Spontaneous Encounter

Today for lunch I decided to spend some time wandering the city that surrounds my office complex. I needed to do have a couple transactions processed at the bank so I decided to wander in that direction. After exiting the bank I wandered towards the town center where I came upon the establishment I was at when I met Kevin (see A man in need). I started to think about Kevin and wondered if he was doing alright. I continued on my stroll back up the main street of the city where I live back toward my office. Up ahead I noticed a wayward traveled. He was in his late forties, grey beard and had a hardened look to him like life had spent it's time chiseling away at him as if he were stone. He had a large hiking backpack on his back, a four foot by two foot by two foot suitcase on wheels he was tugging along and a series of full plastic bags in the hand not pulling the suitcase. He was stooped over a public trashed extracting what looked to be a partially eaten meal wrapped in white paper.

Just like everyone else I ignored him and went on my way. As I walked by he was gather his gear back together with his meal stowed safely in one of his many bags. He was off again himself, heading in the same direction as I though at a slower pace due to his encumbered state. I walked past a subway fast foot restaurant nearby and it hit me, I could buy this guy a meal and he won't have to eat trash for his lunch. So I turned around and walked back to the guy, and introduced myself. I asked him if I could buy him some food. He said something I didn't expect at all. He declined saying that he doesn't eat much becuase it itereferes with his illness. I'm pretty sure it was the illness that caused him to decline because he said he was bipolar. My dad is bipolar and the worst he gets is some mood swings here and there. Never have I seen it act on someone physically. I asked again just to be sure, I really wanted to buy this guy lunch but he declined. I was a little confused and didn't really know how to proceed so I just started to talk to him. His name was Dennis and he was a traveler as anyone could plainly see. He didn't seem to quite have it all together in his mind and I felt sorry that he was that way. I walked a few blocks and we talked about all sorts of radical topics. Pretty much whatever he wanted to discuss. Then I was back by work and had to go so I wished him fair well and went back to work. On hindsight I realize I still did give him something though it wasn't tangible. I communicated with a man that most of society has written off. I only hope that my small attempt to spend some time communicating with this man helped him somehow. I know I will never forget it or him.