Alicia (Pronounced /Ail-ee-see-a/)

Last week I was walking to the apartment to grab some lunch before my last few classes at I.E. when, as I walked, I saw many things and people and ate some chocolate I'd purchased from a lady selling them along the street (there are kiosk-y tiendas EVERYWHERE along all sidewalks).  On the second-to-last block, though, there was an older woman with, a cane and a small satchel, who unsuccessfully stopped the young man (he looked to be about mid-to-late teens, but no judgement; it was lunchtime, after all) walking in front of me and then made eye-contact with me.  I slipped a piece of chocolate in my mouth and wondered what in the world she was saying in such exasperated Spanish, but her gestures were clear that she needed help to go somewhere.

So, what was I to do, but let her slip her tiny arm through mine and adjust her weight to the nearest, then the second nearest pharmacy.  She talked the whole time and didn't seem to mind my limited knowledge of Spanish as she handed me the bag she was carrying.  Along the way, she mentioned how the first store wouldn't have what she needed because she checked there yesterday, but the second would [she hoped] carry the medication.

On the way back to her apartment (yes, we went the whole way--it turned out that she only lived roughly two blocks away from me), she told me of her time as a dance instructor--she LOVES meringue--and about how she lost her husband and son to cancer.  I'm not sure if she lived alone or with someone, but she was very much walking alone that day.  The only specific people she mentioned in her stories were her husband and son and she disregarded my question about living alone at the beginning of our journey.

In the end, Alicia reached into her pocket and I immediately protested any form of payment.  Hesitating ever so slightly, she proceeded to pull out a ragged piece of wrapped chocolate.  It was opened on one side from being in her pocket for some time, but it was something she'd intended for herself.  I couldn't refuse her as she extended it to me.  All-in-all, I'm glad I met Alicia that day.  She really made me refocus my day and I was glad to have been able to help accompany her on that errand.