Ashen light...

I saw an old friend of mine yesterday.

I initially had no idea that it was her.

 As I got off of the bus

 She walked in front of me

 And into the local gas station.

I followed her in

I had funds to spend

I was so far from aggravation. 

And...

She turned

To look at me

And my heart skipped a beat

 Or three.

Her face was gaunt.

Her eyes hollowed.

Vicariously embarrassing.

I was embarrassed because she probably thought I judged her...

Little could she know, I thought of nothing but to hug her...

And...

She looked so broken down like no one ever loved her...

Swallowing her pride to pay her bills from under covers...

I could tell that the drugs

Had eaten away at her body...

I saw her leave that trap house months ago

While entering my lobby...

And...

I never imagined that shooting up was her hobby...

Or nose candy? I couldn't tell

A part of me 

 Died inside me... 

It hurt to see her in that sullen, ashen light.

She used to be a church girl

Back when we would ride our bikes

Around the blocks

And blocks 

And rocks

And clocks

And shots

And pots

And vacant parking lots...

Back when we washed cars to earn money for summer camp.

Before the streets swallowed her will and turned her into a haunted tramp...

I saw an old friend of mine yesterday...

I initially had no idea that it was her.

Had no idea that I would end up crying for how much that hurt.

I wish that I could change her self-image and boost her spiritual worth.

Undo all the habits that brought her to that dark place on earth...