Tom, Lillie and Mark

I have spoken of Tom before and had intended to write about running into him a few weeks ago at a nearby grocery store. That day he was standing with a few homeless people in the alley next to the store in front of a garage door overhang. He introduced me to Lillie and I said I would try to remember her name. I had crossed paths with Walter inside the store and panicked, because I could not remember his name. That is what I was talking to Tom about~how I had finished shopping and was still trying to remember his name. Tom supplied it. I probably knew Walter from the streets longer than I knew Tom. Scary feeling to look at someone I spent much time talking to and not able to put a name to his face.

I was again returning from the store when I spotted Tom sitting on a curb in front of a house and walked over to say hello. I remembered Lillie's name by the time I walked the short block. Mark kept talking about knowing me. I know his face well. Would not have recalled his name. What I do not recall is where I know him from. Could be when I was serving meals at the Samoan church, from the COA, Village or even back to 2004-2005 shelter days. I met a lot of Mark's on the streets and as stated, I ditched my early notes. I wonder if the next time I see Tom I will find a blank space in my mind where his name belongs.

What unnerved me, was after sitting on the little curb and chatting for a while when I walked to the corner I was lost. How did I get on Cedar/Fourth I wondered. I make that same trip to the store following the same route quite often. I looked north and south to get my bearings and headed north on Cedar still puzzled about how I had gotten that far from home. I finally figured it out. I had walked south from 5th street to say hello. How could I forget such a little detail.

I always decided Tom was never in Viet Nam. He turned 18 the month the war ended. I guess our troops could have been still going to Viet Nam~and do not ask how I still know he was born in May~and I have no idea how much training new military get, but it seems he overstates his Viet Nam war experience. He said, that day I saw him, he was born in 1957. That is why I checked Viet Nam war info online. I do know he is not lying about being a veteran.

That stuff has me think backwards to the time my ex-husband convinced people he was wounded in Viet Nam causing him to limp. Pathological liars are so convincing. Hard to know who's stories to believe anymore.