June 2008

Entries
Current Entry
Previous Entry
Next Entry
Archives

Links
Personal Sites
and Forums/Boards
Diaryland
The Hunger Site

Communication
Write to me

I mentioned a few entries back that there had been two traffic accidents in Chapel Hill in May in which pedestrians had been killed. At the time, I didn't know the name of the second victim, and missed a later news report when her name was released.

So I didn't find out till today's update that the woman was someone I had known a little bit. She was Barbara Boone Sims, and she and her husband, Taz, were part of the scene in downtown Chapel Hill, at least for the past couple of years. They were a homeless couple, and were often riding one of the local bus routes.

One day back in the winter a bus driver who knew Barbara and was kind to her struck up a conversation that I couldn't help overhearing. Barbara was riding without Taz this time (they were known to have arguments and part company for a few hours), and when the driver asked about him, Barbara said that she was planning to move back to her family's home area in South Carolina, and was not sure Taz would be going with her.

She went on to say that she was tired of the way life was going, but he wasn't sure he wanted to change things. I wondered at the time if she would follow through with it. I wondered if she'd be able to come up with the money for the trip.

A week or so later, I saw her with Taz again, and kept seeing the two of them through the spring. Except for exchanging pleasantries a few times, I didn't know them, and after all, I was a witness to that busride conversation, not a participant. So I didn't ask about the plans.

I hadn't thought anything about not seeing Barbara the last couple of times I was in downtown Chapel Hill. And I have no idea what she was doing so far outside town the night she was killed.

I'm sorry she didn't wind up having a better life on earth.