whose child was he?

surroundings
we forget the things
that reside below the surface
that homeless man
in the heavy trenchcoat
sweating in the sun
as he combs the summer roadside
looking for cans
to trade in for food
or a bottle he can nurse
-he once was a baby
cradled in the womb
of his mother
I wonder, did she love him?

there's a soul in his chest
and a mind containing
dreams, likely unforgotten
still tugging at his heart
providing the fuel
that keeps it beating
hope- still clinging on
for another day
to be passed by strangers
some full of pity
others full of hate
and in disgust
-the angry ones shudder
out of realization
that this man
was not always the \"bum\"
they call him today

what happened to him
to make it enough
to roam the streets
with his bedroll
comprised of one thin blanket
thrown over his shoulder
and sweat permeating
the wool of his coat
on this 100 degree day
while I sit inside
my airconditioned SUV
with a back end full of groceries
and my \"to go\" lunch
in the seat beside me

I wait at the light
taking it all in
wondering about his life
and his past
and what he wants most
this very moment
and I dig in to my purse
and pull out the only paper money
I have on me
and roll down the window
as he approaches
to grab the five
out of my hands
and his eyes lock on me
and we exchange a smile
and his eyes stay locked on mine
and I realize he wants
what we all want...
a little understanding

he takes the money
and I thank him
\"thank you?\" he asks
puzzled, but smiling still
as the cool air
from inside my car
hits his face, refreshing him
\"God Bless You\"
he says, still puzzled
by why I had thanked him
\"God Bless You, too\"
I tell him
handing him the sack of food
and the drink I just bought
myself at the drive through
before getting caught at the light

and it turns green again
and we exchange a smile
before I move on down the road
greatful that I was given
the opportunity to look in his eyes
beyond the surface of his situation
and see the person in need
of the same understanding
we all want so much
and I don't know what he was before
he began to live this way
I don't know if his mother misses him
but I felt love in my heart that moment
for the man on the side of the road