TAKE TAXI TELEPHONE NUMBERS ALONG

Ed Howard, with the City RCMP Safe Communities met with our group last week. He gave printed handouts and warned not to wear dark clothing after dark like the woman last week who was hit by a car. I would never go out after dark, I told myself.

The phone rings. There has been a cancellation and would I like to take this 3:45 pm opening. I get there early to pay my bill and do the preliminaries. Tests are completed and the eye drops inserted and then a 15 minute wait to take before pictures can be taken and then it is closing time at 5 pm. One of the gracious employees opens the door for me and the lock clicks behind me. Still light but in about five minutes the curtain of darkness suddenly falls and the library has disappeared. I’ve walked to the library thousands of times and then up the steep hill to home. Now I am looking for a taxi or a telephone booth. They also have disappeared. I pass a school, it must be Seaton. The eye drops leave me partially blind in the dark and I cannot read the printed street signs. Huge stainless steel tanks loom up before me. That must be the brewery so I take a turn and head toward heavy traffic lights that suggests I might be near 30th Avenue that will guide me to downtown Safeway. The only clear markings are the “walk man” signs. I realize I am heading for Polson Mall. I meet a lady who wears a reflective cover and ask for help. If I can find downtown Safeway I will be okay, I say. This wonderful lady, on her way home from work says she always wears reflective clothing after dark. “Go l0 blocks that way,” she says as she points, “and then downhill and you will eventually see the Safeway sign.” I passed buildings with alcoves where dark figures lurked as they assessed the situation. They must have wondered who this strange woman was as I hurried on pulling my grocery cart. The brain must have called for an adrenal shot when my knees began to buckle. My fingers were so cold I couldn’t get my key in the door. My neighbour happened to drive in and helped. “Thank you,” all my guardian angels. Good lesson and always keep a taxi telephone number handy.