A Moment of Kindness

She sat on the curb longer than she expected, staring at the restaurant door.

She felt smaller with every second that passed. She wondered when eating indoors became

something she had to earn. She didn’t notice the woman at first. She was too busy

wiping her tears with the sleeve of her hoodie. She heard footsteps stop in front of

her and a gentle voice speak. She looked up and saw a woman holding a phone and a warm

smile. She heard her say, “I saw everything. That wasn’t right.” She felt her throat

tighten as someone finally acknowledged her pain. She tried to stand up,

embarrassed, but her legs felt weak. She listened as the woman introduced