I went back to look for you today.
Your face haunted me for weeks. I had no choice. I had to go back and find you.
I thought maybe you could use a friend, someone just to talk to.
For three hours I walked the streets. I was so sure you had to be there somewhere.
It wasn’t cold this time. It was actually a bit too warm to be comfortable in my sweatpants and a t-shirt so I stopped to buy water.
I wondered if the temperature was ever just right for those with no home to go to.
I wondered if you had cold water to drink so I bought a few extras to bring to you.
As the sweat began to trickle down my back, I finally gave up.
I headed back to my truck.
I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw you sitting there, right where I had left you before. Where had you been?
I stood there for the longest time trying to find the courage to talk to you. I blurted out something about it being a gorgeous day and you just looked at me like I was a total idiot but I had looked for you too long to back down now so I just stood there, looking past you towards the water.
I asked you if you would mind if I sat down for a bit and you gave me that look again.
I sat down anyway.
You pretty much ignored me as you wrote something down on your tiny slips of paper, but every now and then I saw you peek up at me.
I figured this was okay too, just sitting there with you, enjoying the cool breeze coming across the water.
When you spoke, your voice was so quiet I barely heard you, but I smiled and nodded my head. Mostly I just listened because when I did respond you told me that you weren’t initiating a discussion with me. That made me smile again. I saw that little smirk you gave me and I was content to just sit there with you.
Then my phone rang and our worlds collided.
I knew you didn’t like it and I tried to silence it quickly.
It was too late. You began slowly putting your stuff away as you prepared to leave.
I tried to give you a few bucks. You told me you didn’t want my money.
I knew it was too late. I had broken the moment. I had intruded on your solitude.
I’m sorry.
I won’t give up though. I will be back because now that little smirk is gonna haunt me.
You may not need me, but I think I need you.
Next time I’ll make sure my phone is shut off.
Maybe I’ll bring lunch to share…
4 Comments
Hey, you made contact! That’s more than most will EVER do, and honestly, I think it’s wonderful. You don’t know what his story is, but that smirk says that you DID connect, nice!
I’m gonna keep trying. I have to…
You spoke to an invisible man. When you become homeless, you become invisible.. You see them but they refuse to see you.
We are all on this earth together. I hope to never stop seeing and I hope even more to begin to make even a tiny difference…