Sometimes mom sent her on errands.

Sometimes that man was there.

Sitting outside the shop with his legs on top of the plastic stool

cat calling, whistling out to any passing woman, beckoning her to sit on

his lap.

With her heart racing she’d avoid his lewd eyes and leave the shop as quickly as she could, that creepy, trickly feeling inside her would tell her to run.

Run run run to a place of safety.

Run run run to the Goddess of Mercy.

Who’d be standing and smiling from the other side of the road back home.

Making sure she reached okay.

Every single time.

Copyright Mita Bhan. All Rights Reserved.

Image from https://www.malaysiasite.nl/kuanyineng.htm

“She is called Kuan Yin because at any cry of misery she ‘hears the voice and removes the sorrow.’ Her appellation is ‘Taking-away-fear Buddha,’ If in the midst of the fire the name of Kuan Yin is called, the fire cannot burn; if tossed by mountain billows, call her name, and shallow waters will be reached. If merchants go across the sea seeking gold, silver, pearls, and precious stones, and a storm comes up and threatens to carry the crew to the evil devil’s kingdom, if one on board calls on the name of Kuan Yin, the ship will be saved. If one goes into a conflict and calls on the name of Kuan Yin, the sword and spear of the enemy fall harmless. If the three thousand great kingdoms are visited by demons, call on her name, and these demons cannot with an evil eye look on a man. If, within, you have evil thoughts, p. 253 only call on Kuan Yin, and your heart will be purified, Anger and wrath may be dispelled by calling on the name of Kuan Yin. A lunatic who prays to Kuan Yin will become sane. Kuan Yin gives sons to mothers, and if the mother asks for a daughter she will be beautiful. Two men—one chanting the names of the 6,200,000 Buddhas, in number like the sands of the Ganges, and the other simply calling on Kuan Yin—have equal merit. ” Myths and Legends of China, by Edward T.C. Werner, [1922]