I sat on the street

All by myself.
Nothing to do,
and no one to worry about.

The cars passed by me
As I held out my sign
Pleading for money.
Few people notice me
And even fewer stop.
Some toss change to me
While others just talk.
Either way
I feel like none of them care.

Last week was different though.
I walked through the alley,
The same path I traveled
Every day,
And heard a sudden noise.
The whine of a lost dog.
Then came the rustling
As its tail swished
Back and forth
From garbage bag
To garbage bag.
It ran to me
Not for an attack,
But for a friend.

I will never figure out
Why he followed me
Why he stayed with me
Or why he liked me.
All I know is
He cared about me
And I cared about him.
We were just two guys
In the city,
Alone,
And without shelter.

Today I sit here
On the sidewalk.
Nothing to do
But wonder
where he went.

I will never forget
The whine
Of that lost dog.