occurrence @ dusk

i was going to stop.

this lady -- a young lady. dark jeans and fitted shirt. ponytail.

she was on the corner of 1st St.

a busy street.

cars ZOOMING.

sending up asphalt. tearing up the hill past mestizos -- five to a room.

and then longshoreman -- white houses with white stucco.

tomato plants and pit bulls in the backyard.

"JOEY!"

and

"JOHNNY!"

and

"PAULIE!"

but this girl/lady/mother/daughter was standing on the corner of a busy street with a look of sheer terror.

just standing.

hands and fingers like tentacles -- consuming her face. digging deep into her cheeks.

she was looking across the street. gaze directed towards the laundromat.

or maybe the video store.

at a distance you couldn't tell.

it was dusk. but up close -- as i passed -- you saw her red eyes.

swollen eyes.

distressed.

fear.

fear directed across the street.

it happened fast -- i scanned the area.

fast.

nothing. just life among the peasants as usual.

guy peddling bathtub cheese;

children pushing children in grocery carts;

a deserted gas station;

trash and black, black asphalt and dirty dust.

and this lady.

a young lady.

was standing out their on the corner of 1st.

she was gripped with fear.

but the light turned green.

and i was gonna stop.

but i didn't.