I have been sitting here for hours watching a young man, no more than thirty, eat drink his coffee. I realize I've never seen such sadness inside a persons eyes before. Such an emptiness that I could never imagine where it came from. He in a sharp gray suit, but his ties undone. His hair hardly brushed. He stares at nothing and his hands clutch the coffee cup tightly. His knuckles white. My chin is rested on my palm and I watch him intently. Sighing, he sits up and drops his newly bought coffee into the trash and walks off. I'm so lost within my own wonder that I pick up my things and slowly follow him, not wanting to be noticed quit yet. He puts his hands in his pockets and stares into the sun set, as if waiting for someone to come running down from heaven to see him. To hold him. My eyes find his right hand and I spot a tiny silver ring for the first time, and realization comes to me. I feel tears prick my eyes for this stranger. I clutch my hand to my chest. pulling off the ring, this man gives another sad sigh and slips the ring into his pocket and turns to leave but I notice something he does not. The ring falls through a tiny hold and bounces off the concrete, rolling over until in stops at my feet. I'm so overcome with emotion for this man that I pick up the ring and hold it to my heart, wiping away fallen tears. He slumps farther up the street when I come to a stop in front of him. "Wait!" I cry out and slam into him. Surprised, he pulls himself upright and helps steady me, confusion replacing the nothing inside his eyes as I hold out my hand.

"You dropped this," I say and drop the ring into his hand. I add more softly," She wouldn't want you to lose it."

Startled, I see unshed tears form inside this man's eyes. He picks up the ring and slips it back onto his finger, closing his hand to make a tight his.

Voice gruff, he whispers, "I know." Turning away, I give this man a sad smile and start walking away. One last glance over my shoulder and he's there again, staring into the sun set. But this time, he's smiling. Tears glistening his cheeks and he stands straighter, hair pushed out of his eyes.

I swear he whispers someone's name, but I don't question it.

Helping a stranger never felt for great.