The Story

You know those spine-chilling
Gothic tales that begin with the
lead-in: It was a dark and stormy
night and then there was a loud
knock at the door. Not quite that
kind though it was a dark night
albeit not stormy and it was the
doorbell that rang sending our two
little watchdogs into a barking frenzy.
And there stood a young woman/girl
asking were we interested in having
an estimate for lawn service; this on
a March night, our lawn steeped
deep in snow and ice. I asked
wasn't she cold and she owned her
fingers felt frozen. We had no need
of the service, but I wished her well
and told her to get in out of the cold 
as soon as she could, assuming her 
to be a university student trying to 
make some money. Now I am haunted 
by this girl out in bone-chilling cold 
without my invitation to enter and 
warm up or giving her mittens to 
cover her inadequate gloves.