.
Lucy ran to make the light, while crossing the street. She was late for her appointment, yet she was extra careful to see the opposing traffic.
.
.
She had been almost traumatized last weekend, for she had been a hair’s breath from being hit by a car.
She had been crossing a stop sign, when she saw from her peripheral vision a car coming towards her at full speed. Her instincts told her to jump away or else she would be run over.
Lucy quickly sprinted back away from the oncoming car, barely missing being hit. Had she not purposely moved away, very likely she would have been hurt as the car stopped two feet beyond the stop line.
While it seemed the episode unfolded in slow motion, the thought that ran through her mind was, were she had been injured, she would not be able to work, or collect for damages considering her precarious legal situation.
While it seemed the episode unfolded in slow motion, the thought that ran through her mind was, were she had been injured, she would not be able to work, or collect for damages considering her precarious legal situation.
Who knew if this stupid driver had valid insurance, or would even stop to affront the damage incurred? One needed to work to live in this very expensive city.
That is what one came for, to work. Being able to work had been her only and main concern.
She reiterated to the reckless driver what an idiot he is, and walked away, utterly shaken. Lucy arrived to her appointment just in time, then settled to fill her application.
While Lucy filled the application for a pregnancy test at the clinic, she observed the two women in front, asking information from the clinic’s receptionist.
-“How far along are you?” asked the receptionist, eyeing suspiciously the woman inquiring who seemed to be in her early thirties.
She reiterated to the reckless driver what an idiot he is, and walked away, utterly shaken. Lucy arrived to her appointment just in time, then settled to fill her application.
While Lucy filled the application for a pregnancy test at the clinic, she observed the two women in front, asking information from the clinic’s receptionist.
-“How far along are you?” asked the receptionist, eyeing suspiciously the woman inquiring who seemed to be in her early thirties.
This woman wore a short miniskirt and a knitted, form fitting blouse, which made the overflowing bulges of her mid drift all the more blatantly obvious. She seemed to be wearing a girdle by the way her midsection seemed compressed to maximum capacity; the extra folds of meat overflowed from where the girdle commenced moving like snakes fighting for release.
-“I don’t know…like a little over three months.” Responded the young woman.
-“Why didn’t you come sooner? We can’t do abortions on advance stages. You seem to be quite along.” Responded the receptionist.
-“I didn’t have the money!” said the girdled woman, sounding desperate and ashamed, as she lowered her eyes.
-“Just fill the application, and we will see what the doctor says.”
Lucy could not take this anymore. She was disgusted and did not want people who treated such advance cases touching her very core. She bolted from that office and walked briskly down to Broadway, past the black guy who danced for hours non-stop to with the hopes of getting tips deposited in his hat. She ran past the gloomy faces of vendors who vied to entice customers into their shops, in English or Spanish…everyone was an amigo; dollars made you welcome.
Lucy came to Seventh Street and Broadway to wait for her bus to arrive. Her gaze was drawn to the former State Theatre, which was now converted to a church which advertised that the miraculous water would cure any illness even cancer and aids. The testimonials were very convincing on TV. There it was, just across the street from her, there was a panacea for all the ailments in the world, you just had to believe and pay for salvation.
Maybe two halves made the semblance of a whole she pondered, as her crammed bus arrived at the stop.
Time would tell.
She smiled when her passed rode by the dance hall where she had met Jose. She had been working there as a dance hostess for guys lonely for human touch, for a girl to smile at them and dance with them. They stupidly spent a good portion of their hard earned money on such an illusion. Lucy smiled as she remembered how she met Jose.
To be continued…
-“I don’t know…like a little over three months.” Responded the young woman.
-“Why didn’t you come sooner? We can’t do abortions on advance stages. You seem to be quite along.” Responded the receptionist.
-“I didn’t have the money!” said the girdled woman, sounding desperate and ashamed, as she lowered her eyes.
-“Just fill the application, and we will see what the doctor says.”
Lucy could not take this anymore. She was disgusted and did not want people who treated such advance cases touching her very core. She bolted from that office and walked briskly down to Broadway, past the black guy who danced for hours non-stop to with the hopes of getting tips deposited in his hat. She ran past the gloomy faces of vendors who vied to entice customers into their shops, in English or Spanish…everyone was an amigo; dollars made you welcome.
Lucy came to Seventh Street and Broadway to wait for her bus to arrive. Her gaze was drawn to the former State Theatre, which was now converted to a church which advertised that the miraculous water would cure any illness even cancer and aids. The testimonials were very convincing on TV. There it was, just across the street from her, there was a panacea for all the ailments in the world, you just had to believe and pay for salvation.
Maybe two halves made the semblance of a whole she pondered, as her crammed bus arrived at the stop.
Time would tell.
She smiled when her passed rode by the dance hall where she had met Jose. She had been working there as a dance hostess for guys lonely for human touch, for a girl to smile at them and dance with them. They stupidly spent a good portion of their hard earned money on such an illusion. Lucy smiled as she remembered how she met Jose.
To be continued…
