Avalon

  

Sometimes when eyes connect there can be an exchange between two people that renders one or both of them helpless or in this case...wanting? I pulled up to a neighborhood corner, waiting for a chance to make a right turn. The traffic was pretty heavy and parked cars to my left made it almost impossible to see when I could safely make my turn. Then as I looked to the left a strikingly beautiful young lady came into my focus. Our eyes locked; so much so that she stopped for a split second before continuing on. She smiled and then she looked down. She walked in front of my car and I watched... She had short hair, almost looking like a twenty something year old tomboy with green shorts and top to match. Her body was tight, sort of athletic looking. Her face was somewhat innocent...Her eyes were light hazel. Her skin glistened with little sweat beads due to the extreme hot temperature outside. She looked like she definitely needed to find comfort in an air conditioned room.

After passing in front of my car, she stepped up on the sidewalk and again looked in my direction. She gave me a bashful smile. I'll call her Avalon; named after the street she was walking on. The picture above is actually her, blurred out to protect her not so innocent way of life. Somebody called out to her and she turned to the left. It was an older man sitting in a beat up Toyota. That was also the moment I snapped the picture. I turned right and caught Avalon again looking at me. Our eyes connected long enough for me to say something and for her to know exactly what I said. I mouthed the word, beautiful. It froze her in her tracks as though I'd given her a shot of oxygen that she didn't know what to do with. She seemed like she wanted to cry. Maybe no one has said that to her and meant it without wanting anything but to see her take that compliment and store it some place in her heart.

That last moment as we made eye contact felt like the longest two seconds ever. I continued on as I could see Avalon in my rearview mirror. She got into the car but I'm just hoping that whatever she felt when I said that word which seemed to give her life, continued to linger inside of her long enough to force her to think about what she does with her body. What I saw in her today wont last very long as I imagine each moment after accepting a ride only deadens her spirit until there's nothing else left but to live unconsciously without any ounce of caring. Unfortunately, if she continues that's probably the best and only way for survival.
Ride safe, Avalon...