Her Lil' Neighborhood

She had seen the neighborhood change more often than the batteries in her smoke detector. A reminder to change the batteries in the non-stop beeping piece of crap plastic.

People came and went. Some got sick, some moved for college, some just plain died. New people came and went too. Some stayed a while, and some split after a week. It wasn’t the best neighborhood around, but it was her neighborhood and she made sure everyone knew it.

She liked to spend her time outdoors, which was code for people-watching.

Some folks kept their curtains drawn unashamed of their riches, while some never exposed the sad scenes within. Some strolled down the street as if they owned it, while some hopped from shadow to shadow, afraid of existing in the light.

She was the perfect medium, the silver lining between it all; just like her hair. She’d rebraid her silver strands each morning, making sure no hair strayed from the thick bunch. Though it was beyond her how an hour later each strand already frayed in a different direction.

But back to people-watching…

She liked to keep an eye on things, and on people. Her neighborhood had seen quite a few aggressive characters over the years, and she had made it her mission to fight for the voiceless. Especially with the increase in incidents.

She could never forget Lily, the first beaten down soul who knocked on her door for help. Decorated with a busted lip and a growing bruise on her cheek contrasting with her pale face, she had asked for refuge for her four year old daughter. “Just for a few hours, so I can tidy up while he sleeps” she had begged.

Immediately agreeing, she brought in the sleepy child and laid her to rest on her plush couch. She draped her with the knitted blanket and tucked her in tight, as if to protect her from any harm, though there would be none in this home.

Lily, refusing to stay for even a cup of tea, left in a hurry back to her apartment; back straight, face hardened, ready for the battle ahead.

She had seen the neighborhood change yet again. A darkness had settled between the bricks and flickering street lamps. She could taste it in the polluted air and see it in the hunched shoulders of her broken-down neighbors. And as this was her neighborhood, she had decided to do something. She would just have to be cunning about it.

Luckily, most folks paid no mind to the old lady. Which suited her just fine. It helped her get the neighborhood cleanup underway a lot easier.

~

The pounding on the door came as she knew it would at some point. It started out as slow calculated thuds, but after a few seconds without movement, the knocking picked up the pace. She decided it was useless to open the door, knowing that by the time she reached it from her comfy position, that they’d probably bust it open anyhow. So she let them.

The door busted open aggressively to at least six SWAT agents streaming in; which seemed comical as it was unlocked in the first place. She remained in her armchair, raising an eyebrow at the unnecessary ruckus. “Did you need something boys?”

“How about a quick and easy confession to the eleven murders over the last year Mrs., it’d make this go a lot faster”

“It’s ‘Ms.’ first of all. And second, it’s not my fault you couldn’t do your jobs better and protect the women of this neighborhood.” She shrugged casually as they lifted her from her comfortable seating and put her arms behind her, cuffing them tight.

“I have to say, you boys are pretty slow sometimes, and that’s coming from an ol’ lady like me.” Chuckling away, they escorted her out of the neighborhood and into the cop car awaiting her arrival. At least Lily was safe. At least all those women and their children were out of danger. At least someone had done something. At least someone looked out for the neighborhood.