Lucky Cat (Maneki neko) and Snow Bear candies

Maneki neko / Lucky Cat

For the past couple or years, I always pass by an old woman along Capitol Site in front of High Precision Lab or Watsons with a severely swollen foot wrapped in a rag which acts as a bandage. She sits at the sidewalk on a very short stool and only sells Snow Bear candies. I always notice her Lucky Cat figurine with one front paw swinging back and forth in which the Japanese (or Chinese) claims to be lucky and everytime I glance at her I feel that my heart sank to the pit of my stomach.

Apparently, the mere sight of her would not make anyone feel elated. Others would look disgusted, feeling like they got a infectious bacteria beside them trying to enter their system. Others would try hard to look at the other direction, pretending that they haven't seen anything. Others would look at her sympathetically. Normally, I would ignore people selling stuff on the streets but this woman never failed to get my attention. You know that feeling of remorse mixed with bitterness? You know that point where you asked why do some people have to suffer so much when they don't deserve it? That's what hits me everytime I passed by her, reminding me over again how cruel the world is. No, I'm not drunk while writing this piece of dung, but hey, that's how I feel. If my mother is like that, I could never forgive myself.

I have promised long ago that someday when I will see her, I will share some of my blessings which is the least that I could do. However, this past few months, I always stroll along that same street where the old woman sat but I could not find her anymore. Don't know where she is now. Don't know if it's too late for me for I just achieved a very short-term goal which made me have enough to share (just got my measly bonus..haha.). Sigh. Well anyway, in case if anyone would get to see her - you could not miss her because of her Lucky Cat figurine and the Snow Bear candies - do me a favor: buy her candies and let her keep the change (a fairly good amount of money for the change, that is), you can let me know so I could pay you back and so I could buy her candies as well.