A Peculiar Old Lady

She moved in not long after the elections, a few people had moved out after that ugly incident, including my neighbor Tony. She was right next door (as in to the right), usually wearing very plain flower print dresses and simple pins of cute dogs or angels and the like. She always watered her plants every three days at six, when I usually leave for work, leaving slow tiny drips on the pavement. And as I would step into my Honda she would always wave and give a smile.
I believe she was Polish, though I can't be sure. I know she was Catholic and her name was Polish, likely from a marriage. But she still looked kind of Polish, with almond eyes and rosy cheeks that had escaped wrinkles somewhat better than the rest of her. She always kept her hair neatly combed and behind her shoulders, sometimes complemented with a periwinkle blue hat that made her appear taller. She was in pretty good shape for her age too, walking to the store with perfect posture not even breaking a sweat on stairs or when carrying several bags of groceries.
I remember when some girl scouts and a parent came selling cookies, my niece among them, and I had had to tell her that I could only buy one box, I had just lost my job and my new one was a bit of a drop in pay. Normally I'm the only one she bothers to sell to in my area but I suggested she try her luck next door. The lady bought ten packages of cookies in each variety from the group, somehow splitting it up nice and even. They were all so happy, apparently they met some kind of mark so they could go on a field trip, dancing and singing outside the door. It was such a generous buy, that's when I really started paying more attention to the lady.
She was generally quite hospitable with everyone, some Jehovah's Witnesses had come by with literature, and she literally invited them in for tea. They kept coming back like they always do, but she just kept inviting them in as if they had been invited, although it is my understanding they were much less pushy about religious conversion after their first visit. She did the same for a traveling salesperson, although she declined to buy anything. When the Davis' moved in she made them homemade ice cream sandwiches as a housewarming gift.
Every Christmas and Easter she would send cards too, paying a little extra at the post office to delay their departure in to her neighbors and friends' mailboxes. She did this because she always left for two weeks to visit family on these days, the Forth of July and Thanksgiving. She had started paying me to water her plants during these vacations.
We grew close in time, she'd invite me over to play cards with some friends at a bridge club or to come to some fundraiser and help out, but usually these things were quite a ways away.
I miss her now. She mugged last week and has been hospitalized since. Her family has stated she will not be living in the city anymore. Some people say that the last white rich person is officially gone from downtown, but I hope she's still here inside a few of us. I know that I will send cards every Easter and Christmas, be kind to strangers at my door, and be generous to important causes.