Musings on a Gray Day

December 15, 2008

I drove to my office a little while ago.  Kip is with me because it’s his turn to be the office dog.  Today we are having winter.  The gray sky is only a couple of inches above the ground and stray snowflakes are starting to fall.  There’s a breeze, and it is cold outside.

When we turned west onto one of the more traveled streets near my home, I saw a little girl — perhaps eight years old — walking east.  There is an elementary school about six blocks away.  She was wearing a pink hoodie and gray knit shorts with tennis shoes and thin socks.  But it’s so cold!  I pulled over and asked her if I could give her a ride to school.  She was well-taught and wouldn’t accept a ride even from a nice older woman (me) with one of the cutest dogs in the world (that’s Kip) wagging frantically.

I’m going to stop by the school a little later and see if the principal knows who she is.  If I can find out her size, I hope she would accept some long pants and warm socks. I am so sad.  I know she’s not the only child in our City who is going without basic needs: warm shelter, food, warm clothing.  I also fear that things will be much worse before they are better.


  1. Emily says:

    You have such a big heart Penni! If only everyone were as thoughtful as you are.

  2. Ariel says:

    Isn’t it sad we can’t offer nice things to people without them being suspicions? Hell… I have to teach my own kid not to do that too and that makes me SAD! Because I KNOW there are good people out there… but it’s that one REALLY bad person who ruins it all….
    There are so so many kids who need more than they get- there is a little girl in Emma’s preschool class who is a foster child- her foster mom is a neat lady- and the little girl came running up to me and said “My foster mom bought me A NEW COAT! I’ve never had a new coat of my very own before!” She was SO happy. Poor little child has been through hell and I hope life gets better for her…When I first saw her her face was COVERED in bruises. I hope they don’t send her back to her family…

  3. Kathleen says:

    What a great way to help that little girl. I’ll be the principal knows who she is. This is one year when a lot of adults and kids will go without. I am so thankful that we are not in that position; not rich but happy and warm.