Penny

The sun was brilliant and the wind howling through the alleyways when our paths crossed. It was difficult not to notice Penny, a heavyset woman with bright red unkempt hair blowing in the wind circling her freckled face. Her weary and weather-beaten appearance suggested the streets had been her home for quite some time. With trash and debris blowing around us, I sat down next to her and we spoke about life and its hardships. Although not a drug user herself, the area near her was inhabited by several seamy characters, and on the sidewalk laid several empty syringes. The sun reflected off the cold sharp needles projecting colors like a kaleidoscope providing a touch of color to this dark environment. Penny was honest and forthcoming and not once did she complain about being homeless and living on the street. I noticed she was having a challenging time moving about. I wondered how much longer she had before the streets finally took her soul.