The Blues

          It was a hot May afternoon when I decided that a Jamba Juice would hit the spot.  I found my Kindle and hopped into Kevin's car, which was parked behind mine in the driveway and drove to the large shopping center a few miles from my house.  I parked in the shade of a big tree, got out and walked away from Jamba Juice and toward Ross.  I passed Sylvan Learning Center, a Christian store, and a fabric store.  I went into Ross and wandered around but nothing caught my eye.  I cut across the sunny parking lot and went into Jamba Juice.  A few minutes later, armed with my Pomegranate Pick me Up I headed back to Kevin's car.  I got out my Kindle but the low battery warning flashed so I closed it and sat in the car under the shady tree with the windows down, drinking my smoothie.  It was a time to relax before going home to feed the dogs and get some work done around the house.
          I had almost finished my Jamba Juice when I heard loud talking and laughing.  I looked around and saw a large woman sauntering slowly across the parking lot, several yards from my car.  I noticed that she looked bald under her brightly colored hat.  I wondered if she was the same woman I used to see around downtown, who had once come into Kevin's wine bar for a glass of wine and had paid with piles of loose change.
          "Hello there," a voice nearer to me said.  I looked over and saw a woman's large sweaty face peering at me through the open passenger window.
          "Hello," I said.
          "I've been watching you for a while all the way from over there," she said, waving her hefty arm toward the back of the parking lot.  "How are you?"
          "I'm fine.  How are you?" I asked, automatically.  I had a sinking feeling that she was either going to ask me for money, or tell me about Jesus.
          "I'm just fine.  I'm not going to ask you for money," she said as if reading my mind.  "I'm just going to ask you to get me some chicken," she said looking over at the KFC.  "I'm so hungry."  She moved her arm from where she rested it on the shopping cart she had brought with her and leaned into the car window until her armpits were propped up by the door frame and her shoulders and head were inside the car.
          "I'm just so hungry.  I want some chicken," she nodded again to the KFC.
          "I just spent my last $5 at Jamba Juice," I told her.  It was true.
          "No you didn't," she exclaimed.
          "Yes I did," I insisted, picking up my empty cup and wagging it towards her.  "I just finished it."
          "You paid $5 for that?"
          I was suddenly embarrassed at my extravagance.  "$4.65," I said as if that was a better price.  "I have some change here that you can have."  I began scraping sticky coins out of the console space next to me, ashamed to feel relief that my purse was tucked under my feet on the floor of the car.
          "Oh man, I'm so hungry," she said again, holding out her hand for the change.  "This isn't enough.  What about back there," she said pointing into the hatchback space.
          "Maybe there's money in here," I offered as I pulled Kevin's leather jacket from behind my seat and began digging into the deep, cool pockets.  Empty.
          "You going on a trip or something?  What's all those suitcases?"  She was looking at Kevin's belongings in the hatchback.
          "My husband's a musician.  That's his equipment."
          "Really?  A musician?  What kinda music he play?"
          I didn't want to say.  "The blues," I said.
          "Oh, in San Francisco?" she asked.
          "No, here in places around town."
          "That right?  What's he play?  What kinda instrument?"
          "Keyboard," I told her.  I was worried she would ask me which songs he played because although I've been to my husband's gigs many times, I never remember any of the tunes.
          "I'm hungry.  Don't you have another dollar somewhere?  How about an ATM card?"
          "Sorry," I lied.  "That's all I have."  I looked at the round face and sweaty forehead.  She had small dark eyes, a broad nose, and that turned-in sort of mouth that toothless people have.
          "I'm so hungry.  I'm just so hungry."
          "I understand," I said, slowly looking away.
          "Well, all right then."  She pushed her body off of the car and leaned back onto the shopping cart.  "I'm just so hungry," she said as she and the rattling cart slowly headed off toward the KFC.  I waited for a minute or so then started the car.  As I drove home, I could hear her voice echoing in my head.  "I'm so hungry."