Member-only story
What I learned from a generous beggar
She smelled of the city.
Boarding the train from the front, her hair matted and clothes dusty.
I shifted in my seat and turned to look out the window so as not to draw attention to myself. I was uncomfortable. I reached for my headphones as an escape. No luck, I had left them at home.
“Spare change or something to eat?”
I was forced to listen to the begging.
People get on the train. They get off. They sit down, hug their bags and stare intently at their phones. Conversation is rare and any form of talking will draw attention.
She had everyone’s attention.
She made her way from the head of the train to the back, keeping her balance as the train shifted on the tracks. Repeating her request methodically, she made eyes with anyone that would acknowledge her presence.
I kept my stare out the window.
She passed my seat. I had evaded the awkwardness. The unease in my stomach settled. Her voice faded as she moved further back. I wondered what it must be like to be her. To go unnoticed.
To be…invisible.
