One Saturday afternoon shortly after moving to my new city, I decided to go for a run hoping to find the new ‘Arts District’ located in an old three story warehouse. It was a sunny fall day and I wanted to take in a few things along the way. My first stop was the local historic hardware store on the square which was actually a gift shop. After browsing for a bit, I stopped at the checkout counter and asked the gentleman which route he suggested I take. I mentioned that I was on a run and asked if the Arts District was close enough to add to my route. He said sure and suggested I take the route under the freeway.
Off I go, cell phone in hand, with the GPS app telling me I had 1.5 miles to go. Easy enough….or so I thought. After submerging from the underpass, life began to look a little different. To my right I noticed a sketchy strip mall which consisted of fencing with barbed wire along the top. Hummmm …. Am I in the right place? A little further down is a housing complex that just didn’t feel quite right. As I get closer, I see two skantly clad women lingering on the corner and next to them are two men clearly exchanging more than just pleasantries. Yup, out comes a baggy and quick cash. At this point, I’m clearly thinking “I am lost”! Because no one would have suggested it safe for a single female to run to her desired destination through the projects!
Ok. Do I turn around and run back? I look behind me and several people who live in that area are walking my direction. As I cuss myself for getting into this situation, I am reminded of being 12 and getting my mouth washed out with a bar of Irish Spring. I make a quick dash into the H&R Block located in the strip mall. Thankfully, despite it being October, they were open. “Hello Miss, may we help you” the lady asks. “Yes, I am looking for the local Arts District that is supposedly close by”. She proceeds to say “We don’t have anything like that around here”. I retort, “Are you sure? My GPS says it’s off this street and the man at the hardware store sent me this way”. “It’s several stories high and in an old shoe factory”. She walks over to her co-worker and then comes back and tells me there is an old warehouse to the south of us a few blocks away. “That’s it!”, I gratefully reply.
Now at the time, I was training for a half marathon and reasoned this was THE moment to turn my pace into a sprint. I’m sure it looked like I was in a 100 meter dash but I could care less. All I wanted was to get to my destination safely.
While sprinting, I noticed the corner gas station was full of interesting characters lingering outside. A few of which threw out unwanted advances and noises. In my head I’m saying “Please let me come out of this unscathed”, all while cussing the guy at the hardware store who sent me this way ON FOOT! Finally, there’s the warehouse! Yes! Lots of cars! So in I go and am quite relieved. Except how was I going to get home? I sure wasn’t going to run back. I didn’t really have any friends in my new town, I only had my phone and no cash. I said a quick prayer and let the chips fall where they may. For some reason I started my tour on the 2nd floor, the most funky floor of all. After about 30 minutes I reach the end booth called Cre8tive Sistas’. These lovely sistas’ repurpose old jewelry, much of which was ‘steam punk’. They told me all about each of their specialities, stories about some of their pieces and how one (Jana) was a brave cancer warrior. It was here I got to know Jana and her sister Kathy (Valerie was out of state). They were both so sweet and funny not to mention creative! They asked what brought me here and I proceeded to tell them I was new to town, how I ran there and what happened along the way. Wide-eyed they both said “You ran here”!? “Uh, yeah and I’m nervous about running back”, I replied.
And here is where Jana became my good stranger. She insisted on taking me home when they closed, which was in another two hours. She didn’t know me from Adam yet she wanted to make sure that the new stranger in her town got home safely. So not only did I get to see all of the amazing galleries and displays that day but, at 5pm, Jana drove me home just as she promised.
A few weeks later I went to visit Jana and Kathy, as I still do from time to time. I purchased a ‘remembory’ (remember + memory) from them. A beautiful steam punk pendant that was made from the inside of an old watch. They explained that the little red gems inside are actually tiny garnets which help make a watch function. It was also my first purchase in my new town, which is often a conversation piece. And don’t you know, along with discussing my necklace goes the story of being rescued by Jana…. another of my good strangers. Thanks to her for being ‘a gem’.
Stay tuned next month to hear about my next good stranger, Appalachian Pete, while I was visiting Boone, NC!
