Walking down the overcrowded sidewalks minding your own business. You have so much to do today. Two blocks later you realize there was a dirty old man with his hand out, mumbling in your direction just as you answered your cell. The thought leaves you as soon as it came as you see the crosswalk light change and push ahead through the busy street. Into your office building and into your private little nook to begin your day,the old man's face appears in your mind. The stack of papers on your desk absolutely demand your undivided attention. Busy until an ache of hunger rumbles you to the time. Up in a hurry and out to grab a bite to eat, then back again to the left over paperwork to tackle and complete before days end. The image of a nasty, calloused hand comes to your minds eye out of nowhere. A typing error in your proposal reclaims your attention. You work and concentrate on the papers until the last one has been put in its place. You gather your belongings and head home. You think of the warm dinner , shower, and chair you will soon be relaxing in as soon as you can reach the comforts of your quiet abode. Your long and tedious day is finally over and you can at last place yourself inside the cool velvety sheets and begin your search for peace and slumber. Dreamland soon finds its way into your mind as you drift deeper into sleep. A hand appears outstretched toward you. The nails on the hand are blackened, the skin cracked and wrinkled. The hand clasps your pajama sleeve and gentle begins to tug. A face draws nearer, as you smell a stench of unbrushed teeth and unbathed body. Your eyes widen in disgust and anger. The face becomes clear and you see yourself. It seems as if a hand has reached through a mirror and you are glimpsing yourself. You hear yourself, the self inside the mirror speak. Murmuring at first, then as a low whisper, "Help me please, just enough for one day. " Struggling to get as far away from this nightmare as possible you suddenly wake. You are covered in sweat and a strange smell lingers in the room. The alarm clock sends a shrill through the room, causing you to pounce from the bed. The day holds many deadlines and responsibilities. You are walking along and as you reach a couple blocks shy of your crosswalk your cell rings. You search through your pockets to answer as you spot an image of someone coming toward you. You stop and turn to face this living nightmare that caused your unrest the night before. A little old man, wreaking of days without a bath is standing next to you. He looks up meekly and whispers," Could you please help me please, just to make it through the day." Your hand searching for the ringing cell passes it by in your pocket and wraps around a few bills tucked into the bottom of your pocket. As you place a few green bills into his and he smiles. Brown, broken teeth grin at you and he nods as he thanks you. He walks into the small flower shop next to you on the corner of the crosswalk. Intrigued, you follow along but wait a few feet outside the entrance. The old man struggles to come down the tall steps of the building and turns to walk the other way. You follow along behind him staying far enough back he doesn't know he is being followed. A few blocks and he enters huge iron gates and follows a path to a lonely piece of granite surrounded by beautiful green grass. He kneels and places a hand full of yellow roses onto the cold granite. He bows his head for a while, then looks toward heaven. Then, without turning around he begins to speak to you. " I told my wife once that as long as I could make her smile once a day, I could make it through that day, no matter what I had to face myself. Yellow roses always made her smile. I know she sees these roses and she is smiling. Now thanks to you I know I can survive another day." You walked away, tears streaming down your face. Shame washed over you until you could not take another step. You thought you didn't have time for a dirty old beggar the day before, the dream disgusted you and left you without rest. This man begged for help for one more day. You realized you had today given him just that. Your worries and daily chores did not seem so important any longer. Amazing how this dirty old smelly man caused you to look into your heart.
