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It was then I noticed a man standing next to his car at the gas pumps at the convenience store across the street. He gave me a wary look as he got into his car.
Great. Now I’d officially turned into a public spectacle. How much lower could I fall?
No, don’t show me! I mentally shouted to the universe. The last thing I needed was a game of chicken with the cosmos.
The door behind Mr. Smelly Pants opened slightly, the person behind it out of sight, and he slipped into the darkness beyond the threshold.
I usually kept all of my angst and anger bottled inside and let it stew, but all those Brené Brown podcasts I’d been listening to, to help me take control of my life, must have sunk in, as I’d really let him have it. Too bad it hadn’t felt as cathartic as I’d hoped.
No, now I just felt like a first-class bitch.
I sure as hell wasn’t going inside and apologizing, though, so I headed back to my car.
“They make that deodorizer stuff in a can now,” a man said from the shadow of the building next door. He was sitting on the sidewalk with his legs extended in front of him, a large black trash bag next to him. “And if that don’t work, try baking soda.”
He’d startled me, but then I realized it was Mr. Ernie, a homeless man I’d seen around town several times since moving back two months ago.
From what I’d seen, most people ignored him, but I decided to make up for my bad karma and headed over to talk to him. “Thank you, Mr. Ernie. I’ll try that. Are you hungry? Can I take you somewhere in my stinky car and get you something to eat? Or maybe see if they have a bed at the Methodist Church shelter?”
He held up a to-go cup of coffee. “I done got me some food a short bit ago. And I don’t much like staying at Methodist’s shelter. They always steal my stuff.”
“Who steals your stuff?” I asked in concern.
“Some of the shifty people there.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “There are some not-so-nice people in this town, Miss…?” He looked up at me expectantly.
“Maddie,” I said. “Maddie Baker.”
He squinted up at me. “Miss Andrea’s girl?”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Yeah. Did you know my mother?”
He offered me a warm smile. “That’s a story for another day.” He cast a glance at the door Mr. Smelly Pants had gone through. “You best get on out of here. There’s seedy things happening in these parts. Especially after sundown.”
“Then why don’t you let me take you somewhere else?” I asked, reaching my hand out to him.
He chuckled. “Don’t you go worryin’ about me, Maddie. I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. Go on now. Git.”
I started to head back to my car, but then I turned around, tugging a business card out of my jeans pocket. Squatting in front of him, I handed him the card and looked into his eyes. “If you ever need a ride or food or anything,” I said, “you call me. Okay, Mr. Ernie?”
He took the card and looked it over, then glanced up at me, giving me a wobbly smile. “Thank you, Maddie. You’re a sweet one, just like your mother. You have a good night.”
The reminder of my mother stung, but I smiled and said, “You too.”
