~How a homeless man and his devoted partner assisted me in overcoming my~ ~spiritual depression~492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Z9WedQSzN
By: Marion Bond West
492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyQLMM7wj6
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. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThTKnceiAk
The scorching heat didn't help — August here in Georgia 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡapMKJf7eIb
can be downright unbearable. It was 100 degrees today and 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNaMBQkmV5
was pretty sticky. I turned the car's A/C on full blast 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5Vg4mU8ee
and was ready to do my chores and head home. Then 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsLzTNB5ui
I saw a dog. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvM9ec6cdnA
He lay on an empty army green bag right next to the Applebee's restaurant and walked around. There is no shadow. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoEqpH9toN
Asleep, or at least I hoped he was. He could have 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkleoHSD24R
died in this heat! I went in and found a parking space. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRYmrkIJLm
Then I hurried to the dog. I bowed. "Hey buddy. Are you 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06uhqMIvkk
thirsty?" 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZf47zpZWc
I love dogs and they love me. But this one—he was 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFqDoA7dBq
of medium height, black, gray around the muzzle—492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW78KwpR2Ze
opened one eye, closed it, and turned his head away from me. On purpose. His tail did not slide. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMz4EyyR7aU
He had a collar and by the way was guarding 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFGx0gs5sG
's bag, I thought he was waiting for his owner 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcdBUHJoep
who was undoubtedly sitting in the air-conditioned condition of the restaurant! 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8RZdrpuFiW
I stormed into Applebee's ready for battle. Immediately at 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpWM5CQt08
I noticed the owner. He sat alone at the counter, 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgg0ZoY7Xb
a tall glass of iced tea in front of him. Long wavy blonde 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cIqKlUSqH
hair and beard. Skinny, how he can't always have enough 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZT45w5fEYV
to eat. He wore jeans that had seen better days, 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhTmmJjiZMc
, but they were clean, although his arms had the faintest of 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFVYteuOaS
paint stains. He seemed to sense my 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7rnbKOkxC
approach and turned the stool towards me.492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s8GvkTaHK
"Is that your dog?" I insist. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyNitioEQ3
"Yes, ma'am, he is." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIwGwAp2hT
"He's out in the sun and has no water. I think he's 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmI4v821Ew
hungry too." I must have raised my voice because about 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMLMYExXry
people looked at me. "Dogs like me, but he wouldn't even open both eyes when I talked to him." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ21vNCkdcSn
The man smiled slowly and lightly. He slipped off the 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKtFQfob7I
stool. "That's because he wasn't properly 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zIw7YjvhN
introduced to you. Don't bother. I'll do the honors." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIltblIc8a3
Introducing? I followed him outside. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjHjDdXVtZ
He crouched next to the dog, which was sitting up and 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SS2VvU7Zu
turned his eyes to the owner. His tail came to life. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV7M4D5TueY
"Madam, I don't know your name." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqGXU5Hep9
"Marion". I leaned close to them. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFR9HLXfcG
"Marion, I'd like you to meet Cheeseburger. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0TAbfgFid4
Cheeseburger, this lovely lady is Marion." The dog looked 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfHdFtJevo
straight in my eyes and offered a paw. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhgEPsVi4c
I took it. "Hey, cheeseburger," I said. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcY9Fqczwqo
He licked my hand and his tail went in high. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMCXIAhd0R
"And I'm Johnny," said the man. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlm3vHC7c6
"Johnny, I'm afraid he's thirsty." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eDO7SMIUI
"Oh, he's fine," she said. "This place was shady when 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ87WVyXn51W
I left him here just a few minutes ago." Johnny picked up his 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cI6lMMT3b
handbag. "We've been together for nine years. Look, he has my cell number on his collar and he's vaccinated 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZse3fXw6WH
." Johnny moved his bag under the Japanese maple 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxM7RFdSuMv
and Cheeseburger sat 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aKocWxSNI
next to it in the shade.492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBthFkknyv
"How far do you live from here?" I asked. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPeEuZbYO5
"Not far," he said. "Back in the woods, on the other side of 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9hkWYClB5
. We have a good tent." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0roTEEnJhw
"But couldn't you go to the shelter?" 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4ytimEE4H
"They don't take a cheeseburger and I don't go anywhere without one," he said. Every time he said 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIBepSake2
,492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJeoRCj2qC
cheeseburgers, the dog's tail happily wagged 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvbZD7Q86X
,492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpzFiRh1yx
back and forth. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa5rpQweYv9
"Johnny, I can't leave without a cheeseburger food and water," I said. "It's 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmuXLehVBeo
, not you. It's just, well, I have this thing about dogs..." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGBWXf9Xsr
"Fine, if it makes you happy," he said. "I'll go back 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KbXeb44BR
now and finish my drink... It was nice 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpPFde6HVC
meeting you, Marion. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteKK9yZadD
I locked up at Walgreen's and came back with a bowl, 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTbNgOoAiV
a large bottle of cold water, a bag of dog food, and 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfSSplWY3c
bones. Then I went in and picked up Johnny at 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRz5RMehsvX
restaurant. "I thought you should come with me while I give 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgIoWlbCT9
food and water for a cheeseburger," I told him. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMVlsFJju5
"Okeydoke," he said. The cheeseburger stood Johnny 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdBP5rudCB
and I approached. I put the food down and he took 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4aLcWIRAcD
bites of it - mostly out of politeness. He covered enough 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnSAfJRtqi
water. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDj0lNVWji
"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." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49ZkVgGNl6
"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. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0gGFhsi8Z
Johnny didn't seem to care. “That's how it works,” he said gently 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8muvuNiDVZ
. “Every morning Cheeseburger and I get out of our tent 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrPT7zOCae
and look at the sky. And I say: Lord, we belong to you. We trust you. Take care of us one more day. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetxj7lionH
Thank you. ” And then at night, when we fall asleep, 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwr9nFDHhfe
I look at the stars and say: “God, we still trust You.” 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1pFl1saHD
He smiled again—that slow, easy laugh. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIAfICe4ac
I smiled back. There was just something about his 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhqqf8YfiY
eyes that I liked. "Maybe I'll see you and the cheeseburger again sometime 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsz32KCGr3
," I said. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8thcQ4upw1
“Okeydoke. Me and the cheeseburger come here or go to 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLUomvnN6e
McDonalds most mornings. Then we walk down 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwW9oivlgk
to the post office. I am a painter by trade and I hope to find a job for 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPXwlOWu45
."492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XOigIuWno
There was a real calm about Johnny, even 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7NqOe2llq
despite my unkind accusations. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWVI9yss8F
I fished in my purse and found a twenty. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBb5C1oAEYb
"Can I have this?" I asked hesitantly, not knowing how 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzumg3TUoP
was supposed to work. 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmWYH6uNgl
He did not hand over the bill, but looked at me with a 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsItTk7Hvu
satisfied expression. "You don't have to. We're 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxfjnlsXtn
doing pretty well." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmVTghZOYa
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"I would. Very much." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUWMa7TVlRp
"Then I thank you, Marion. God bless you." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjthYYpFCR
I went back to my car and turned on the 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhJLF4On4X
air conditioner. At a red light I leaned forward and looked up at the 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvZ37h0ahv
blue cloudless sky. "Lord, I belong to you. I trust you 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1XDYR82t8o
. Take care of me today. Thank you." 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mSREels6e
The light changed. I stepped onto the highway 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXv6EpjqdaY
fresh, not so much from the cool air, but from 492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0A2rNxvyiy
. unmistakable peace, the same peace I saw in Johnny's eyes.492Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZ5Y4QWIRa
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