“Yes?”
“Why was that man outside?”
“What man?”
“You know, that man who was outside and he had his hat out like this and kept shaking it.”
“Oh… that man. That man was homeless.”
“Oh, he has no place for him?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So…he can’t go anywhere?”
“That’s right.”
“Ahh…but, mom, why?
“Well, some people don’t always have the money for a nice place.”
“But, he had some money.”
“In his hat, yes. But not enough for his own place, right?”
“I guess not.”
“Okay.”
“But, he must have friends, like I do?”
“Some have friends…but he was alone, remember?”
“Yes, he was just there. No one else.”
“Well, there may be some other people with him. There were other people there who were homeless.”
“There were?”
“Yeah… I saw some on the other side of the street.”
“I didn’t see them.”
“Yes. A woman had a plastic thing for change she was shaking and she kept pointing at it.”
“Another person.”
“Yup. There were two of them.”
“They wanted it for food?”
“Maybe, but I smelled him. It was like alcohol.”
“So she wanted money like him, too.”
“Yes. Now, where’s my purse?”
“You put it in the car.”
“And I took it out.”
“No, remember? You said I should get the groceries out and opened the back for me.”
“Oh, damn. That’s right. I’ll just get it.”
“Yeah, but…”
“But…?”
“They were there before, right?”
“I think so. I saw him before.”
“Maybe they’re friends.”
“Yes…now, let me get to the car.”
“Okay, yeah…”
“You sure it’s in there?”
“I saw you put it on the other seat.”
“Right.”
“And you didn’t give them any.”
“Money?”
“Yes. None.”
“Well, what would they do with it?”
“I dunno. Food?”
“Well, they smelled.”
“He smelled.”
“Yes. And I couldn’t cross the street then.”
“Why, mom?”
“Because we had to go.”
“Yeah…”
“And that money wouldn’t really help. I saw them before.”
“Him, you said.”
“Yes, him…I have to get the purse.”
“It’s in the car.”
“I know. Thanks.”
“Thanks, mom.”
Writer/Reader/Poet/Dreamer... Kendall is a college instructor, experimenter with the written word, and someone who thinks that books are worth saving. (Also: librarians and snail mail—damn you, Canada Post and certain school boards!) I just hope that someone gets a laugh and enjoys my work...
