Someone Has to Clean Up the Mess

Passing Strangers: A woman has to take the long way home

Passing Strangers is a weekly series of fictional portraits— keyhole views into the lives and inner worlds of other humans. These are standalone pieces but if you look carefully, you might begin to see a how they’re all brush strokes in a broader landscape. Visit the table of contents to find all the portraits.

On days she was given a tip after cleaning …