless."
"Well, just so you know ma'am, I don't believe in gods. But I do believe we're all in this shit together. And if you can help somebody out, even if it ain't that much, well, you probably should."
"Well thanks anyways," she says as she walks away.
I'm not sure what she meant by 'thanks anyways', but I'm going to assume she just didn't have a response on-deck for somebody tossing a "God Bless" back in her face. Oh well, maybe she'll think about it, or tell somebody else and they'll think about it: It is possible to believe in 'good' without having to believe in 'gods'. Maybe this will sell that message to a couple of people.
Anyways, I drive out the back end of the parking lot so I can catch the light at the first intersection. On the way out I notice a cop car I hadn't seen before, backed into a corner spot, in the shade of an unlit streetlight, lights off, watching. I look without turning my head as I pass and can see the Smokey-the-Bear hat in silhouette.
I guess it's not an unrealistic supposition that this women who's going from car to car & taking money from some of them is working drug deals. By the time I stop at the red light he's pulled in behind me.
Sonofabitch followed me the whole 2 miles home. Of course I kept it right at the speed limit/didn't run the yellow I could have made/indicated & started breaking well in advance of my turn. And patted myself on the back for not giving in to the urge to open the bottle of wine for a quick pull on the drive home.
I turn onto my half-block street & into my apartment's lot. He speeds up, heading off down Sand Point Way.
That's Laurelhurst for you; no good deed goes unharassed. Or, apparently, without slightly confusing the person you intend to help.
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