A Short Journey-or Two

A Short Journey-To Begin The Others.

I was walking down the street, the busiest street in town. This town was not a busy town or a big town for that matter, it was made of a few shop fronts and a Tim Hortons. As I made my way down the street something caught my attention. I halted all movement forward. To my surprise I came across a loonie, shiny and lonely as it lay on the sidewalk.

I picked up the loonie as she smiled at me. I smiled back her and placed her in my pocket. As I carried on with my stroll, I noticed the time had changed and before I knew it my pocket was jingling and jangling full of the queen.

Snow fell gently as the street lights began to brighten. My feet began to ache and my hands began to quiver. I stopped and unpacked my backpack to find my winter gloves and hat. I continued to walk into the night. I could feel the cold settling into my bones.

I was passing by a number of people and homes as I entered into another city. This adventure had taken me so far for so long, I could not wait to finally settle my feet but I knew my journey was far from over.

I walked all through the night, PM turned into AM, and so came the morning light. Reliably and without struggle the sun slowly opened like the eyes of a new born child. With morning came my hunger (I had not eaten a satisfying meal in what feels like forever). I had been budgeting carefully for the entirety of this journey. I had enough dollars collected to buy myself some bread and beans from a dollar store I came upon.

I settled in the park and began to nibble enough to have my fill when a raggedy mut of a dog approached my side with such sadness in its eyes-I could feel my heart break. This dog had a gimp in it's front right leg, but such a wag in it's tail that it was as if it had practiced the eyes to get much of what it wanted from passer-bys.

I shared some bread and beans with the mut and it took it's place beside me on it's belly as it munched with a heavy jaw on the bread and beans. It savoured every little bit of good, anything that fell out of the over-salivating jaws was quickly licked up after. I fed another couple pieces to the dog as I scratched his back and pet his side. I put some bread away in my back pack and pulled out a blanket to place over the dog as it laid close to my side as I say with my back against the tree.

I stared out across the park and noticed people staring as they walked by. They seemed puzzled, I smiled back, few dropped coins at my feet and scurried away. Some walked by and apologized with no explanation, I just wanted to sit and enjoy the view of the sun glistening off the untouched snow through the pasture.

After sometime I decided to continue my journey, I found that this time though, I was not alone. The dog had begun following me, sharing meals with me and treading path beside me. I decided to finally rest after a day and a half (its not easy finding somewhere you feel is safe and warm enough to meet your standards). I chose to reside temporarily under a pine tree in another park we came across later in the night. It's not usually safe at night (to travel or rest in certain areas) you never know what people might try to do to someone travelling alone.

The next day I took the dog to an animal shelter I came across in this town many years ago with someone I was supposed to marry at the time. The dog was happy as were those who took it in. I knew my journey had not ended quite yet, so I pressed on.

My journey took me to another town, small but busy and beautiful. I stopped to enjoy the sounds of a band playing a free show in a bandshell, older folks and cover music but it feels like ages since I heard the sounds of real music. While there, a child wandered with their head down. They must have passed me at least ten times before I finally told the child my leg was aching and I could not get myself a hot chocolate. I offered to give them enough money to get themselves one if they would get one for me as well. The youngster smiled, accepted my money and offer then hastily returned bearing two steamy cups of hot chocolate. The youth thanked me as I returned the thank-you and then slowly started off. I stopped the youth and asked how their day was.

A long and emotional conversation led me to learn of the troubles this youth had experienced throughout their life and the choice they found themselves faces with on this day. To make a long conversation short, a child will be waking up to see tomorrow's sunrise.

After that pleasant conversation and great music in the park, I continued my journey that took me to many places. It spanned over a long period of time and seemed a lot lonelier at times than it really was because I realized that like myself, there is always someone else who feels alone and it's just a matter of choosing to let that loneliness get the best of you or not.

When I passed away quietly in a hospital bed, I was not scared, sad, or even lonely. I was just glad to have someone there beside me as death slowly swept through my body in the bed. I was glad that there was someone to say goodbye to even though I really knew no one.

In the eyes of this stranger who shared a room with me, I found the manifestations of the dog, the youth, and my withered lover. They all reminded me of the nice things I have done in my life and the nice things people have done for me. I wasn't leaving this world alone or forgotten, I was leaving this world while letting people know that you don't need to always have done something nice to get something nice, but it does make it feel that much better when it is mutual.