“Jessica, I can’t thank you enough for your help.” I heard Mom saying, as the lady helped me down off the changing station.

“Oh, like I said, I’ve got my two at home still in diapers. They’re just about his age too.” The lady said, as she crossed over to the sink to wash her hands.

Leaving me standing next to the open station, Mom went over to the sinks too.

“Could I get you to write down that number for me?” Mom said to her.

A lady with one of the young boys walked out past us and as she did she shot me a hateful expression of disgust. I was feeling like I couldn’t take much more humiliation, but it wasn’t over yet. We still had to get out of that ladies room and back to the car and hopefully soon.

Mom and that lady turned back toward me, as another girl came walking past me. She looked to be maybe twelve years old and in her own way she was kind of pretty. She surprised all of us, but especially me, when she stopped to slip a small note in my hand and then pat me on the head like I was some dang mutt. Any other time, I would have probably knocked her hand away, but I was still paralyzed with fear and humiliation, so I just stood there like an idiot, until Mom started herding me out the door.

As I exited the building and the sun caressed my face it was as though I had just emerged from a long dark tunnel. I squinted at the bright light and cupped my hands over my eyes to shade them. That’s when I saw the bit of paper in my hand.