Cole: Invisible
Chapter 6
Tina Cole slipped between the aisles of the grocery store without hardly being noticed. She was a girl of 19 years in ragged clothing and a generally disheveled look. She watched people.
She swiped a package of turkey and slipped it under her sweater. Then she waited until no one was looking. Until everyone was occupied. They were all always too busy to notice her.
Tina snatched a loaf of bread from the shelf and tossed it onto the bottom rack of a shopping cart that was being pushed out of the story. The woman pushing the cart had not even noticed.
Tina coolly walked out of the story. The woman was unloading her cart into the back of her gas-guzzling SUV when Tina saw her opportunity. She grabbed the loaf of bread from under the cart and took off.
She walked around the corner and sat down by the wall of the store. She cracked open her bread and turkey and feasted. Food was hard enough for her to come by. This was unbelievable. She had never tried a theft so bold before.
Tina heard footsteps moving quickly and keys jingling. She clutched her new food and started to stand up when a short, stocky woman shouted at her.
Robin Washington turned to the police officer who she was leading and pointed to Tina as the girl took off. The officer chased after her.
Tina ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She thought no one was watching. As she ran, she contemplated turning back if for no other reason than to meet the woman who actually noticed her — regardless of her now criminal status.
Suddenly another officer on foot cut her off and shoved her into some bushes. She didn’t struggle. She was handcuffed and led into the back seat of a police cruiser.
At least she got to eat, she thought.
Tina sat in the police station for hours. Even as a criminal no one noticed her. It wasn’t like she was desperate for attention, but it seemed like eyes of people walking by would dart away upon a mere glimpse of her.
“You’re being released,” an officer said to her.
“But I don’t have any family to be released to.”
“Mrs. Washington has agreed to take over as your temporary guardian.”
Mrs. Washington? Tina thought. Who was she?
Washington rounded the corner. Her accuser. Tina demanded to be placed in jail right away. But the police ignored her. She followed Washington out to her car.
“Girl, you ain’t gonna talk to me?” Washington asked.
Tina was silent. She sat in the passenger seat waiting.
“Fine. At least tell me what you want for dinner. McDonald’s?”
Tina looked at Washington. She nodded and even started to grin.
Tina Cole slipped between the aisles of the grocery store without hardly being noticed. She was a girl of 19 years in ragged clothing and a generally disheveled look. She watched people.
She swiped a package of turkey and slipped it under her sweater. Then she waited until no one was looking. Until everyone was occupied. They were all always too busy to notice her.
Tina snatched a loaf of bread from the shelf and tossed it onto the bottom rack of a shopping cart that was being pushed out of the story. The woman pushing the cart had not even noticed.
Tina coolly walked out of the story. The woman was unloading her cart into the back of her gas-guzzling SUV when Tina saw her opportunity. She grabbed the loaf of bread from under the cart and took off.
She walked around the corner and sat down by the wall of the store. She cracked open her bread and turkey and feasted. Food was hard enough for her to come by. This was unbelievable. She had never tried a theft so bold before.
Tina heard footsteps moving quickly and keys jingling. She clutched her new food and started to stand up when a short, stocky woman shouted at her.
Robin Washington turned to the police officer who she was leading and pointed to Tina as the girl took off. The officer chased after her.
Tina ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She thought no one was watching. As she ran, she contemplated turning back if for no other reason than to meet the woman who actually noticed her — regardless of her now criminal status.
Suddenly another officer on foot cut her off and shoved her into some bushes. She didn’t struggle. She was handcuffed and led into the back seat of a police cruiser.
At least she got to eat, she thought.
Tina sat in the police station for hours. Even as a criminal no one noticed her. It wasn’t like she was desperate for attention, but it seemed like eyes of people walking by would dart away upon a mere glimpse of her.
“You’re being released,” an officer said to her.
“But I don’t have any family to be released to.”
“Mrs. Washington has agreed to take over as your temporary guardian.”
Mrs. Washington? Tina thought. Who was she?
Washington rounded the corner. Her accuser. Tina demanded to be placed in jail right away. But the police ignored her. She followed Washington out to her car.
“Girl, you ain’t gonna talk to me?” Washington asked.
Tina was silent. She sat in the passenger seat waiting.
“Fine. At least tell me what you want for dinner. McDonald’s?”
Tina looked at Washington. She nodded and even started to grin.
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