by Rudy Rodriguez

Created on: July 07, 2008

An old man caught the corner of my eye as I left the convenience store. It was a cold winter night and a bit breezy. It didn't seem much to me at first, but as I headed in his direction I realized that his gaze was fixed on me. I just tried to keep looking forward the man must have been in his late forties early fifties. He looked as if he hadn't showered in months, nor eaten. His red-rimmmed eyes were partially closed by yellowish crusts his hands were covered with layer upon layer upon grime, and the stale smell of sweat arose in a thick vaporous cloud from his clothes. He wore a faded torn Bob Marley shirt, and a jacket that was much too small for him he also wasn't wearing any socks and he only was wearing one shoe.

As I walked by him I seen he moved his arm and I looked and his gaze was still fixed on me. I stopped and said, "Hello sir", that's all I could mutter it seemed kind of redundant to say how are you doing? Because apparently he wasn't doing well.To my surprise he uttered a word, but I couldn't quite make out what it was. I asked, "what sir" then I waited for his response....He lowered his head and tried to get up. I took a step back and he then lifted his eyes were a dark charcoal black I could see the sadness in them. He managed to utter the word "food". I quickly pondered whether or not to trust this guy on the street, but then I said, "sure lets go to my car i'll get you something to eat".

He responded to me in a low raspy voice, "some cash will do"! I said, no i'll take you to get some food and get you cleaned up a little bit. He began to go sit down again, but I grabbed his hand and said, "come on lets go". He tried to put a fight and took a swing that lacked velocity and power it brushed my shoulder. I looked into his eyes and I didn't see a bad person just someone who had made some unforgiving mistakes in life. I lifted him up and we walked over to my truck, I felt his spine shiver with every step with the chilly wind bristling down the alley. I took him out to eat at a cafe and he seemed to come to life a little once he had some food in him. It turned out his name was cristopher landry he used to have a normal life, family, work, and a house. He said he had been kicked out of his home as a teen enlisted in the military. He came back got married and one day changed his life for ever. He had been out at a party with his family and they had a few drinks. The kids were asleep in the back of the van and his wife was dozing off in the front seat.

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