Soulparking

Friday, 20 May 2005

My car was broken into a week back.  I was still recovering from my surgery – and I didn’t have the energy to park and get out and tell the security guard for my building to let me in so I just parked on the street corner.  The security guards said it was probably kids – just messing around – because nothing was stolen from it.  Hell, there was nothing to take.  But I had yet gotten the window replaced.  I figured if someone wanted to steal my car or break in – I was just going to make it easier for them.

So again, I was coming home from my first week back at work and backing up into a spot – and because of the broken back window – I heard yelling.  It was already night.  I saw two shadows behind the office building to my left.  I could tell from the voices – it was a man and a woman.

I had just pulled up the emergency brake and switched off the headlights.  I saw a shadow emerge from around the corner under the street lamp.  It was a skinny white woman and she was wearing a black T-shirt and nothing else.  I froze.  My first thought the woman had been raped and was in shock.   But then casually the woman turned around and squatted.  Like a dog. 

I saw black bruises on her ass and a large scratch mark.  She squatted for a long time – and she seemed to be struggling – so then I thought she was taking a shit on the sidewalk. 

But then I saw the dark wet stain on the cement and because I live on a hill it moved off the curb into the gutter.  Then the women stood and smoothed her T-shirt over her breasts and stomach – and disappeared around the corner again.

I didn’t move for a long time.  I wondered what the woman was doing – what she was thinking – what her life was like to be naked in the city – pissing on the sidewalk.

When I finally got my composure together, I walked across the road to the entrance of my apartment complex and tapped on the glass.  My key doesn’t open the door for some reason – so I have to have someone let me in.

Teddy, the security guard, came. As I was waiting for the elevator, I told him what I had seen. 

He nodded.  And then he said with his French accent, “You have to find something in life to grab hold of.  However small.  However big.  Or you will be lost.”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“Lost like her.”  And he leaned his head toward the outside.

The elevator pinged and the metal doors opened.  “Adieu, Teddy.”  I said.