Gingersnap Angel

Although I forget for long periods of time that they exist I happen to love Gingersnaps. In fact I have a visceral reaction when I see them. My response to Gingersnaps is not based in my childhood.  Instead that feeling evolved from an experience I had living in D.C.

For the record my Mother hated my apartment.  At 21 I thought she was being ridiculous but in reflection I understand why she hated it so.  The main reason for the loathing was based on the fact that the one exit I had was through a security gate that you had to key in and out of.  For security sake all of the windows were also barred. Basically if there had been a fire I very easily could have perished.  But boy did I ever have fun times in that place.

There were no flames but one day in a very real way I did get trapped.  I was rushing and raced out my door into the building hallway. I pulled it closed and it locked in place.

It was two beats later when I went to key out of the security gate that I realized my keys were inside and that I was both locked out and locked in.  There I stood in a two by six space at mid-morning on a quiet residential block. My neighbors, all of which I knew, were not due home for hours.  As this was pre-cell phone there was no calling to be made.

At first I focused on my breath. I was calm. I was controlled. I was okay.  About an hour in the first person walked by and even though I called and ultimately screamed for help he didn’t even pause in his stride.  It was then that I panicked.

It was not pretty but it passed.  I regained some composure and time continued on. About eight people in all walked by during the six hours I was stuck. Some even spoke to me but none of them got me help.

Finally an older woman came into my view. I said “Lady you have got to help me. I am trapped in here. I am locked out of my apartment and locked in by the gate.” I am pretty sure I was a full-blown train wreck at that point.

She told me without even a moment’s hesitation that she would be back and would bring help.  She actually did. She also brought me Gingersnaps and water.  Staying with me as we both waited for the locksmith to come. When he arrived she stepped back and before I realized it she was gone.

I never knew her name and that has been a big a regret.  The only thing I recollect is that she reminded me of Katherine Hepburn in her later years because her gray hair was caught in a loose bun. Yet, standing in the cookie aisle staring at a bag of Gingersnaps I felt a wave of gratitude towards her. It is with a grateful heart that I send this story out to the universe as a way to energetically send my Gingersnap Angel thanks.

My fingers are crossed that someone, somewhere, somehow forwards this to her!