An Urchin Lost In The Jungle, A Memory I Can't Move On From

How to keep it short and sweet. Pre pandemic I was at the embassy waiting for some papers. In the waiting room was a hippy girl. I said hi, forced a conversation. A blue collar girl from Michigan. I asked her what she was doing there, she had followed a friend and had her backpack stolen. She needed a replacement passport. The talk went down the male protector route, why was she alone, did she have any money, yes the 150 for the passport, hidden in a small bag between her breasts, way too small, she was dangerously skinny. No plans on where to spend the night while she waited, no money for food, her clothes were male, and too big, and she needed a bath. She was what my high school books called an urchin.

When my turn came and I went in to speak to the counsel, he told me she was one of many, there was a hippy commune in the jungle. He shook his head, they are hippies, that's how they live. If, and he said if, she had 150 they would wave the 17.50. If she didn't she would tide the bus back to the jungle. I gave him the money for the passport, snd asked him to tell her to use her money and find a hotel and get a shower. He took my money, 150 was a fortune, no way she would spend it on a shower.

I waited for her, told her fate had struck, and she was getting a shower. At the hotel I took a woman front desk clerk with me. Have her put the urchin in the shower, throw away those clothes and make arrangements for a replacement. After she 'forced' her to brush her teeth, she got her in the shower. She came out to tell me that girl was sick, probably had a tape worm, her skin was covered with blotches and her teeth were in trouble. Waiting for her was the hotel doctor, his main observation was starvation. Undernourished. She would do good in a clinic where they could examine her, and cure her of parasites.

A month later I returned to escort her home. The long and short is that the commune held her prisoner. Her job in the commune was kitchen and chores. Back in 'the world' with medical, dental, hygienist, nutritionist she was 'fattened' up and cared for by a therapist. Her family at first hesitant took her back to finish school. The commune is still there, the locals aren't interested in shutting it down. A greater cynic might say, money is exchanging hands. That day at the embassy, I learned that 'lost passports' were a business, her replacement would be sold on the black market.

I'm like her Godfather, she's healthy and married to a nice guy and a one year old baby.