"I'm the girl that knows the monsters"

[Sheldonrs]

“I’m the girl that knows the monsters”

This was said to me this morning as I was walking to my bus stop on my way to work this morning.

She is a homeless woman I’ve seen around a few times before. Very dirty, no shoes, just torn socks.

What few teeth she has are rotting severely. She looks around 70 years old but is probably closer to 40.

Living on the street, in the sun, rain and cold all year round does that to you.

She asked me for a cigarette. This is nothing new. I’m asked for one pretty much every day and always give it.

As I handed her the cigarette, she started speaking about how she had seen the slaughter of the untouchables.

How she had seen the horrors and that they know what she knows.

Then she mentioned monsters. I couldn’t understand what she meant.

There are all kinds of monsters in the world.

Some we invite into our lives for brief periods.

Some rush at us, do what damage they can and then leave.

Some stay with us all of our lives, periodically reminding us they are there.

You don’t always see them but you can feel them there.

They come in the forms of mental illness, drugs and some are people.

I had to leave and catch my bus, She nodded understanding and turned to walk away.

As she turned, she said “I’m the girl that knows the monsters”. It gave me chills when she said it.

Maybe it was the quietness of her voice.

And as she walked away, I found myself looking at her, squinting my eyes to see if I could see her monsters.

Of course I couldn’t. But I could feel them.