Urban Thought Collective

When did we become such a cold-hearted community? When did it get to be ok for a woman to stand on the corner, in broad daylight during the morning rush with her pants down at her ankles, and nobody says a word? It was early one morning during the normal hustle and bustle. Everyone is practically running each other over at a downtown train station trying to make it to work. Those who had a few extra minutes scurried across the street to stand in the ridiculously long line at McDonald’s, while others criss-crossed in front of cars and buses hoping to punch in on time. I was in the same morning trance, oblivious to the people around me and totally focusing on getting to work before my boss pulls up.

Then I saw her. She is what southerners call a “redbone.” I don’t think she was over 30 years old, and she was standing on the corner looking perplexed. One elbow was pointed to the sky with her hand engulfed in a dusty looking Afro, scratching her head. The other hand was scratching her bottom, which was hidden behind her white panties for the entire world to see. She stood in front of the board that holds the bus schedule. It was as if she was figuring out which way to go. She glanced at the board, then at the crowd scurrying around her. She looked at the schedule again, then the people, all the while still scratching her head. She looked like she needed help. Not just because she was standing on the street wearing a blue hoodie with her blue jeans resting around her ankles. She looked as if she didn’t know where to go or what to do. She needed direction, and all of us who were busy on our journey- who had somewhere to go, looked at her and did nothing.

I include myself. Even with the sympathy I had for her, and the anger I had for those laughing and gawking, I didn’t say anything to her. Instead, I punked out, found an attendant, and asked them to help her.

Why was I scared to say something to her? She wasn’t loud, shouting obscenities, cursing those around her or banishing us to hell like some “crazy” folks you see. She was simply lost. Lost, like so many of us get when we make one wrong turn on our life path, or one bad choice.

I wondered what it would take. I mean, how bad does it have to be before I open my mouth and offer help to someone in need? I can’t get the look on her face out of my mind. It makes me understand what a blessing it is to have a sense of direction, in life and otherwise. Even if I don’t know where I’m going, I always trust that I’m being led by a higher Power, and therefore I am never off my path.

By the time I got back from finding help, she was gone. I remember my mother telling me that angels sometimes come to us in human form to test us. Before, I used to be concerned with whether I passed or failed. Not anymore. This was a reminder for me to do more next time. Next time.

Unfortunately, there are so many walking among us lost.

I’m dreaming one day that if I have the answer, I will have the courage to point someone in the right direction.

Envisioning you with much love, light and fulfillment. See you next week.

Yaminah Ahmad is editor-in-chief of The Atlanta Voice and contributing editor to Collective Voices, a newspaper published by the non-profit, SisterSong: Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective. She can be reached at missyaminah@gmail.com.