Two Ordinary Days

Two Ordinary Days

©March, 2019 Linda Goodman

     Recently I was standing in front of the local Mall, when I noticed an attractive young woman walk out of the anchor store and head to her car, which was situated in the back part of the parking lot. As she walked to the car, I noticed a white truck driving slowly towards her. The driver pulled up beside her and uttered something that I was unable to hear. Suddenly the woman started screaming, "I know you! I can see your face! You are not supposed to be here!"
     Suddenly I realized what was happening. The man was trying to get the woman into his truck against her will. I ran quickly toward the truck, yelling "Free ice cream cones! Come and get 'um! Free ice cream!" Others who were in the parking lot turned their eyes toward us. It was a hot day. The truck burned some rubber as it sped away.

     A couple of teens walked up to me and requested their free ice cream. I explained that there was no ice cream; that it was just a ruse to get folks headed in my direction so they could scare off the fleeing man who couldn’t take no for an answer.

     The following day as I was leaving my doctor's office, a young woman walked over to me. Her skin-hugging clothes were way too tight, and her teeth had not been brushed in a while. She seemed harmless, though, as she exclaimed over my purse and how something so pretty could be so useful as well.
     Then she said, “My niece has allergies and the doctor won't give me her medicine because I don't have the $10 co-pay."
     "I'm sorry," I said."I wish I could give the money to you, but I don't carry cash on me when I go out." (I really would have given the money to her if I had had the money on me.)

     The glass elevator stopped in front of us. We both got on it. As the glass door closed she looked at me with a now sinister look in her eyes. "Do you feel safe with me in this elevator?" she asked.
     "Sure," I said. "Why shouldn't I?" My radar was warning me to stay cool. I was about as far from cool as you can get.

     "Do you really feel safe with just the two of us in this elevator?"
     "It's a glass elevator," I reminded her. "People can see us." The short elevator ride came to a halt. She stepped off the elevator, and then looked back at me. "You're okay," she said "But I think you really were afraid of me. And with good reason, if you really want to know.”

     I giggled nervously as I watched her walk away and get into an old black pick-up truck. She waved as she pulled out of the parking lot.

     Thank God for glass elevators.

     Just two ordinary days.