Norm’s and a Lost Girl

It was probably nothing, she’s probably just fine, but she couldn’t have looked any more lost than she did while I was watching her wander up and down the street on Lincoln. The window at the diner booth I was sitting at might as well have been only one way, so clearly could I see her, so completely did she fail to even consider looking in my direction.

Her clothes were all white — light and airy, with some silver jewellery around her neck. Like a teenage Stevie Nicks. Her long loose skirt was thin enough that I could see her legs through it in the sunshine. The small backpack over her shoulders didn’t fit the rest of her. It seemed heavy and practical, whereas she seemed anything except practical. She clutched a cellphone in her right hand, but didn’t use it. Her hair, too, was blonde bordering on bleached white; it hung loose and childishly undesigned, well past her shoulders.

She opened up one of the free newspaper boxes, as if she’d never seen one before and wasn’t sure how it was supposed to work. She glanced at the headlines, but didn’t take one. The she wandered into the entrance of the diner for a moment, only to decide to wander out again. Waiting for someone, probably, though a strange place for that. She looked as if she wasn’t quite sure where they’d come, or when. Or if.

He was all smiles, leaning across to her from the driver’s seat and beaming at her through the open window as his car pulled up to stop at the light. Sporty car, tanned occupant, conspicuously empty passenger seat. His approach was too knowing, too shameless. She gathered her skirts tightly around her legs as she stood talking to him. Not who she was waiting for, but he was doing his best. Offering a lift, or something far less benign. The clock was ticking, though, and he showed no regrets when the light changed and he zoomed off north in search of the next chance.

And then I turned away, turned back, and she was gone. Not with him, though, and I was glad about that. Hopefully with the right person. Hopefully she would know who the right person was.