It's kind of odd how life works. One day, you're hugging someone on a park bench. The next, you're seeing a blind old man who, excuse my blunt self, couldn't see you back. In three days I hadn't seen Theo once, but it didn't really surprise me. The world wasn't as small as people said.
Scraggly and worn, the blind man held a sign in front of him that read: Blind and hungry. Cold. The hand writing was too neat to be his own.
I started towards him and, hearing the sound of my footsteps, his face turned towards my general direction, " hello?"
I sat cross legged next to him, " Um hi. How are you?"
He smiled softly, the wrinking in his face giving in to the corners of his lips. A beard was flourishing on his jaw line and his hair was just running past his ears. He didn't smell the best, but I didn't mind, " I've had better days. Yourself?"
" I'm pretty good, thanks." I said, then I asked, " Can I buy you a meal?"
His tone consisted of kindness as he said, " That's alright, you don't have to."
Gingerly, " what's your name?"
" My names Jacob. How about your name?" He asked, kind of looking at me, kind of looking at a pigeon that straying to close to the street.
" Marisole." I replied, rolling my thumbs, " Jacob, I'd really like to buy you a meal. Anywhere you'd like. Please?"
His smile was so happy, so kind, that it made me sad, " How about the little deli shop a few stores down?"
I nodded, " sure. Anything."
Generally, he looked down at himself, " i'm sure you can tell but, i'm not wearing my best clothes right now. Do you think we could eat out here?"
My smile grew, " yes of course. What would you like me to get you?"
" Just a turkey sandwhich, please."
" Mayo, mustard?"
" Butter and mayonaise." He said, " Thank you, dearest."
I went to the deli, ordered him a turkey sandwhich topped with butter and mayo, then got him a cookie and one for me as well. I bought us waters, and when I went back out I saw that he had laid his sign down and straightened up the best he could. I handed him his sandwhich, " here. I also got you a water, and a cookie. Is that alright?"
" Oh you shouldn't have." He said, a large smile on his face.
While he ate the sandwhich and the cookie, I took sips of my water, " So then, how'd you end up here?"
He finished, " Well, dolly, there's not a lot of work for blind men now days. And I couldn't afford a doctor."
" were you born blind or..."
He shook his head, " I'm afraid not. Got in an accident when I was in my early thirties, been out here for thirty years since then."
" Oh, i'm sorry-"
" Now now." He said, cutting me off in the kindest of ways, " It's not what you think. I meet interesting people here and I'm happy. I don't know, I like it sort of. Yeah, it's hard, and cold, and getting food and water is tough, but I'm happy. Marisole, here's the thing about people; no matter where they are, they try to be happy. You go to africa, see those kids, they find happiness. It's what people do." He smiled, " Don't feel bad for me, because i'm happy."
A grin took on my lips the way a lion takes on it's pray; rather violently. But it felt good, it felt solid and the things he said were completion at it's finest, " I'm gonna keep that in mind. Thank you."
" Don't thank me dearest. thank you, for the food and the water." He replied.
I dug around it my pocket, before pulling out two crumpled twenties, " here.... oh, um, i'm holding out my hand."
He laughed and leaned forward, finding my fingers on the first try and finding the money on the second. His face sort of blanked, " oh, you don't have two-"
" No, no i want to." I said, " it's two twenties. I just... I want to help. You're really nice and... and I'm really bad with words, i'm sorry."
" No dolly, you're speaking what's on your mind and that's good. Thank you, for everything." He patted my hand, " You're a gift from god."
I couldn't contain my newest smile. I had smiled a lot thus far.
Checking the time on my phone, I realized I was going to be late for mom's arrival time. That's the thing about mom; she arrived at and left the house at a certain time everyday, and I was trained to be there at both.
I leaned down, and gave the man a hug, " Goodbye, and thank you even though you're going to say thank you."
" good bye, angel. Be well." He waved and I waved back despite the irony of it.
Then, I practically ran home because I was already so furociously behind schedule. The living room, while not dirty, wasn't tidy and the kitchen felt lopsided. I bolted both left and right trying to pick everything up.
As I did, I realized something. Here I was living my life. It was cluttered, and wasn't very eventful. It consisted of a lot of tv and a lot of cooking in my spare time, but it was my life and I lived it and enjoyed it.
I was happy.
YOU ARE READING
Paper Hearts | ✓ | [ e d i t i n g ]
RomanceIn which a girl who never gets mail receives a list of things that are suppose to change her life. And change the way she views happiness. • Fair warning: this isn't edited. It isn't the best and it definitely isn't bomb proof. I'm sorry for the la...