Alone and In Need

Raven opened her eyes. The time was probably 7 am, since traffic had yet to pick up and the sun was only just beginning to creep over the vast cityscape. Lying under a long stretch of bridge on Grand Ave, Raven hesitantly stood up. She looked both ways up and down the dirty sidewalk she slept on, and seeing that no one was around, she gathered her belongings. They were a newspaper dated August 13, 2008, a faded blue comforter with many holes leaking a synthetic cotton, a thick coat, and a pair of shoes. All but the shoes she shoved into a large orange gym bag with a pullstring close. The shoes, black, velcro, dated, she slipped over her feet. She wore brown socks with rips in the ankles. She threw the bag over her shoulder and began walking aimlessly.

With no where to go, Raven often stopped in a shady area to sleep and rest. It didn't matter if people saw her. She had grown accustomed to being stared at. She had been homeless for 3 years now. She had all but forgotten the life she used to live. All that mattered was now. Surviving.

Everyday, Raven used her cardboard sign with the writings "Please. Anything will help. God bless you." She found that tourists often were more generous than locals, so Raven spent most of her days up and down Michigan Avenue, wandering back and forth from hotel to hotel. It was difficult to get money, or anything for that matter. Her appearance was far from acceptable. She wore a brown sweatshirt with many stains on the front. She wore gray sweatpants, also worn out, as well as her shoes. She hadn't taken a shower in at least a month. She knew she smelled.

One day, as she held her sign, an elder woman walked out of the Hilton. She looked to be in her mid 60's, wore a mice summer dress and white shoes. Her hair was a flowing gray. Raven saw her, and to her surprise, saw the woman take notice to her. The woman approached her, handed her a transit card and a twenty dollar bill. She only said "God bless" and walked away. Raven sat there open-mouthed.

Standing, she looked after the woman to thank her, but she was gone in the crowd. With a sense of determination, Raven proceeded to the nearest restaurant. She arrived at a McDonald's. After eating as much as she could, she gripped her transit card as she proceeded down the steps into the red line. She didn't know where she was going. She didn't care. She wanted to escape.

Sitting on the train, she glanced around at the other passengers. She didn't want to sit next to anyone, so she sat her large orange bag on the empty seat next to her. Glancing up, Raven noticed a tall younger fellow glancing over a her. She felt self-conscience and glanced in the other direction. She could tell he was still noticing her, and wondered what he was thinking of her. What types of conclusions is he drawing? How does he view me?

He exited the train at the following stop. She looked up, already drawing conclusions about him...