Everyone Has a Story to Tell
I had an encounter of the "real" kind last weekend. It wasn't an alien sighting or Big Foot but "it" had a profound affect on me.
Walking to church, I noticed an elderly lady sitting on the curb in front our house. She appeared to be in her 90's, wearing a tribal dress. I thought maybe she was just catching her breath but by the time we came home from church, she was still sitting there.
Life continued and a few hours later, J came in and told me that she was still out there, sitting. She had moved though, onto our driveway, behind our car. Something stirred inside of me and I grabbed a styrofoam cup and filled it with ice and water. I wanted to hear her story and find out why she was there.
I walked towards her as a little guy on a bike was talking to her. "Grandma, you need to go home. Go home, Grandma!" Grandma mumbled something and didn't budge.
I asked, "Does she speak Spanish?"
The little guy replied, "No."
So, I held out the cup and she shook her head and patted a huge jug of water that she had beside her. She mumbled in an island tongue that I wasn't familiar with.
"Does she need something?" I asked the little boy.
"Do you need something, Grandma?" he asked.
She continued to look at her fingers, ignoring him. I stood still for a moment and then retreated back to the house, figuring that she maybe needed some time alone.
By 9:00 pm, she was still sitting out there. By then, she had put a hand towel on her head. She sat vigil on the driveway, not looking the least bit bugged that the sun had gone down and she was more than likely a snack for mosquitoes.
By 9:30, I looked out the window and she was gone. Disappeared!
Then there was a knock on the door. Grandma's relatives were wanting to know if we had seen her. It seems that she was "missing".
I went to bed, worrying about Grandma. What was it that made her camp out on our driveway? Was she lonely? Hungry? In need of a quiet place? Was she being abused? Did she feel loved?What was Grandma's story?
The next day, J walked in the door from work and he said, "Good news! I saw Grandma. She was sitting on a brick wall down the street."
I was relieved...puzzled but relieved. She was okay.
I see Grandma sometimes, down the street while the kids are riding their bikes around her. I wonder about her life story. What makes her smile? What were her fears growing up? Does she miss "home"? What makes her laugh? What makes her cry?
I may not ever get to hear Grandma's story but she touched me. She is my reminder that "everyone has a story to tell".
What is yours?
Walking to church, I noticed an elderly lady sitting on the curb in front our house. She appeared to be in her 90's, wearing a tribal dress. I thought maybe she was just catching her breath but by the time we came home from church, she was still sitting there.
Life continued and a few hours later, J came in and told me that she was still out there, sitting. She had moved though, onto our driveway, behind our car. Something stirred inside of me and I grabbed a styrofoam cup and filled it with ice and water. I wanted to hear her story and find out why she was there.
I walked towards her as a little guy on a bike was talking to her. "Grandma, you need to go home. Go home, Grandma!" Grandma mumbled something and didn't budge.
I asked, "Does she speak Spanish?"
The little guy replied, "No."
So, I held out the cup and she shook her head and patted a huge jug of water that she had beside her. She mumbled in an island tongue that I wasn't familiar with.
"Does she need something?" I asked the little boy.
"Do you need something, Grandma?" he asked.
She continued to look at her fingers, ignoring him. I stood still for a moment and then retreated back to the house, figuring that she maybe needed some time alone.
By 9:00 pm, she was still sitting out there. By then, she had put a hand towel on her head. She sat vigil on the driveway, not looking the least bit bugged that the sun had gone down and she was more than likely a snack for mosquitoes.
By 9:30, I looked out the window and she was gone. Disappeared!
Then there was a knock on the door. Grandma's relatives were wanting to know if we had seen her. It seems that she was "missing".
I went to bed, worrying about Grandma. What was it that made her camp out on our driveway? Was she lonely? Hungry? In need of a quiet place? Was she being abused? Did she feel loved?What was Grandma's story?
The next day, J walked in the door from work and he said, "Good news! I saw Grandma. She was sitting on a brick wall down the street."
I was relieved...puzzled but relieved. She was okay.
I see Grandma sometimes, down the street while the kids are riding their bikes around her. I wonder about her life story. What makes her smile? What were her fears growing up? Does she miss "home"? What makes her laugh? What makes her cry?
I may not ever get to hear Grandma's story but she touched me. She is my reminder that "everyone has a story to tell".
What is yours?
Comments
I'm like MissKris... in that I make up stories in my mind for the people I meet. :)
Sigh...gonna have to make up another story now.
2 years ago, Halle the Diva, my friend Daniel and I were driving around our neighborhood putting up garage sale signs. We had posters and a hammer in the car with us. We noticed a very well dressed elder Asian lady sitting on a curb near a main road. This did not look right. She had beautifully coiffed hair, her clothes were clean and nice and she was wearing nice jewelry.
We stopped to ask if she needed help. She spoke not one word of English! Daniel and I worried about her so we managed to get her into my car(we put the hammer in the back of the car so she would not be alarmed). I called a Korean friend who spoke with her but my Korean friend said she sounded not quite right. Next we called the police - meanwhile we had another good Samaritan stop and join us while we waited for the police. They came and took her away. I never knew what happened but felt good that we did not leave her sitting by the side of the road.
I hope you and J have a fun Father's Day weekend.
xo jj
Great post.
Maybe you "will" get to hear her story. :)