It was a sunny day with a cool spring breeze
When I saw her in the shade, under the trees
She looked old but her eyes were young
I had a feeling she was the one
I took out my piece of paper with my note
And took out my ID from my coat
“Hello Jill, that is your name?”
She looked at me with eyes of pain
“Who are you? You the police?”
“What I done to you, except get p!ssed”
I smiled and said “ My names Matt, I had a call”
“I am a social worker from the Town Hall”
“Someone phoned said you had run away”
“Said you needed some help, to find a place to stay”
She turned away “I don't want your help mate”
“I am an adult, and can chose my own fate”
“Mind if I sit down?” I said
She moved up and I sat down, and shock my head
“Listen Jill, I am not the cops, I am here for you”
“We'll have a chat and then you can chose what to do”
I asked her about her day
And she told me why she ran away
A history of abuse physical and sexual
Said she took too many drugs that turned her mental
Said she sits here now, and drinks into tomorrow
Lives by begging and what she can borrow
And as I sat, and listened to her tale
She said she was once married and had a baby girl
I asked if her name was Sue and she said, “How you know?”
And reached into my pockets and took out a photo
“You see Jill, it was Sue that phoned me”
“Said that her dad told her that you'd split up in 93”
“Sue has passed this bench every day”
“But was too scared to know what to say”
The clouds began to cluster and the sun was gone
As Jill cried and said, “what have I done so wrong?”
My hand touched her arm and I said it was ok
As I gave her daughters number, and then walked away.
