Excuse me

I was tearing through the trash that was filling up my car when I noticed her calling me;
"Excuse me sir, but didn't you give me a beer once?"
I looked at her. She was wearing a baby doll t-shirt and pants that left her shins exposed. It was just a few hours after sunrise on a day that may have delivered the city its first hard freeze. I could see the condensation of her breath dissipating & instantly, I knew she was drunk again.
"Uh, no - that wasn't me."
"Are you sure? Maybe just in the past day or two?"
"Nope. Sorry..." The truth was I had given her about sixty-five cents in nickles and dimes yesterday. She had come up to me while I was at my car then too;
"Excuse me sir. Can I get fifty cents from you or if you've got a dollar, I'd take a dollar. Five dollar make you holler..."
It took me a second to realize she had propositioned me.
I looked at her. She was slender, wearing a shirt that slightly exposed her cleavage.
I had never been approached by a prostitute before and I found myself looking into her face. She was high or maybe drunk. I expected to see hardness but instead I saw a face I thought could be very lovely.
She seemed to be smiling. I think that's what did it.
Brave about it - not that I'm surprised she's not scared of me.
I'd hate to think she was simply "resigned to her fate" as I sometimes hear adapting to shitty situations sometimes described.
Now she was back asking me if I had given her beer.
"Naw... huh uh... Give away a beer? Doesn't sound like me."
"You sure?"
"Pretty sure."
"Well, how about taking me to the liquor store in your car?"
It was nine o'clock in the morning and one of the biggest liquor stores in Oklahoma was a mere three sidewalk-lined blocks down the street.
"It's nine o'clock in the morning. I doubt it's open yet."
"It's nine o'clock in the morning?"
"Yeah. Still kinda' early, you know?"
"Well, there might be another store open..."
"I don't think so. Look, I need to finish cleaning out my car..."
"You're not going to take me?"
"I don't think there is anywhere to go."
"Alright. You're alright, ok?"
"Thanks. Look, take care of yourself, ok?"
"Alright."
I didn't watch her wander off as I turned back to my own mess. It seemed like there was no way she could go without still being lost. I suppose we all bare our throats to everyday dangers that grow more and more banal as we survive them without incident - driving, immediately comes to mind. I guess I get scared for someone so out of control and willing to expose her vulnerabilities.