~ From A Stranger ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

The evening trolley came around and I became apprehensive

 

 

 

 

 

I had no money in my bag but when the evening trolley lady came around, I was happy to see it was the same elderly woman who I had seen the previous evening, the one whose eyes shone so many stories, reflecting back in to her past

 

 

 

 

 

 

She called to me

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Ma’am!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had to turn my head to look at her in alarming surprise for she has never said my name with such gusto as she did now

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yes”

 

 

 

 

I stood up; looking Burlesque in the eyes and telling her I must be pardoned for a moment

 

 

 

 

 

I found my way over to the trolley and looked the elderly woman as she clutched a small pouch in her hands

 

 

 

 

 

 

She looked at me and smiled, grasping the trolley handle with one hand and the pouch with another

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Someone has sent you a gift”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She smiled as she held out the hand with the small pouch; grasping the trolley handle harder

 

 

 

 

I took it from her lovingly

 

 

 

 

 

The pouch wasn’t so small; maybe the size of a small handbag

 

 

 

 

 

 

I looked at the woman; her kind eyes fell deep into mine

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not a second had passed when she suddenly remembered something; she stretched out her hand to grasp mine

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Oh! A lovely gentleman called for you, he bought you a cup of tea as well. Burlesque ordered you a cup of tea and a pack of biscuits”

 

 

 

 

 

I looked back at her sitting quietly, her head back against the head rest, eyes closing half-way

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Something to remember; have good friends to keep the trip short”

 

 

 

 

 

 

I agreed, looking again at the pouch in my hands

 

 

 

“Who is this gentleman, do you know?”

 

 

 

 

 

I looked up at the woman in surprise and shook my head

 

 

 

“Can’t say that I have”

 

 

 

 

The elderly woman looked back and smiled, winked and took a pastry from the bottom of her trolley cart, the one with the icing

 

 

 

“Here, take this, it’s for the gentleman, I didn‘t get a chance to get it to him before I went on my way”

 

 

 

 

 

I glanced a second time at Burlesque and went off on my way.