Heroin Chic....Heroin Chick...

I never really witnessed someone who exuded Heroin Chic until recently. I was working the circulation desk on Monday when an emaciated woman minced in. I didn't notice her at first so much as the massive invisible wave of nicotine that preceeded her entrance. Nicotine must have been leeching from her system in such large quantities as to become an actual physical presence around her. I have only witnessed one other person with that kind of Nicotine presence and that was Mr. Ho, stalker and professional mental patient extraordinaire. After overcomming the effects of the nicotive wave I was brought to another realization. She was an actual...well...'Ho. Many women walk in dressed like a 'ho and talk like a 'ho, but this patron was the real deal. A bondafide professional 'ho. It actually took me a moment to figure it out. Skimpy clothing...check, painfull looking shoes....check....blank drugged out expression...check. Wow. I mean I've seen them from afar in the "Bad Part of Town" on "That" Street but never have I just looked at one and thought oh, she's a prostitute.