Sammy / 1-22-08

 

He sits and watches the suits scurry back and forth past his tired eyes. The faceless drones in conservative colors occasionally throw change his way and his patterned response ‘thank you, God bless’ comes out less and less convincing as his cup slowly fills with the excess coins that would have otherwise been destine for a dresser or the crevices of couch cushions, never to be thought of again.

His hearing has become numb to the busy sounds of traffic and the mumbling of strangers passing by. He sits in his own silence contemplating which doorway he should choose to sleep in. Maybe he should try behind the pizza shop a few blocks away. The outside walls get warm from the ovens at night and tonight, it’s going to get cold.

“Jesus can save you, brother’ The comment pulls him out of his silent thoughts and brings him back to the corner he is sitting on. He looks up at another meaningless face and stares into its wide eyes. “all you have to do is believe, take this bible. It will help you find your way” The unidentified man turns and walks away. He looks down at his newly recieved gift, inattentively flips through the pages, then sets it aside from his dirty hands. 

He thinks of all the words of Jesus that the faceless drones give to him as they pass by. A slight smile breaks across his face briefly in amusement, “why do they always ask themselves, ‘what would Jesus do’ when all they can do is tell me what Jesus says” 

As quickly as it came, the smile fades and he numbs himself to the streets once again.