There's this woman.
She's thin
black bags under her eyes
a sallow complexion
wearing what I always see her wear
jeans and a blue jumper.
A young woman
looks like she's from a chaotic upbringing
living a chaotic existence
who's seen too much of the worst of life
lives in a council house
next door gardens piled high with junk
an existence on the edge
three kids from two fathers
a pillar to post life-style
a regular at the food-bank
she only has money when he gives her some
a debit card that often declines
drives a run-down twenty year old car
five pounds for petrol
five pounds for something unhealthy to keep the kids quiet - for now
her mother was a drug taker
had no time for her - always chasing the next fix
and died from an overdose
leaving her with her kids
and the small-time drug dealer she lives with
in a drug related environment
deals at the front door
drug paraphernalia on the streets outside
I'm pretty sure she dabbles in it
it looks like she's heading down the same route as her mother.
...or
She's a hard working young mum
working to pay the rent and feed the kids
The black bags under her eyes are from dashing between 3 part-time jobs
kids and their school
after-school-clubs
and parent evenings.
The twenty year old car runs well
her Dad bought it for her and looks after it as he is a mechanic
The kids are fed properly
it's a priority of hers
that's why she only puts a fiver a time in the fuel tank.
She is caring and has a kind heart
She wanted to be a nurse
but got pregnant in her late teens.
Being a single parent
she's always rushing round
no time for herself
no time for her own clothes
her appearance
the correct food for herself - it's the kids first
she wants to go back to college to resurrect her dreams
but Dad's not capable of looking after the kids because of his job
so who will?
She's had to put those dreams on hold for now.
One these two
is what I think her situation is.
