I was no one. Now I am somebody.

I sit on the corner of a building hugging my knees

I peer into the store window

I see a reflection of a woman

Her hair pulled back into a messy bun

Some of the hair falling out at the sides

Her hair bright as the ocean blue

But fading just enough at the top that it looks like the blue sky

Her roots are starting to grow in, giving the blue a black contrast

Her eyebrows match perfectly to her hair

Her plump

Perfect

Full, red lips

The pale white skin, glistening in the sunlight

Her face drawing me in and I can’t look away

The bright

Bold

Cat eyed

Red glasses

Hiding the eyes behind them are dim

Soon gazing off into the distance lost in thought

You turn to see what she is looking at

You see a mother a few block down holding her baby in one hand

The woman is disheveled

Dirty

Frail and scrawny

You see the mother wave down a woman and yell “Just take my f*****g kid, I don’t want it!”

The mother hands over the child to the stranger, and walks a few more block running into a man

The man gives the mother a bottle of jack and an eight ball of heroin

The mother says thank you

Walking toward me

She is looking down ashamed

Soon running into me at the corner of the building

She looks down at me

Tears streaming down her eyes as she walks away and whispers “I am so sorry.”

You break your gaze and train of thought…

After hearing “Get out of the way you bum!”

From a man on his way to work

Walking briskly down the sidewalk clutching his briefcase

You look in the distance

The woman and the baby gone

You get up, brushing yourself off

Checking your watch seeing that it is time to go to work

You walk briskly down the few blocks

Turning the corner on 8^th street

And see A&J’s

Then look up at your restaurant

Your life’s work, right at your feet

A smile appears on your face

You take a deep breathe

Pushing the doors open, hearing the ciaos

Preparing for the long day ahead