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so I left my apartment this morning to head for the train station and go to work. I was bundled up with some warm layers complete with gloves and hat because it's been pretty cold over the past few days. in fact yesterday it only got above freezing for a few hours which may be no big deal up north but it's quite cold to those of us who dwell in the south.
I went out the front gate of my building, a little three story brick apartment building with a courtyard in the middle. it's somewhat rundown but it's in a decent neighborhood right in the middle of midtown about two blocks from Piedmont Park so I enjoy living there in spite of it's shabby appearance.
I crossed the street in front of my building heading for Art Center station and started walking down Crescent Avenue. right at the corner there's a two story building with a Spanish restaurant and some sort of night club/lounge in the basement. now on a cold Saturday morning there was no bouncer waiting to check the I.D.s of arriving club patrons at the entrance alcove to the basement level lounge but rather a woman huddled in the corner on the bare pavement, woefully under dressed for the cold weather.
as I passed and took notice of her she as well took notice of me and said something that sounded like "baskets" or maybe she said "bastards". I couldn't quite make it out as I hurried on my way to the train station and wondered for a moment if she had been addressing me or if she was thinking out loud.
I looked at my warmly dressed reflection in the windows of a building as I walked along thinking that she must be cold in her thin sweat shirt and sweat pants out here but that there was little I could do at the moment and besides I had to make it to work on time. then it occurred to me that I did have an opportunity to perhaps afford her some comfort if I had thought of it when I first saw her. I did have an old surplus French army jacket in my coat closet that I seldom wear these days and if I had thought of it I would have had time to hurry back and get it and give it to the woman before going on to the station.
I had bought the hooded green jacket at least 9 years ago. it wasn't really all that warm but it was long, going down to my knees, and it was durably made with a thick canvas-like material and it had the words "Armée Française" written in black across one of the shoulders. I had thought it was an interesting find at the time but I've seldom worn it in the years since. but perhaps it could have added some measure of added protection for the person who I had seen in that alcove.
I knew I wasn't going to go back for it at this point though as I was about halfway to the station and I had my work responsibilities to meet. I know I'll keep the jacket in mind though if I see a person in need again.
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