Ice by Joel Blunt, Carol Stream, IL
Let me tell you a story my friend. Awhile back in our very own city lived a lonely young women. The young woman lived alone in an alley; just off main street. She had lived in that damp alley for the whole 17 years of her existence. Let me take you back to that time.....
Look! There is the young woman now! She was sleeping in the alley but has now awaken. She has been crying, the dust sticks to her face. She sits up among the trash against the dirty wall of the alley. The young women brushes her dirty brown hair with her fingers. Look at her arm....the arm scarred with heroin tracks. She looks around at her surroundings. Looks at the trash she has roomed with for the last 17 years. She looks out the alley at the cold people as they walk by, consumed with their own lives, not sparing any warmth for the young woman they march by. It is cold, the young woman huddles against the wall and struggles to stay warm.
It is February. Winter should be ending soon. Does the young woman realize that though? She seems to be standing up now, the young women walks out of the alley and onto main street. She walks down the street, aimlessly, the other pedestrians give her looks, wondering what she is doing in their part of town. Isn't that amusing my friend? Those heartless people thought they belonged to the town more than the young woman!
She walks past an old, white chapel. The doors are shut for the evening service. She looks in through one of the dusty windows and watches part of the scene. Everyone inside, those mannequins, are all dressed up, much cleaner than her. They are all cleaner, they shine brighter, than her.. She wishes she could go inside, but people are supposed to look spotless in church are they not? What church has dirty people dressed in rags sit on their pews? Besides, the church has enough dirt inside as it is.
The young woman walks on, feeling rejected and unloved. She is desperate to find something strong enough to hold her through her horrible life. The young woman comes to a beautiful frozen lake. The glistening ice appears strong enough to skate on. It is just too tempting for her. She begins to skate, and why shouldn't she? Is she not only trying to have a little joy? Alas! Is that a crack on the ice? Is the ice not as strong as she initially thought? She falls through the ice that she trusted to hold her up.
What happens next you ask? That's the end of the story, I know no more. After that I had to get going, you see I had a meeting with.... what's that? You say I was heartless? I perhaps should have saved her? Well...well imagine that, do you not remember that you were there as well! At least I noticed the drowning woman! You were so consumed with your own life that you did not even notice when others were drowning around you.
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