It was a sun-drenched afternoon, the kind that usually tugs at the corners of your heart, urging you to connect with another soul. I was driving down McDowell, the vibrant life of the city unfolding before me when I caught sight of him—a man hunched against the worn-out parking lot pillar of a closed storefront. His clothes were tattered, his skin weathered, yet there was a certain dignity that radiated from him, a quiet resilience that struck me.
As I approached with a sense of curiosity mixed with unease, an undeniable tugging sensation gripped my gut. It whispered to me, a gentle insistence to turn around and return to him. I obeyed the impulse, knowing deep down that this encounter would be more than a fleeting moment.
“Excuse me,” I said as I stepped out of my car, nervous yet resolute. “Are you hungry?”
His eyes flickered open, and he looked at me with a clarity that surprised me. “Yes, may I please have some water and a snack?”
He didn’t ask for much. Just the basics. I pondered t…
