~How a homeless man and his devoted partner assisted me in overcoming my~ ~spiritual depression~457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5SmUyPvdBp
By: Marion Bond West
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I couldn't understand why exactly, but lately I've been feeling distant from God, like he doesn't hear me. A case of spiritual blues, I guess. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡelUFZeZrfm
The scorching heat didn't help — August here in Georgia 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQcibE5yv5
can be downright unbearable. It was 100 degrees today and 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsMudZxr8k
was pretty sticky. I turned the car's A/C on full blast 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6JodCIh6f
and was ready to do my chores and head home. Then 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJEYHUZkJbP
I saw a dog. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TUbp86bQr
He lay on an empty army green bag right next to the Applebee's restaurant and walked around. There is no shadow. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCDjjDJLt3
Asleep, or at least I hoped he was. He could have 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wNYPIc3Yk
died in this heat! I went in and found a parking space. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdHgaWftAI
Then I hurried to the dog. I bowed. "Hey buddy. Are you 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMSQ0QH4sn
thirsty?" 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wQgSbyZPM
I love dogs and they love me. But this one—he was 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGt9AOQZZ21
of medium height, black, gray around the muzzle—457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFC4tVYL7l1
opened one eye, closed it, and turned his head away from me. On purpose. His tail did not slide. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7GbkLx3SO
He had a collar and by the way was guarding 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1yDcoEug0
's bag, I thought he was waiting for his owner 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCLvJEirMr
who was undoubtedly sitting in the air-conditioned condition of the restaurant! 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxX3loGVHt
I stormed into Applebee's ready for battle. Immediately at 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvRZmzbltJ
I noticed the owner. He sat alone at the counter, 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7171BbBvQx
a tall glass of iced tea in front of him. Long wavy blonde 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ959Rp1kF9M
hair and beard. Skinny, how he can't always have enough 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKf0mVqQE7p
to eat. He wore jeans that had seen better days, 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCmKp0UdAu
, but they were clean, although his arms had the faintest of 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZEuwvMGqM
paint stains. He seemed to sense my 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdH3wHtxdaG
approach and turned the stool towards me.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTK6REBkp4e
"Is that your dog?" I insist. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdFTYuo1pu
"Yes, ma'am, he is." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8Dektr37A
"He's out in the sun and has no water. I think he's 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcE0lPiQMpv
hungry too." I must have raised my voice because about 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqk2QoGZhV
people looked at me. "Dogs like me, but he wouldn't even open both eyes when I talked to him." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFw0Hs8lwZ
The man smiled slowly and lightly. He slipped off the 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfr3WHjqShZ
stool. "That's because he wasn't properly 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyzb8fxFmn
introduced to you. Don't bother. I'll do the honors." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYEryopQ3b
Introducing? I followed him outside. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2ZSEpijFk
He crouched next to the dog, which was sitting up and 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wZrKGRznO
turned his eyes to the owner. His tail came to life. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0k79c4i7Ow
"Madam, I don't know your name." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsvwJ1PRI8U
"Marion". I leaned close to them. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6NnpD1cMH
"Marion, I'd like you to meet Cheeseburger. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42Sp2sSIsH
Cheeseburger, this lovely lady is Marion." The dog looked 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6qzp177HK
straight in my eyes and offered a paw. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYaqZ3RUdp
I took it. "Hey, cheeseburger," I said. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrcMFTfZpw
He licked my hand and his tail went in high. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpR2xAPaK12
"And I'm Johnny," said the man. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sE4AqgFLJ
"Johnny, I'm afraid he's thirsty." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBdniChE27
"Oh, he's fine," she said. "This place was shady when 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yML08rvL4
I left him here just a few minutes ago." Johnny picked up his 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVDFZi4v54
handbag. "We've been together for nine years. Look, he has my cell number on his collar and he's vaccinated 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnca8HtsqCv
." Johnny moved his bag under the Japanese maple 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbH4VnVRCzu
and Cheeseburger sat 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7Div14h10
next to it in the shade.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2m2nnSTwJs
"How far do you live from here?" I asked. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAchkndk0xv
"Not far," he said. "Back in the woods, on the other side of 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4xarVOmUU
. We have a good tent." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzqvkD8ain
"But couldn't you go to the shelter?" 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGcdEAfvKy
"They don't take a cheeseburger and I don't go anywhere without one," he said. Every time he said 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJY5DpxJ6BA
,457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eDSJ19pd2
cheeseburgers, the dog's tail happily wagged 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NKgiwAurC
,457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYI4bucP8H4
back and forth. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtHwlhfQu7
"Johnny, I can't leave without a cheeseburger food and water," I said. "It's 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPFh1Xu9Mv
, not you. It's just, well, I have this thing about dogs..." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP02ESg9Cd
"Fine, if it makes you happy," he said. "I'll go back 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHLSe8My3p
now and finish my drink... It was nice 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQmH7zMpMZ
meeting you, Marion. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBf7BocIJvo
I locked up at Walgreen's and came back with a bowl, 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrAo2uWhKU
a large bottle of cold water, a bag of dog food, and 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKMo82A0Zy
bones. Then I went in and picked up Johnny at 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIg7AQ2V6oQ
restaurant. "I thought you should come with me while I give 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Oygi0FiHl
food and water for a cheeseburger," I told him. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpK4dxrjxNq
"Okeydoke," he said. The cheeseburger stood Johnny 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yRFQkrxdH
and I approached. I put the food down and he took 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqudHOZnAZI
bites of it - mostly out of politeness. He covered enough 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpyYbEyCxB
water. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvYfzHKsIVZ
"I think he was thirsty," said Johnny. "Thanks. I won't give him bottled water, but don't worry, I'll take very good care of him." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetGR5opuJf
"And who will take care of you?" The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them, and I knew they sounded sharper than I intended. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6wkrUohK6
Johnny didn't seem to care. “That's how it works,” he said gently 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6iduSr5pw
. “Every morning Cheeseburger and I get out of our tent 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlRbMVRkD5
and look at the sky. And I say: Lord, we belong to you. We trust you. Take care of us one more day. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH44HdFQqXc
Thank you. ” And then at night, when we fall asleep, 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW5r4qQahJ
I look at the stars and say: “God, we still trust You.” 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93ypCntjgM
He smiled again—that slow, easy laugh. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQxdov0Dpf
I smiled back. There was just something about his 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcR73C7RaS0
eyes that I liked. "Maybe I'll see you and the cheeseburger again sometime 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrgPnBg2RD
," I said. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvFfLlwyTc
“Okeydoke. Me and the cheeseburger come here or go to 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOdCBa5Fv7
McDonalds most mornings. Then we walk down 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXU3TY82cX4
to the post office. I am a painter by trade and I hope to find a job for 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeejRYF5Ykh
."457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWKCc2YoZS
There was a real calm about Johnny, even 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CxhORmIlR
despite my unkind accusations. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7uT77mup4
I fished in my purse and found a twenty. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbaOVN1Ieh
"Can I have this?" I asked hesitantly, not knowing how 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1WnmwSjFCo
was supposed to work. 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlwnwJb4pOm
He did not hand over the bill, but looked at me with a 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ei2eAJEeR
satisfied expression. "You don't have to. We're 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeYBLbyQKj
doing pretty well." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQE7cwLWRo
457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRtFQzFRGo
"I would. Very much." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7hKu1Biit
"Then I thank you, Marion. God bless you." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWP35ChViy
I went back to my car and turned on the 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEh3I75WdT0
air conditioner. At a red light I leaned forward and looked up at the 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrm33Tg7VOl
blue cloudless sky. "Lord, I belong to you. I trust you 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1qDmtlbyL
. Take care of me today. Thank you." 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FvxfOC5pE
The light changed. I stepped onto the highway 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHHlYCeArU
fresh, not so much from the cool air, but from 457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VctFO4sQ8
. unmistakable peace, the same peace I saw in Johnny's eyes.457Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcdWBJw1bFX
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