Thursday, April 22, 2004

Mac writes.......   she saw him standing there on the corner like many she had seen before the beggars and con men with their cardboard signs that say "will work for food" punctuated with a verse of guilt inducing scripture her fingers felt instinctively for the power-lock on the car door as she whispered a prayer for the light to stay yellow but the car ahead slowed to stop damn! she thought so much for that prayer she looked straight ahead silently willing the light to turn green he shifted his stance and the sunlight glinted on something gold she turned in his direction then she noticed there was something different about this one for one thing, he was dressed to the nines in a three piece suit the something gold was a rolex watch his well manicured hands held not cardboard, but a laminated placard, neatly lettered "will work for god" was all it said no bible verses were written on his sign none needed she supposed he wasn't going for spare change he wanted it all for a split second their eyes met and she knew his searching gaze was looking for her weakness for the way in on another day she might have lowered her eyes in surrender but not today she met him stare for stare and then she knew he had seen her sign, too the one not made with hands "no vacancy" it said he turned away he, too, was eager now for the light to turn green it was then the dark cloud appeared and the rain began to fall he hadn't planned for rain the drops came hard and fast speckling his light grey suit with spots the color of charcoal his placard now covered his head instead of his heart as he ran for better cover she looked in her rear view mirror long enough to watch him jump into his getaway car as the horn from the car behind her sounded signaling the light had changed as quickly as the rain had come it stopped the sun was shining once again as she made the turn for home   2:37:07 PM

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