Leaving

Twenty bucks on the sidewalk sends my eyes into scan mode. Is anybody looking? Does this belong to anyone? With nobody paying any attention to me or the twenty at my feet, I bend over, pick it up, and dump it in my pocket.

Further down the street, there's a guy standing there with a cup in hand. He looks Native, and his clothes are dirty and torn. I drop the bill in his cup. He says thanks as I continue on by, and then he looks in his cup and runs after me. Tells me he wants to give me something in return. Says we can duck into the alley and smoke a joint together. I say, "no thanks." Smiling I add, "you keep it for yourself. Enjoy your evening."

Last summer, as I was locking up my bike, this kid asked me for money. I told him I was unemployed, so I didn't have any either. He said that sucked and reached into his cup, pulling out a quarter. He offered it to me. I didn't take it. He asked me why I didn't work, and I said I didn't know. He then told me about a job he used to have where he made thousands of dollars a week, but he started doing drugs and lost the job. But then he was begging on the street and this guy he had never met before got him an apartment and prepaid three of the months and he never saw him again. After he got kicked out of that place he ended up in this communal apartment building, but he had to move out when the rest of the people there identified him as their saviour and started worshipping him.

He told me story after story, me? I never said a word. Only time I spoke was when I told him I had to go. We shook hands, and I continued on my way, leaving him sitting there.