also fierce

Last Friday I gave Kitty a ride. Kitty's real name is Eleanor, but she doesn't like it so she "goes by kitty, like, meow, a cat." This is what she told me as I drove from one shopping plaza to the next so that she could catch a bus back to Lynn. We'd met as I was checking out at Savers- the best place for vintage glass food storage containers. She asked if I was going to the mall.

"No, I need to go back to work."
(Which was honest: I did, but the mall is also in direct line between Savers and the office.)

"Oh, that's too bad. You see, the bus doesn't come here for another 5 hours, but it goes to the mall every hour. So, I'll just be waiting here for the next 5 hours..."

"I can give you a ride. Let me pull my car around."

The is not a hitching humblebrag. Its a confession. Why did I hesitate? She was elderly, frail. She asked me for a ride. What could she possibly do to me? I have a car. I have room for passengers. I have more than I need and all she needed was a ride.

It was a quick time together but I heard about her late husband and how she doesn't think there is any such thing as the "terrible twos." She liked my car- "what a cute car! this is a nice car!" She said "goodbye honey" when we got to the bus stop at the mall- as if I'd see her again soon- and then walked away lugging her plastic bags of second hand bath towels.

I make all kinds of mistakes, but I do try to be generous and true. And, also fierce.