I Present To You

Jungle

"I know that you're hurting
I see the tears behind those eyes
And I can't wipe them clear
Your love is like gold to me..."

6:25 AM
Beep...
Beep!
Beep!
                                ••••
  Just another day, Mickey just get through this day. Getting out of my comfy bed to turn off the screaming alarm, I lazily trip over some askew wires that I'd forgotten to put away. It's mornings like these that I really question is any of it worth it, but nonetheless I stir up a bit of motivation and carry on.
  
Making my way towards the very compact kitchen of my apartment I begin to prepare my morning cup of coffee. It's Saturday I breathe, and while I typically enjoyed Saturdays, I was scheduled to work a double shift at a small shop that went by the name of ,"Melby's Thrift Shoppe."

Let me tell you a little something about Melby, the obvious owner. She was a gangsta, take no shit from nobody type of woman. She was colored with melanin and had a head full of grey locs that she likes to show off.

Thinking of Melby and her entirety, I began to remember when I had stumbled upon her petit store...

                          ••••

"Miss...miss. Where do you think you're going in a mighty storm like this?" The rain was hurtling down like a powerful cry. I could barely see anything, between the storm and my tears as well. I was badly cut from walking all day without a destination in mind.

"Child I mean no harm but it's mighty terrible out there, and so God help me if you don't get yourself inside this shop right now..." she practically yelled, I squinted. Who was she?

"Listen, I've got a bowl fulla stew how about we get you cleaned up and maybe just talk about it, whatever it is?" She didn't sound like she would hurt me, I slowly crept my way over to the strange woman.

"Now about that stew.." her voice sounded much more gentle than before.
                                
                                  ••••
   
That day I lost my mother, but it seemed like she had sent a guardian angel. I remember just walking, walking, walking and somehow accidentally ended up by Melby's. We ate stew and I told her everything, that was how I landed a job at the infamous Melby's Thrift Shoppe. She continues to be a blessing to me and when I'm down or having a bad day we will just sit in the back kitchen and talk and eat stew. Finding Melby was like finding a new reason to live, the store became my second home, my escape.

By now all earlier thoughts of slight agitation seemed to slither away. I was thankful for this job and I'm not about to go in with grumpy and unhappy because there is truly no other place I'd rather be at on a Saturday morning.