Part 1 of this story is here

The new girl and the question were unexpected, so it took me a moment to realize what she was asking about, but when I did, I had a moment of panic. 

TROY
Oh. That over there? You saw that?

CAR GIRL
Yes. I was driving home from work and saw the two of you on the corner. I couldn’t figure out what was going on but it looked a bit off, so I pulled over to watch.

A bit of context on the scene. I’m a 52-year-old guy. The bloody girl was maybe 20. I’d put the girl in the car at maybe 25. She pulled up next to me as I was crossing the neighborhood street and was talking to me through her rolled-down window. 

TROY
Yes. I’m sure it looked a bit odd.

CAR GIRL
It did. So, what was that? 

TROY
Honestly, I’m not sure. 

CAR GIRL
You don’t know that girl?

TROY
No, I just ran into her five minutes ago. I was walking home from dinner over there at the Moot House. And this crying, yelling girl walked by me. I planned on ignoring her but then I saw she was all cut up and thought she might need some help. 

CAR GIRL
What happened to her?

TROY
I don’t know. She says she doesn't know either. But she's a mess with all sorts of cuts and scrapes.

CAR GIRL
So what happened? Why’d she run away?

TROY
I don’t know. Some guy kept calling her and making her upset. I talked to one of her friends who is supposed to be coming here to pick her up. 

CAR GIRL
I saw that—you talking on her phone. 

TROY
When she took off running I almost started chasing her, because the person picking her up is coming to this spot, but then thought that might not look too good. 

CAR GIRL
Yeah, probably not. I think I might go try to find her and see if I can help. 

TROY
I think that would be good. If you do find her I’d bring her back here because this is where her friend is supposed to get her. 

CAR GIRL
Will do. 

TROY
Good luck. I hope you find her and can help her more than I did. 

With this, her car moved on, turning onto the street the girl ran down. I resumed my walk back to my place. The oddity of the scene kept playing through my head, and I really hoped this new girl might find the first girl and get her some help. After about five minutes or so, the car girl pulled up next to me again. 

CAR GIRL
Have you seen her?

TROY
No. You didn't?

CAR GIRL
No. I don’t know where she could have gone. 

TROY
Hmm. I don’t know this neighborhood, so I’m afraid I can’t help. 

CAR GIRL
Well I’ll make another round and see if she pops up. You wanna come with and help me look?

I’m not a super-worldly guy. And you know how they say some people have book smarts and some people have street smarts? Well, I’m one of those rare creatures who don’t really have either of them. All of my successes have come from me just not leaving a situation, and people just kinda give up on hoping I’ll go away. 

Before I could answer, she turned to the passenger seat and started throwing the mess into the backseat—it was not a very tidy car. While she was doing that my mind tried to do the math on the moment. The car girl seemed totally innocuous and was wearing what looked to be medical scrubs—she did say she was coming home from work. But my mind drew a picture of an elaborate scam that involved (a) a bloody girl that happens by an unsuspecting stranger and then (b) a young innocent that is trying to help girl A. While the nurse’s uniform should help, it made me think how that would mean she had access to hospital drugs, and my mind flashed an image of a syringe being plunged into my thigh. I was pulled out of my stupor by the girl. 

CAR GIRL
I’m sorry it’s so messy. I keep saying I’ll clean it this weekend, but this weekend never seems to come. 

TROY (I walk around the car and get in)
Oh. It’s not a worry. It reminds of my daughter’s car. I’ll feel at home. 

CAR GIRL
How old is your daughter?

TROY
Just turned 21. 

CAR GIRL
Congratulations. 

TROY
Thanks. I think she’d like you. Kind people are her favorite people. Which I gotta say it is pretty great of you making time to try to help this girl. Not many people would give the effort. 

CAR GIRL
Well, let’s just say she might remind me of myself a few years back. 

TROY
What! You? You look all polished and professional in your nurse’s uniform. 

CAR GIRL
I’m a dental hygienist but before cleaning teeth I might have had a few rough years. Lot of bad decisions that could have gone either way. Some people helped me so I figure I should probably try to do the same if given the chance. 

This congenial conversation went on while we slowly trolled the streets, each looking out of our respective windows while we talked. If not for her light blue scrubs and my white t-shirt and hiking shorts, we may have looked like a couple of beat cops on patrol. After circling the neighborhood a few times, she stopped the car. 

CAR GIRL
Well, I don’t know where she went. 

TROY
Yeah, pretty mysterious. She just seemed to vanish. I hope she’s ok. 

CAR GIRL
Me too. So are you close to here? Can you walk?

TROY
Honestly, I just checked into this airBnb a few hours ago and don’t know where it is and fact is I’m not really sure where I am. 

CAR GIRL
Well, we couldn’t find our girl, but perhaps we can find your house and end the night with a success. 

And find it we did. As I stood at the open car door and we exchanged our final pleasantries, I felt an odd kinship to this young woman.  I have the sense she may have felt the same. At the least we shared a unique experience. I gave her a final wave, shut her door and she drove down the street ending what proved to be the most unexpected and memorable moment of my ten days in my hometown. 

After having some time to reflect on what happened there, I need to give huge credit to the car girl for having the courage to step into that situation and challenge what was happening. Seems right and not huge in hindsight but when you consider she had no idea who I was or what truly happened there, I'd say she displayed a whole lot of bravery. Good on you car girl! And I was right, I know my Bella would very much like her.

Granted, had she plunged a loaded syringe into my thigh and I woke up bound in some farmhouse basement, I reckon that might have made my memorable moments list, too.