Freak Day

I ran (not literally) to the library this morning to pick up a book I had on hold. There was a woman standing outside near the door. She was probably in her 40's, thin, a little shorter than me; maybe about 5'5". She was dressed in jeans, a blue, button-up shirt, and white tennis shoes -- all very clean and neat. She was Asian and her hair was wavy and about shoulder-length, and she had wedged herself between a bench, the Book Return bins, a pole, and the wall. She was facing toward the wall and having an entire conversation, in a language I didn't understand, with someone who wasn't there. She was talking, and laughing, and gesturing...and there was no one near her. Nor did she have one of those small phones in her ear. It was just her and the wall. I went in, got my book, came back out & she was still in the corner yammering away.

I'm glad to know there are people that are gifted in knowing how to care for people like that. I confess; I am not one of them. People with mental problems freak me out. They're so unpredictable.

When I was little -- about 6 years old -- my family went to Chicago to visit family friends. They had a teenage daughter, Tammy, who volunteered (or was court-ordered to volunteer...not sure which) with a group of mentally retarded children. When we were there, they were taking these kids on a field trip to a park. For some odd reason, they sent me along with Tammy to "help out." I remember being quite uncomfortable sitting on the bus with all these kids who were making strange noises, when suddenly, out of the blue, the girl behind me -- who was a few years older than me -- lunges forward, grabs me around the neck and starts to choke me...laughing maniacally the whole time. It took three or four adults to pry that girl's hands off my neck -- so tight was her grip. I was terrified, and as you can imagine, it left an impression; these people could kill you! You just can't predict what they will do. Not that they're mean or malicious...I understood that right away. But my life has been spent avoiding those with serious mental disabilities. I kept my eye on that lady this morning as I walked past her into the library, and yet, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Where did she come from? This library isn't in the kind of neighborhood where you ever see people like that milling around. Where is her family? Should I do something...if so, what?

Like everyone else, I just walked on by and left her to converse with the wall. As I started up my car to leave, and took one last glance over at her, I saw a man walk out the door; in his 50's, tall, but hunched over. Thick black glasses and dark hair. He was wearing a windbreaker, knee-length plaid shorts, white knee-socks, and tan-colored tennis shoes. He got into a car with a sticker on the back window: Vulcan Science Academy*. I shook my head and thought It must be Freak Day at the library. And no one warned me.


* I am not equating Trekkies with those who have mental disabilities...but you have to admit..."Vulcan Science Academy"? That's a little odd.