Once a Teacher...

“Do I know you from somewhere?”

I pretended to scan the tracks as if looking for my train to avoid the panhandler. She wasn't one of the regulars that worked the station, either busking or squatting behind a carefully lettered placard, proclaiming a willingness to “work for food.” Her fuchsia hair and darting eyes caught my attention as I had passed her by the ticket kiosk. This one must have jumped turnstile to follow me onto the platform.

I craned my neck to avoid her eyes as she bobbed in front of me. I tried to back away from the girl as she breathed a cloud of stale alcohol in my face. Where was a security guard when you needed one?

Finally, I looked straight at the girl, hoping to intimidate her into backing off. My heart stopped as I looked into her eyes. Despite the piercings and the smudged make-up, I knew that face.

“I was right,” she said, rolling her eyes in that practiced way of hers. “You still teaching, Mrs. Moore?”

I gulped and stood straighter. “Rachel,” I said, “Do your parents know where you are?”

Rachel snorted a laugh. “You think they care?”

“I bet they do, which says a lot more about them than it does about you,” I sighed. “Look, my train's coming, and I don't have anything for you.”

Rachel grabbed my arm as I stepped away. I started to pull my arm away from her when I saw the tears in her eyes.

“Look, you were right,” she stammered. “You tried to warn me. I don't know what to do.”

I looked at train as it pulled into the station and then back at the tears on Rachel's cheeks. Work would have to wait today.

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