Helen

It's the odd, quirky, and unexplainable things in life that leave indelible marks. In music, the songs with nonsense lyrics are always remembered. Or a note, cleverly placed, but signature to the artist, will stay with you forever. This holds true to people as well. Thousands of people pass by you every day, but only a chosen few will last. They are usually the odd ones.

This is a tribute to Helen; a woman stricken with dementia, senility, or most likely both. As a bank teller, I meet people every day ranging from practicing attorneys to meth-heads. Helen, to me, is a constant source of frustrating entertainment. Her appearance is greeted by a grimace of impatience and a silent chuckle in the back of your head.

Each morning Helen stumbles down the street, being towed, or towing her miniature dog Gizmo 2 (Gizmo the Original died in a tragic 'being-towed-around-town-too-much' related incident).

Things that make Helen different from you and me:

1) 90 years old.
2) Prone to wear nightgowns underneath her overcoat.
3) Makes trips to town for the SOLE purpose of taking our free cookies. Every day.
4) Has been told numerous (seriously, like a hundred) times to only take one cookie.
5) Takes 5-6 cookies.
6) Smears red lipstick on her face like Steve Buscemi's character in Happy Gilmore.
7) Blows her nose on a scrap of tissue, right above the cookies.
8) Only one cookie damnit!
9) Sometimes comes up to my window, puts her hands on the shelf, sighs out of fatigue like Sisyphus, and says the same thing every time "You guys should really have a bench in here." It's like freakin' Grounhog Day.
10) There are two couches and a love seat in our waiting area.
11) 'Forgets' not to bring Gizmo 2 inside, who has peed, many times on the trashcan.

Indelible.
I now work at a new 'Helen-Free' facility in another part of town. And as much as I bitched about her as I worked there, always swearing under my breath when she walked in and then laughing out of sheer resignation when she left, I will never forget her. For better or for worse.