Molly...

Every Tuesday on my way to work on Granville St, my route takes me past Molly. Molly, for those of you who either don't live in Vancouver, or don't do much walking on Granville St. is a homeless woman that posts herself on the corner of Granville St and... whatever street it is that London Drugs is on. In front of the London Drugs, she sits with her sign:

"Homeless and Hungry. Please help.
Love, Molly"

And so once a week I head past her, giving her slightly more than the nervous look that most of the homeless in Vancouver get from me. Homeless people are nothing new to me, and for that very reason, I don't give them money. For that same reason, I don't give Molly money. But something in my heart aches whenever I see her. That could be my sister, or my cousin, or my friend, sitting there on Granville St. She has long dark hair that reminds me of my step-mother, a round face so much like mine it's scary. That could be me... I don't know what she's been through, but any set of situations could have put me in that same place, praying every day that someone will care.

I remember one day, Molly wasn't there when I walked past. Her sign lay in the same spot it has for all the time I've been walking on Granville. But she had vanished. Worry sprang in my mind, what could have happened, was she alright, had someone hurt her? I cared.

Today I had to go pick up my phone charger because I left it at the store. I got McDonalds on the way back and didn't finish more than half of it. I decided to hang onto my food, give it out to someone who needed it. Walking back past her, I realized that I had saved it for her. I can say what I want, but that saved food was for her from the time I closed the box. Some part of me cares about her, and is rooting for her to get her life together. She was hunched over, shaking, when I gave her the food, likely high on something from her behavior. But I didn't feel any different about it.

Every Tuesday I walk past Molly and I am reminded of how good I have it. And I am thankful.

Love and Kisses,
Andro Angel