Heroines–the mentor and the mentee

My friend, at seventy-two, mentors a young black student who lives in a dangerous neighborhood in downtown Baltimore. She takes her, and sometimes of friend of the girl’s, to shows, dance recitals, all kind of cultural events. When driving her home recently, my friend was focused on her Ways, the audible map guide you can count on for not only giving you directions, but finding the least trafficked routes. One of the roads she was directed to was very narrow. From her peripheral vision, she saw lots of men in bandanas on each side of the street.

The girl, who has to face danger everyday in her neighborhood, said, “I’m scared. Those are gangs.”

My friend, still focused on trying to follow what Ways was telling her, said, “Oh, the Crips or the Bloods?”

“The Crips,” the girl said.

My friend continued on, safely getting both of them home.

Anyone recall the near-sighted Mr. MacGoo cartoon character who got into all kinds of danger because of his poor eyesight, but was always unscathed? My friend has perfect sight. It”s her mission, I believe, that protects her. And may it always.