Homeless Sara

Thursday morning came bright and glorious and oh so inviting. I just had to get out for a nice long walk. So I did, and on the way home, stopped and got some pork chops and potatoes for dinner. About a block or two from my apartment I realized I had no keys with me. No way of getting in. No problem, I thought, Matthew works just a few blocks away, I'll run down to his office and get his keys.

I dropped my backpack of food in a bush by our front door and walked down the hill. I called Matt's cell phone but no answer. I continued my walk and when I got a little closer I called the office phone and found out that Matt was in a client meeting. Dang it. I failed to ask how long this meeting would last so I just figured it would take a few minutes. So I wandered around downtown Wenatch waiting for Matt to call back.

When I left the house originally it was morning and still sweats appropriate. Sweats and no makeup I should say. But as I wandered around downtown Wenatchee, passing working professionals, I realized that by late morning I should now be more appropriately made up for the day. To make matters worse I left my wallet in my abandoned backpack (I like to travel as light as humanly possible) so I had no way of going into a store to have a cup of cocoa while I waited. I'm more or less feeling like a vagabond but thankful the morning is cold and bright. Cold, because then my pork chops won't go bad; and bright, because who likes to wander around in dreary, wet weather?

To pass the time, with cocoa out of the question, I called my mother to relate my sad tale and to make her morning. She has gotten herself into similar predicaments and I knew her heart would be lightened to know she's not alone. She told me to hope there were no stray dogs roaming the neighborhood because they would surely smell the meet and tear through the backpack to get what they wanted. Great. I hadn't been worried before but now I felt paranoid. I HAD seen two dogs out and about when I left that morning. Maybe they were still around hours later just waiting to snatch a free meal.

I forced myself sane again and called a college friend of mine I hadn't talked to in a really long time. After about an hour and a half of waiting for Matt to call back, I started getting antsy and said goodbye to Aubrey so I could call Matt again. Still no luck. By this time it's 11:50 and I'm thinking, well, it's almost lunch time, he'll be out soon. So I called work and answered some questions for my manager. Now it's 12:03. I call again. Where is this kid? In my growing desperation I call the office again, this time talking to the partner's wife who works as the office manager. She tells me Matt is still in his meeting but to just come up. "No thanks," I say, "I'm dressed like a homeless person, I really don't think you want me to come in." She tracks down my lovely husband who tells me he will be leaving soon. Thanks be to heaven.

So we finally got home, backpack still in tact, meat still nice and cold, Matthew thankful no one has died, and Sara with another lesson learned. Always frisk myself before I leave to make sure I've got my keys on me. That or get another key made to hide somewhere close by.