Helen captured my heart from the moment I saw her. Several months ago while exploring an area in midtown Manhattan, a woman with red horns on her head and multiple suitcases in a wide open basketball court immediately got my attention. Her clothes and open suitcases were spread out as if she was taking inventory. And of course, I immediately wanted to photograph her. Walking around the basketball court, trying to determine the best approach, all it took was for our eyes to meet. Assuming she was a woman of the streets, I wanted to take my time to make sure she felt comfortable with me. Once we made eye contact and several photographs had been captured of nothing around the court, I eased my way towards her. As they say…the rest was history. She immediately trusted me unconditionally.
Meet Helen…only I quickly nicknamed her Horny Helen within five minutes of chatting …the name fit her perfectly. It took no time to realize that perhaps there was a touch of instability involved. But she was clean and without odor which was a welcome relief and very rare in comparison to others I’ve encountered. She was funny, often hilarious, yet gentle and oh so full of conversation. Only a few times did her voice fluctuate into rants, but even then it was only momentarily until her “inside” voice came back in control. I found her fascinating.
We chatted about careers and she was intrigued when she learned I was raised on a farm in Virginia. (I really do think that was the final clincher for her trusting me and sharing so much.) Anyway, she talked about her life as a daughter, a mother, a professor, an owner of a realty company in Florida…pulling out various identifications to support her claims. I found her photos on her I.D. cards to be even more fascinating. Her hero? Homer Simpson. Stickers everywhere…on her papers, suitcases, you name it.
But her main topic of conversation was being a lover. Some of the conversation I understood and some I didn’t. There had been a man involved…that much I understood. Perhaps that was her demise? Don’t know. I didn’t ask many questions, just let her talk and she loved that I was there to listen. Preparing to leave I will never ever forget her saying as she rambled on about her love life…“Honey, I grew up when a tampon was an erotic instrument.” Cracking up, I went on my way…hoping for another encounter one day. I have returned to the area a couple of times with no sign of Horny Helen…but I’ll keep looking and hoping that our paths will cross again one day.
p.s. Yes, I’m still in Arizona…just needed a little down time to learn how to compose triptychs! Yeah! Success!
p.s.s. If you happen to be some creep out there…before you even try to enlarge Helen’s identification cards for her personal information…know that I’ve already blurred out anything of importance!
Fascinating! Your story reminds of some missionary work I did several years ago in some small villages in SW Mexico. Although I tend to be an introvert, I do love working with people. May God bless Helen’s path until you meet again.
I love your story & pics. Did Helen happen to say why she was homeless?
My assumption (because I didn’t want to ask her) is she’s homeless today because of a bad marriage and greedy family members. But only an assumption. Thanks for stopping by!
And what a fabulous triptych it is! BRAVA. I think you could write a book about all the fascinating people you have met since your retirement, Ms. Robin. I would buy it on the spot, especially since I already know why people trust you!
What an amazing character. Funnily enough, I was host to a man who had just been plucked from homelessness over the recent holidays, and his story was also fasinating and full of life. Once people open up to you they always amaze. Mind you they have to open up to themselves first, and many of us find that quite hard.
Wonderful, moving, story. I pray daily for all the “Horny Hellen’s” of the world. XXOO & MORE! GH
I have seen you in action with people, they trust you, and you take some great pictures of them.
Amazing how many ‘stories’ are walking around, every where.
Enjoy your time in Arizona 🙂
She’s so sweet! Sounds like a sad story behind all that, but telling from the pictures, she feels fine.
Great story! Wonderful images, too!
Bless you for listening to Helen when I am sure most of us would not have given her even a glance 🙂
A truly compassionate and wonderful post. Just goes to show – we all have our stories. So beautiful of you to have listened!!!
Love the story about Helen and that you took the time to talk to her.We tend to forget that homeless people were not always homeless …but that they had families,they loved and were loved etc. I recently read a book ” Glass Castle ” by Jeanette Walls. She writes about her parents life on the streets….
Love this post! Your wonderful images and beautiful narrative are a poignant reminder that everyone has a story, even a woman wearing horns, sitting in a city basketball court, surrounded by her suitcases. God Bless Helen, wherever she may be.
Thanks everyone for commenting on Helen. I can’t wait to find her again. Interesting a week or so later I found her the perfect MAN, but didn’t have time to converse with him as I was on my way to an appointment.