At the mouth of the tunnel near the uOttawa Station this man walks toward me and he talks to me follows me moves close enough that I hear him clearly please I am not asking for money good we don’t carry cash anymore just credit cards to accumulate points that is why I switched from cash to plastic and that is why I feel guilty this minute on this beautiful evening at dusk when restaurants are filling up and he is not asking for money he just wants food because he is hungry as hungry as he looks hungry for food for a human gaze for a bath and a washing machine and he half-circles me I don’t want money and I keep walking with my eyes down ashamed that I have no change I just want food he says and I have no food not even a candy bar and offering my pack of gum would be insulting but there is no food or pop machine near-by so why does he ask me here in a place where I cannot say yes and I feel guilty I want this man to make it easy for me to give them what they want so please ask me for food next to a convenience store we’ll go inside and you’ll choose what you want to eat no shame we are together in this we both hunger except I just enjoyed dinner and I cannot bridge the distance that grows between us so why don’t I carry granola bars in my bag that would be no burden and now I hope to see you again you that I did not look in the eye please ask me again next time I’ll be ready.
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