The sandwich
It was raining when I got up this morning. I like walking in the rain, it's always so peaceful. My dogs are ambivalent about this procedure, but after a minute or two, anything resembling a walk is a good thing. By the time we were out the rain had slowed down to random drops here and there. The traffic was minimal, being the day after Thanksgiving. I decided that they needed a good stretch, so we did the two blocks downhill. That's a bit longer than the two blocks uphill. Comet is still pretty game to walk, but has slowed down quite a bit over the last year or two. She is 14, so she's allowed. Bixby thinks he's a sled dog and practically pulls us both along on our walks. He's a 15 pound spaniel mix - so not a sled dog really, but he tries.
There's a church about midway around this walk. I was distracted by the dogs, but a homeless man had taken shelter in the doorway and he said hello as we passed. I turned and smiled and said hello. As we continued our walk I thought about how I'd been feeling a little blue yesterday but at least was able to have a lovely meal with friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. Then I considered the man in the doorway. It's LA, so it isn't that cold, but it was awfully wet and that can't be pleasant when you don't have somewhere to go. It started to pour right after I got home. I kept thinking about the man in the doorway as I made breakfast. I found myself wondering if sourdough toast would be too hard to eat if you live on the streets and your dental hygiene might be less than adequate. I made four pieces of bacon and two eggs. All the while wondering if he would like coffee.
I put together a sandwich with gluten free bread - it's softer - 2 pieces of bacon and a nice fried egg. I wrapped it up and put it in a bag with an orange and a couple of napkins, grabbed my raincoat and went back around the corner. He looked up in surprise when I approached him. I said hello again, and told him I thought he could use something warm and handed him my bag. He said "thank you, I appreciate that" and gave me the most beautiful smile. As I walked home, I reflected that the world might be a nicer place if we all just stopped to make someone a sandwich once in a while.
That smile warmed my heart and it made me cry a little on the way home. The softer bread was a good choice.
There's a church about midway around this walk. I was distracted by the dogs, but a homeless man had taken shelter in the doorway and he said hello as we passed. I turned and smiled and said hello. As we continued our walk I thought about how I'd been feeling a little blue yesterday but at least was able to have a lovely meal with friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. Then I considered the man in the doorway. It's LA, so it isn't that cold, but it was awfully wet and that can't be pleasant when you don't have somewhere to go. It started to pour right after I got home. I kept thinking about the man in the doorway as I made breakfast. I found myself wondering if sourdough toast would be too hard to eat if you live on the streets and your dental hygiene might be less than adequate. I made four pieces of bacon and two eggs. All the while wondering if he would like coffee.
I put together a sandwich with gluten free bread - it's softer - 2 pieces of bacon and a nice fried egg. I wrapped it up and put it in a bag with an orange and a couple of napkins, grabbed my raincoat and went back around the corner. He looked up in surprise when I approached him. I said hello again, and told him I thought he could use something warm and handed him my bag. He said "thank you, I appreciate that" and gave me the most beautiful smile. As I walked home, I reflected that the world might be a nicer place if we all just stopped to make someone a sandwich once in a while.
That smile warmed my heart and it made me cry a little on the way home. The softer bread was a good choice.