A story with a slightly rough edge involving a natural woman and a younger female. Sensitive readers should consult the story tags if in doubt.
*****
Ruth Maxwell turned the key in the lock of her mailbox, aware of the presence of a kid in the apartment building lobby watching her. While the area she lived in was rather sketchy as far as crime went, at 5'8" and 180 pounds Ruth was quite capable of taking care of herself, and as she glanced over at the skinny blonde over by the wall wearing what looked like a track uniform, it was certain that with the reed thin arms and legs on the girl she posed no threat.
"Am I in your way sweetie?" Ruth asked as she extracted a stubborn flyer that seemed determined to stay in the mailbox.
"Me. Uh no," the lanky young lady mumbled. "I was just wondering. Are you a policewoman?"
Ruth straightened up as she closed and locked the box, prepared to offer a caustic reply to a remark similar to what she endured from jerks on a daily basis, but when she saw the sincere look on the kid's face she changed her mind.
"No sweetie," Ruth said with a hint of a grin as she tilted her badge towards her and said, "Parking authority."
"Oh. I'm sorry. When we were running earlier I saw you in an argument with a guy over on Madison Avenue. I thought there was going to be a fight."
"Nope, not this time," Ruth said as she moved towards the elevator, with what seemed like an admirer tracking her every step of the way.
"You moved in a couple of weeks ago didn't you? In Mrs. Quayle's old place? 321?'
"Don't know who was there before me, besides a cat that is, but that's me. 321," Ruth replied as she stepped into the elevator and pushed 3.
"I'm in 317," the girl responded as she timidly stuck out a hand. "Um. My name is Bethany Worth."
"Ruth Maxwell," she countered and took the moist hand in hers, making it disappear.
"I was kind of hoping you were a policewoman, because this building is getting bad. We had two break-ins last month, so I thought maybe if they thought there was a police officer living here that might make crooks think twice," Bethany said hopefully. "Took a few self defense classes last year but..."
"Couldn't hurt," Ruth offered, stifling a smirk at the thought of some junior high school kid trying to deal with a stoked up crackhead twice her size, because while Bethany was almost Ruth's height she must weigh next to nothing.
"You know Ms. Maxwell, if you ever need anything, I live at..."
"317. I remember," Ruth told the girl as she reached her door.
"It was nice meeting you Ms. Maxwell," Bethany said as Ruth stepped inside her apartment.
"I thought the landlord said this place was mostly adults," Ruth muttered to no one as she closed the door.
***
A couple of days later Ruth was writing up a car in a loading zone when a herd of girls ran past her, and she noticed a girl in the middle of the pack grin widely and wave to her. All long arms and legs like a group of preying mantis, they made quick time on their way down Washington Avenue.
This brief passing of ships in the night was the topic of conversation when Ruth ran into the kid down the hall once again when she arrived home, and they shared the elevator as Ruth's neighbor spoke of seeing her earlier that day.
"It's a small world, but you wouldn't want to paint it," Ruth quipped, and after the kid laughed like there was no tomorrow she noted, "Not mine. It's one of Steven Wright's."
"It was funny the way you said it Ms. Maxwell."
"Ruth is the name. If we're going to elevator pool regularly you might as well not make me feel ancient," Ruth explained, and as she watched the girl pull her golden brown hair back behind her shoulders she had to admit that the kid was cute and was going to be a heart breaker when she got older.
"Okay. Thank you Ruth," Bethany said excitedly. "Omigod. I'm a sweaty mess. Have you had to deal with maintanence here yet?"
"Nope."
"They're so slow. I put in a request for them to change this light bulb for me - not the light bulb because I can do that - but the little thing you unscrew to get the glass bowl cover part off? It's impossible to unscrew."
"Can't your folks do it?"
"Dad wouldn't drive up from Reading, Pennsylvania to change my light bulb," Bethany said. "Probably wouldn't even walk across the street to do it. Not on the best terms these days."
"Oh, I thought you lived with your folks," Ruth said.
"No. Just me."
"You live alone?" Ruth asked, finding herself getting familiar with someone despite herself, wondering how a kid could live by themselves.
"I am now," Bethany related, answering the question Ruth hadn't asked. "Me and Jill - well, Jill moved out."
"What school do you go to?" Ruth asked.
"SUNY."
"SUNY?" Ruth repeated. "I thought you had on a jersey from a high school when I saw you running?"
"Old stuff I wear sometimes. No, I'm a sophomore at SUNY."
"How old are you?"
"20. Well, 20 next month, and yes, I know I don't look it. That's why I never even try to get into bars."
"Live and learn," Ruth noted, and as she looked at her neighbor this time it was with different eyes. "Say, if you want I can take a look at that fixture if you want."
"Would you Ruth? Oh that would be great," Bethany gushed as she practically skipped down the hall and opened her door.
"I'll be right back down," Ruth said, wanting to drop off her mail and take her uniform shirt off.