today

hobbitt woke me this morning from a delicious dream about being back in college. I don't remember any of it now. There was plenty of time for me to get up and shower before my 10:30 massage, and I sipped fresh coffee while checking my email before I left. It's not every day that I get a 90-minute massage. What a treat!

About three miles before town there was a man standing at an intersection with two large plastic covered bundles and a small sign which read: "Hungry". Since it was only 10:15 a.m., I figured someone from the local church that operates a shelter would pick him up and bring him into town. That's the kind of place this is. The homeless are counted and cared for, in their trailers and tents in the woods. Local agencies make sure they have food and heat and medicines.

After the massage I went to the grocery store. My medications needed to be refilled and we didn't have any dessert at home. Heaven forbid! I bought some cold cuts and enough coffee to float a battle ship, dried black beans for my favorite soup recipe, and one of our favorite cheeses.

On the drive home the fellow was still standing there. It was 1:15 p.m.

Most weekdays I make lunch for me and hobbitt. Today it was sandwiches from the cold cuts I'd just bought: ham and cheese for him and roast beef for me. Yummy! I had to return a call from our bank regarding the small loan we're applying for. We've (okay, I've) decided to replace the Taurus, which we never drive, with another car that would be more practical. Another Swedewagon, probably used. Although we have enough money in the bank to pay for a new one outright, I have this weird comfort level for savings. Though I've overcome my mother's voices about my way of living, I still haven't overcome my dread of a tight budget.

Today was training day for Zach. I ripped up a rotisserie chicken we had for dinner a few nights ago and stuffed the pieces in a baggie and loaded the pup into the car and drove into town for some "crowd desensitization." It was 3:45.

The fellow was still standing on the corner, with his bundles and his little sign.

Zach was wonderful after the first few blocks. Pedestrians stopped to pet him, and a few had biscuits or took some of the chicken pieces I had for a treat. He stopped barking at people altogether, and we lingered near a few groups of folks so that he could begin to feel comfortable. What a joy to see him to confident and relaxed! Though we have lots more work to do, I feel very good about him outgrowing his trepidation. We worked for about 45 minutes together in downtown Pete. On the way back to the car I saw my friend Melanie in her office and called out to her. We chatted through her window for a moment, and then I loaded Zach into the car and drove home. It was raining, about 4:45.

The fellow was still standing on the corner, with his bundles and his little sign.

When I arrived at home, I made two turkey sandwiches, stole two of hobbitt's banana muffins and a Mountain Dew, and bagged that all up with two oranges and an apple. I forgot napkins but did have a package of tissues in the car, so I tossed that in the bag too. When I pulled up at the intersection, the fellow walked over to my car just as I was getting out.

"I have some sandwiches for you," I said. "Where are you headed?"

"I have an offer to get into some fella's garage tonight, so that's looking up," he said, tilting his face up into the rain. His glasses were speckled with raindrops, in spite of the hat he was wearing. I don't remember if he had a raincoat on.

Then I remembered I had eleven dollars in my pocket. This is unusual. I rarely carry cash. He thanked me for that, too. I wished him luck.

Now I've never known poverty, or real want. As poor as we were growing up, we always had food, and shelter, and clothing. The latter was rarely new, nor were the family cars or bicycles or other toys. But I've never been truly hungry and never even close to homeless. At this point in our lives, we have much more than enough.

I don't know what this fellow's story was, though I'd like to think that if he was scamming he wouldn't have stayed in one spot on the county highway for seven hours.

I don't think hobbitt will mind that I stole his muffins and his Mountain Dew.