Mac Taylor couldn't shake off the thought of this homeless woman he had encountered on the streets of Michael City in various neighborhoods over the years.
Having gone on a date with Aubrey Hunter, he and Aubrey were walking home to Mac's apartment on the city's west side after seeing the Michael City Pachyderms who suffered a 13-24 loss to Carmenapolis two hours ago. Both being lifelong fans of the team, Aubrey was clearly glum over the loss, both were walking home along a residential street on the city's south side, which was far less impoverished and much safer than where Mac had encountered the homeless woman several times, weeks earlier, several miles north.
"Mac, can you believe they could lose a game like that? I mean, they scored ten points in the first two minutes of the game, but then completely gave up that many points to the Outlaws? What the hell is that all about?" Aubrey ranted, politely and quietly.
However, Mac completely missed what Hunter was saying, as he was having flashbacks of the homeless woman he encountered numerous times, including actually even in his own backyard, stealing several tomatoes from his backyard lawn over a month ago.
The scenes, those images, of one of her vivid eyes just barely visible from a poorly lit space between apartment buildings, the way she looked at him, a combination of fear, yearning, anger, suspicion, the lack of words coming from her, it was one of many times Mac had encountered this homeless woman.
Having been assigned to patrolling the neighborhood, their paths crossed several times over the two years since Mac himself had gotten off the streets after six months without a home. He couldn't help but remember seeing Stella when they were both at a homeless shelter in May of 1994.
"Mac? Mac? Are you listening?" Aubrey raised her voiced, flustered that she saw Mac, almost completely oblivious to her talking. Mac suddenly snapped back to reality and shook his head. "Sorry Aubrey. Something just came over me." Mac said, slightly embarrassed.
