Chasin' My Tail

What drew me to this corner today, was the sight of the dog playfully chasing it's tail while the young man stood holding a sign with the gentlest of expressions. While the dog played joyfully on the corner, the man stood patiently waiting for any kindness to be shown them...except alcohol.

I stopped, we chatted. I was honest..."a lot of men with dogs on corners these days...it's hard to know which ones are for real, but seeing your dog was just plain entertaining, and for that, I thank you". His expression remained calm and transparent as he shared just enough with me, that I knew he was for real. He didn't have an apartment somewhere, as I've heard some do, and he really didn't want booze...he needed anything that would help him stay warm and dry and fed. He seemed, most of all, to enjoy a real moment to just chat. I almost felt bad for drawing him away from the corner to share this conversation, missing the morning traffic on this corner, but it was only for a few minutes, and in that time, we had each made a new friend.

We shared a hug and a simple prayer. He wished me a good day, and I, him. I thought about him the rest of the day, praying that God would cover him, along with all of his friends who stay close to one another for safety and courage. Praying that God would show us how to change our world, remove the barriers that keep people from getting jobs to support themselves and the ones they love. Praying that we wouldn't become blind to their need, even when we aren't sure if they are for real.