The Chocolate Candy Woman wore glasses with card boards in each side that read: "50
Cents". She always had a black jacket on buttoned to her neck, and black
jeans. About 40, she was heavy, friendly, with a constant smile. As soon as she
checked out the action in the train, she put on the glasses and began to walk
the aisles offering the candy.
Every night
I ride the Los Angeles blue line to the green line, to my job in El Segundo.
The last car was crowded with bikes, baby carriages, recycling carts and people
sleeping, lying down, with bags and feet on seats. I noticed the regulars,
among them, a woman selling candy. This story is about her.
I have seen
her couple of times in the train, and in this day, I found her on my station. Her face was
bloody, she was agitated. Blood ran from her head, to her nose, and neck, over
her jacket, down to the ground. She said she was robbed. I heard the train
whistle. I had to go. The next night, I saw her again, this time she was
carrying a plastic container. Two teenagers entered the train selling large
bars of chocolate for a dollar. She moved out of their way. I saw no reaction
from either one. When they left, smiling, she put on her glasses and walked the
aisles.
The next day I saw her again, she smiled, I noticed her glasses were gone. She said: "Help me find my
son." I looked at her puzzled. She burst into a big laugh and asked me:
"Where are you from?", "Where are you going?". I told her I
was a New York Rican, and I worked the graveyard shift as a ghost writer on a 24/7 social
network named MySpace. Without any other reaction she said, "I want you to write about me".
As the train
moved on, they called the Artesia station. I knew then that I had miss my stop. I turned
to her but she was gone. I got out at the Del Amo train station, it seemed empty. Suddenly a
boy appeared in front of me, quietly, and asked me: "Have you seen my mother?"... She had glasses on with 50 cents signs." ... Then he walked closer to
me, and said: "My mother was robbed in Artesia three years ago. She had a
hidden spot here where she used to put the money. I came to meet her and found her on the ground
sleeping. I tried to wake her up, but I felt asleep too. When I woke up, she was
gone, and I have been looking for her ever since. Please help me find her. Have
you seen her?".
The train
arrived. I felt the boy presence sitting next to me, but I did no see him.
Nevertheless, I said, Yes, I've seen your mother, she is looking for you too. She loves you very much. My words were muffled by the whistles of the train. As
the train entered Artesia, I felt a pull to look out the window and I did, and
there were the two of them together standing in the platform. The boy and his mother. I
knocked at the wagon window, trying to get their attention to no avail, they did not look at me, and their figures disappeared as the train
speed up.
My stop was
next. I looked at the platform and saw them waving and smiling to me, but
vaguely visible. I smiled and waved back. Also closed my eyes and prayed, ("Que Dios los saque de
pena, y los lleve a descansar") That God takes them off of grief and carry
them to rest. And I felt their peace and I knew they were free. And I thanked God for enabling me to be their bridge. End - Maria Fadli
