Today has been a good Wednesday for me. I got a good night’s sleep and feel well-rested for the first time in a while. Work has been running smoothly, music is playing, the atmosphere is light, and I even treated myself to a cold brew from Cedar Street Bagel. It’s National Bagel Day, and Kat hooked me up with a spicy jalapeño cream cheese bagel. It’s days like this that make me appreciate the small-town charm of Camas. Being part of this community truly feels like family.

But the day took an unexpected turn.

A few hours into my morning, Carmen, a familiar face in town known for her erratic behavior, approached the Camas-Washougal Chamber of Commerce. Connor, who was there at the conference table studying his EMT schoolwork, had his day abruptly disrupted by one of her random emotional outbursts. She banged on the window with an intensity that startled him and then, without hesitation, flipped him off. It’s a shocking thing to experience, one moment you’re focused on your tasks, and the next, someone’s aggression rattles that calm. It’s hard not to feel unsettled when something like that happens.

Connor shared how jarring the incident was for him. He admitted that it was the first time Carmen had directed her aggression toward him. She’s often referred to him as her “third child” in a warm, albeit odd, way. To see her snap like that felt like a stark reminder of how fragile and unpredictable her mental state can be. We talked about it briefly, and I reminded him that her behavior is not a reflection of us. It’s the result of her struggles, compounded by what I’ve heard might be a long stretch of not taking her medications.

Connor’s discomfort was palpable, and while I reassured him that he’d done nothing wrong, I could see the toll it had taken on him. He’d never experienced her aggression firsthand before, and that kind of sudden hostility can shake anyone. I empathized, as it’s not the first time I’ve heard of her to unravel like this. I’ve always felt a mix of sadness and frustration when it comes to Carmen. Sadness for the spiral she seems trapped in and frustration at the systems and people around her who could step in but don’t seem to.

Connor mentioned he wished the police would do something, maybe arrest her or intervene in some meaningful way. But the reality is, incidents like this often fall into a gray area. Is it assault? Is it just a gesture of frustration? Does it warrant more attention than a shrug and moving on? The answers feel murky. Still, I told him he had my support if he chose to report it. Ultimately, though, Connor had to head to a doctor’s appointment, and the moment passed without further action.

What lingered for me, though, was the emotional weight of the situation. For once, I’d woken up in a good mood this year. I’d felt light, productive, and optimistic. Then came this sharp reminder of the struggles that exist right outside our doors, struggles that we’re often powerless to fix. Carmen’s actions were a stark contrast to the warmth I’d felt earlier in the day at Cedar Street Bagel. It’s hard not to feel the juxtaposition of these moments, the good and the difficult, all swirling together in the same small town.

Still, as the day moves on, I’m holding on to the good parts. National Bagel Day, the spicy jalapeño cream cheese, the music, and the sense of community that remains steadfast despite the challenges we face. Camas, with all its quirks and complexities, continues to feel like home.