Don't Judge the Hag!

Jack looked on as his friends stood around discussing the appearance, smell and misfortunes of the homeless woman who sat on the park bench not far to the right. She was almost certainly within hearing distance; she definitely knew what people said about her. She was the most famous person in their small town - but not for good reason.
The woman had matted grey hair, far less teeth than she ought to and clothes that were so dirty and tattered that the only place they belonged was the dump. The smell coming off her could make small children gag and she kept her belongings in various supermarket bags.

"Look! Even that dog turned his nose up at her!" said one of Jack's friends.

"What say you Jack?" said another

Jack sighed, knowing all the things he'd said before. "To be honest, I don't think we should judge her anymore," he said.

All his friends hunched over laughing, "says you! What's got into you? You're always the first to comment," Jack's oldest friend said in shock.

*****

Three days before, Jack had found himself sitting on the woman's bench; he had a cold so her smell didn't bother him. He was feeling miserable so he'd sat down to gather his thoughts.

"Looks like you need some vitamin C and D, and need to stop being so hard on yourself, love," the woman said quietly.

"Yeah... righto Miss," Jack said, trying to suppress a laugh.

The woman shrugged, "that's my advice, take it or leave it. Just being friendly like."

Jack was ever so slightly taken a back but stuck to his guns: "and that advice comes from where? Loony town?"

"Ahh yes, I am aware that you are one of those who thinks you know me; who thinks I have always been like this."

"Well... uh, you have, haven't you? For as long as I can remember you've been an old hag!"

"What's your name, kid?" the woman said, a slight smile forming on her lips.

"Jack!" he was getting grumpy now. Well, even more than he was.

"Hello Jack. I'm Dr. Emma Clarkson"

"Doctor?" Jack was laughing now, "as if!"

"Double Doctor actually. I have a PhD and I'm a fully qualified medical Doctor too. So, I think you'll find that my advice is rather well founded."

Jack had absolutely no idea what to say in response to this revelation. So, he just sat and stared for what felt like an eternity.

"Shall I tell you my story?" Emma asked quietly. All Jack could do was nod eagerly.

So, Emma told Jack the story of her life: how she did well at school and was the youngest PhD student at Oxford, how she studied to be a medical Dr at the same time because she loved to be challenged. Emma told how she'd married her childhood sweetheart, how she became a hospital chief of medicine within just a few years and how she adored life. Then she told how she had miscarried and drunk too much gin to mask her pain. She was caught drinking at work.

Emma lost her baby, her job, her husband, her home and her life within seventy-two hours!

"And so... here I sit," Emma sighed finally.

*****

Back in the park with his friends, Jack looked at Emma with admiration and sadness. He then turned to his friends and said:

"Don't judge her; talk to her. That woman is more incredible than you could imagine."