The Not-So-Perfect Start To Your Day | Freewrite: 1/26/24 | Prompt: A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Olivia slammed the received down and backed away from the phone booth. Moments later, she threw up her hands. The slip of paper she held floated to the ground. She stood motionless, then realized she needed the information contained within. Staring down, instead of retrieving the paper, she stumbled backward as if unsteady and about to faint. She braced herself to break the fall, then slowly stood upright, cursed loudly and stomped the paper several times with her foot.

Finished taking out her frustration on the paper, Olivia stared at the puffed clouds parading across the light blue sky. She squeezed her head between her hands, trying to thwart the headache.

On the other side of the phone booth behind a small section of bushes, Agnes Dupree entered a parking space and exited her car. She stopped instantly after noticing a young woman stumble and almost fall backward. She peeped from behind the bushes and watched, careful to stay hidden.

To Agnes, the young woman's movements resembled a praise dance with which she was familiar. She wanted to believe the first scenario; otherwise, her second assumption was intoxication. But, the travel center near where the young woman stood was her destination. And she was in a rush to purchase a ticket to her meeting. She couldn't wait for the young woman to leave nor concentrate on her problems.

The young woman was blocking access to the travel center. Agnes held onto the door of her car. Just in case she needed a quick retreat.

Hoping to make sense of the situation and whether the young woman was lucid, Agnes yelled in her direction, "is the travel center open and working?"

Olivia's mind was miles away on a situation that spilled over from the night before, so it took a few moments to regroup. Still trembling, she turned with tearful eyes in the direction of the voice.

Wiping her face, she caught hold of several leaves and separated the bush.

Agnes stepped through the small opening onto the sidewalk near the visitor's center. She noticed the young girl's tear-stained face. Clearly, she was distraught. Looking past that, the young lady appeared the age of her oldest daughter. Short in statue, plump with a lovely face, not an abundance of makeup, lovely hazel eyes, and neatly dressed.

"What's you name, young lady. Are you in trouble?" Agnes tried to hold eye contact, attempting to distract the young woman from whatever difficulty she was experiencing.

"I'm Olivia," was all she divulged.

Frowning, Agnes eased a few inches to her left. "Well, then, Olivia, I need to use the travel center, if you've completed your business." Agnes waited for Olivia to move aside, then stepped up into the booth and activated the video chat, all the while keeping an eye on her.

She watched as Olivia scoured the street in both directions, then start to leave. In an unexpected move, Olivia sank to the ground sobbing profusely, banging her head on the sidewalk.

Horrified, Agnes disconnected the video conference and rushed from the booth. Dropping her purse, she gathered Olivia to her breast, then helped her stand.

"I don't have a driver's license. I can't leave," Olivia offered in a broken voice.

"Leave from where?" Whatever troubles Olivia was going through, it ran much deeper than not having a driver's license, Agnes reasoned as she leaned her head to the side and stared into Olivia's face.

It was as if she alone. Olivia poured out her story in broken sentences, not many making sense. But Agnes listened until the end.

"A part-time job across town. They probably thinks I'm unreliable not showing up. But I'm locked out of my apartment. Silly argument. Didn't mean anything, though. Just silly. Finding another place to live will take time."

They must have looked extremely odd those two sitting on the sidewalk embracing. But Agnes cared not what others thought. Olivia obviously needed help. And the meeting would have to wait.

Agnes helped Olivia to her feet, then guided her toward her car. Inside, Olivia leaned her head back onto the headrest. She didn't think of her current situation sitting in a stranger's vehicle or that she didn't know the older lady.

"Is there anyone I can call to come take you home?" Agnes prayed that Olivia would response in the affirmative. Instead, she continued sobbing.

Agnes immediately put in two calls; one to her office; the other to one of her daughters, a social services professional. She was finally able to calm Olivia.

"Here is fifty dollars to purchase transit or whatever you need." It was the only way Agnes could think to help.

Thirty minutes later, Agnes' daughter arrived. She hurriedly explained what happened.

"Mom, I got this. I'll update you later. You're needed elsewhere."

Her daughter's words rang true. Yes, she was needed elsewhere, but she didn't want to leave.

Five minutes later, Agnes sat in her car pondering Olivia's situation.

Apparently Olivia's phone service was disconnected, so she couldn't alert her job that she would be arriving late. But being locked out of her apartment was another issue. A myriad of problems for one so young.

An unusual start to my day, Agnes thought. No matter how low you're feeling or think your issues are unsolvable, there is always another who's in a tougher situation. She prayed Olivia would find answers to her problems.

Attempting to restart her day, she exited her car and walked toward the travel center to purchase a ticket to her destination.

Welcome back to my freewrite prompt story for this week. The photo that is the subject of the story spoke to me about two centers that are available for public use. On any given day, numerous activities occur that the facilities are privy to.

Describe what you see.
A telephone booth sits next to a video travel center. Both are for the public's use. The telephone booth is partially hidden with grass grown up around the bottom half of the booth. Apparently, lawn maintenance is needed so that the booth is safe for the public. Behind the booths a parking lot or other facilities.

Describe what you feel.
Although the video travel center looks neat and secure, no one knows that may happen there since it's unattended.

Write a story or poem about what you think is going on. I leave with you my story for: A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words - 1/26/24.

^{Image used with permission of contest owner}