It is a tradition for families to get together and pray, specially around festivities related to the Virgin Mary. The 'NOVENA', takes the Virgin Mary during 9 consecutive days. The Virgin Mary does a pilgrim thru a scheduled visits to 9 selected families and the families visit one another taking turns, praying at 9 different family houses. It depends on the family doing the novena if to offer something to eat or drink during the time the novena happens at that time at the chosen house. This novenas usually happened in the evenings, when there's less traffic and after work hours, very convenient for everyone that has regular working hours. Mother's turn to go to the next house. One of the daughters decided to accompany her. It was too dark, unusual dark for a summer's day.
It seemed that there was a scuffle down the street. Probably kids kicked a soccer ball breaking a window. We turned towards the scuffle has developing.
On my left ear I heard s little moan, little whisper strange complain. I turned to my back and saw Mom clinging to the neighbours black iron fence. She looked like she wax leaning against the fence. It has been a quite long walk I thought.
Mom started to rub her stomach, so I went next to her holding one of her arms to compensate the weight while she started to SC life on the side. I sensed something was wrong. Mom's turned to the side. I noticed she had the side of her floral dress with red spots.
Nope it wasn't the chicken pasta she ate.
It was blood!
Mom got shot!
It was a stray bullet...
LITO was closed by, hearing the scuffle decided to come by and saw Mom clinging to the metal fence. WTF happened!?. Seeing the blood stains on Mom's dress automatically went to carry her. She was as light as a feather. My brother in law just happened to be driving by, returning from late shift work at a construction site. He noticed the problem Mom was and offered to take her to the hospital. Mom stayed sometime there until she got better. Her health was good until a couple of months where Mom was diagnosed having diabetes. As a result of the treatment from the stray bullet.