Reflections - "From One Mother and Daughter to Another"

By Kristen Strobbe
At the corner of Madison and Dearborn, a mother and a daughter stood asking for money. A yellowed Starbucks coffee cup held outstretched, two small voices spilled out into the brisk evening air.

“Please spare some change to help me and my daughter,” the older woman said as her eyes moved to look a few inches to her left and at least four inches below.

The eyes finally settled on the young girl whose head reached her mother’s elbow. The girl didn’t respond and she didn’t look forward, she kept her head down and stared deep into the sidewalk at her feet, as if her shoes could somehow persuade the concrete to transport her to another time and place.

At the corner of Madison and Dearborn, a mother and daughter stopped mid-stride and took out their wallets. Balancing Macy’s bags and hefty purses on each arm, two small voices spilled out into the brisk evening air.

“Here you go,” the daughter said as she handed their money over to the homeless mother.

“God bless you,” the older woman said. “Thank you.”

There was a meek “You’re welcome” and the mother and daughter made a hasty retreat to the blue line subway station.

As my mother and I descended the stairs to the station, the sound of the street faded and the sound of the train leaving blocked out all secondary noise. But as the train moved farther and farther away, two small voices could still be heard.

“Please spare some change to help me and my daughter.”