Every small town has one.
Ours was: Gloria.
She walked up town, dressed outrageously.
Haunted public places.
Was seen at all hours. Sometimes acting out her crazy.
The back story was she was wealthy but her brother controlled her money.
It seems she was left here by an ex-beau who never returned.
She lived in the big hotel on the 3rd floor. Sometimes she would dance on her balcony naked. Highschool boys would sit in their cars waiting for the show. It was rumored she might have been a professional dancer at one time.
She went to all the funerals in town. That one was true, I saw her myself at a couple.
I spoke to her one time. I was at the public library doing a book report. I got up from the table and went to put a reference book back. When I returned she was in my seat reading my papers. I said “Excuse me, but that’s my stuff” she responded that my report was very good, but I had a few typos.
She sauntered off, waving a colorful scarf and singing the alka-seltzer song from TV ads. “Plop, plop, fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is…”
I saw her at Pizza Hut, once. She was at the salad bar filling her plate using her hands. Slinging lettuce everywhere. Tossing cherry tomatoes at people walking by. The Manager called the cops and she was removed. They put a sign on the door…“Gloria is trespassed from this Pizza Hut”, that sign was there forever. Heck, it may still be there. I’ll look the next time I’m there.
Gloria died in the early 2000s, It was never reported or told that I knew. I just thought about one day and asked around.
I guess she got to go to one last funeral.