~How a homeless man and his devoted partner assisted me in overcoming my~ ~spiritual depression~611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdS1zB62R1D
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. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BenjhZFPL
The scorching heat didn't help — August here in Georgia 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvTEgo7wGW0
can be downright unbearable. It was 100 degrees today and 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCB9LQBV9Eg
was pretty sticky. I turned the car's A/C on full blast 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72MTVSCG00
and was ready to do my chores and head home. Then 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOGCSZgYzD
I saw a dog. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfgpFuwvOCK
He lay on an empty army green bag right next to the Applebee's restaurant and walked around. There is no shadow. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7VJpfomxg
Asleep, or at least I hoped he was. He could have 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05KTDOdgff
died in this heat! I went in and found a parking space. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAQdr8V6UV
Then I hurried to the dog. I bowed. "Hey buddy. Are you 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhGzO3BMrT
thirsty?" 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwID6xW5GwF
I love dogs and they love me. But this one—he was 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShqjnAV1C0
of medium height, black, gray around the muzzle—611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡncKt0T5VRj
opened one eye, closed it, and turned his head away from me. On purpose. His tail did not slide. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIFHpW7fys
He had a collar and by the way was guarding 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAspV1eDLPZ
's bag, I thought he was waiting for his owner 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJeTFYZFMw
who was undoubtedly sitting in the air-conditioned condition of the restaurant! 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BK6JEtC0g
I stormed into Applebee's ready for battle. Immediately at 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyKVnECKNz9
I noticed the owner. He sat alone at the counter, 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJG3ObCLgSS
a tall glass of iced tea in front of him. Long wavy blonde 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UDrBHWfWq
hair and beard. Skinny, how he can't always have enough 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nxnVdYr70
to eat. He wore jeans that had seen better days, 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvHCOtfAPqu
, but they were clean, although his arms had the faintest of 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuGXEZ9ffN
paint stains. He seemed to sense my 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOFg3jvzw1
approach and turned the stool towards me.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMX1587NHxo
"Is that your dog?" I insist. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhT2vtZ9Gpv
"Yes, ma'am, he is." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5E5hr0YUYV
"He's out in the sun and has no water. I think he's 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA5lxOTftTG
hungry too." I must have raised my voice because about 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrHNQBZxP8
people looked at me. "Dogs like me, but he wouldn't even open both eyes when I talked to him." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GrUHOJLRl
The man smiled slowly and lightly. He slipped off the 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsaszWGz1J
stool. "That's because he wasn't properly 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWL86C3UotV
introduced to you. Don't bother. I'll do the honors." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVElXsBIMXP
Introducing? I followed him outside. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbg9iL1E8a
He crouched next to the dog, which was sitting up and 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxguvKE3Xr7
turned his eyes to the owner. His tail came to life. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdCgU57w9J
"Madam, I don't know your name." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9Qoy1LVSE
"Marion". I leaned close to them. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxC4yggfwq1
"Marion, I'd like you to meet Cheeseburger. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8fqGmAfVZ
Cheeseburger, this lovely lady is Marion." The dog looked 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zrZiTvqSi
straight in my eyes and offered a paw. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfR1vqPkWw8
I took it. "Hey, cheeseburger," I said. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvM0IJLtRvu
He licked my hand and his tail went in high. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdJa8RwGsM
"And I'm Johnny," said the man. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVaH0p3o7Hk
"Johnny, I'm afraid he's thirsty." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEMz3Sqa3V
"Oh, he's fine," she said. "This place was shady when 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCO0berL9st
I left him here just a few minutes ago." Johnny picked up his 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsOMuPCkKZ
handbag. "We've been together for nine years. Look, he has my cell number on his collar and he's vaccinated 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AcJsXfVgN
." Johnny moved his bag under the Japanese maple 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImqS0BRAMK
and Cheeseburger sat 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsR4WyX44Q
next to it in the shade.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTpZYDlVywJ
"How far do you live from here?" I asked. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRLwy2GgLeX
"Not far," he said. "Back in the woods, on the other side of 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsFEtB5miJ
. We have a good tent." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVj879wiQ0
"But couldn't you go to the shelter?" 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHjGTYXKpQS
"They don't take a cheeseburger and I don't go anywhere without one," he said. Every time he said 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtHkhFNrjK
,611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxvNxOLq0N
cheeseburgers, the dog's tail happily wagged 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0V0f68J3T
,611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGL71efVoVQ
back and forth. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpqb0ZRrMf
"Johnny, I can't leave without a cheeseburger food and water," I said. "It's 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcR1iZX3ihz
, not you. It's just, well, I have this thing about dogs..." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwYowRw9sS
"Fine, if it makes you happy," he said. "I'll go back 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKySiuY440
now and finish my drink... It was nice 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTSWybzhWV
meeting you, Marion. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPyKp6nzRB
I locked up at Walgreen's and came back with a bowl, 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3NaI0YozEz
a large bottle of cold water, a bag of dog food, and 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlIi1X30lUA
bones. Then I went in and picked up Johnny at 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0iUR8LHvz
restaurant. "I thought you should come with me while I give 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceIBNCh9lR
food and water for a cheeseburger," I told him. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9a1OzG7KS
"Okeydoke," he said. The cheeseburger stood Johnny 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PFF05ZCAa
and I approached. I put the food down and he took 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNv1cVvGs3
bites of it - mostly out of politeness. He covered enough 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7UKLpS7TE1
water. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfmevQRemO
"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." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiLDXb5phB
"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. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXk95vuehmS
Johnny didn't seem to care. “That's how it works,” he said gently 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWe5PFd33gA
. “Every morning Cheeseburger and I get out of our tent 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKFwN0X9o9
and look at the sky. And I say: Lord, we belong to you. We trust you. Take care of us one more day. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpazeuyQTa
Thank you. ” And then at night, when we fall asleep, 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQWdoGbHnb
I look at the stars and say: “God, we still trust You.” 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkCsA1vwbYo
He smiled again—that slow, easy laugh. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFoarDXSnm
I smiled back. There was just something about his 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpd3RjHD57a
eyes that I liked. "Maybe I'll see you and the cheeseburger again sometime 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3lfjpNNpi
," I said. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHePYX4sj6
“Okeydoke. Me and the cheeseburger come here or go to 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVE60FfVOZ5
McDonalds most mornings. Then we walk down 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0miqaXP5h
to the post office. I am a painter by trade and I hope to find a job for 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsil7TRCchu
."611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lJu4K4hfh
There was a real calm about Johnny, even 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwV8vFjZSZu
despite my unkind accusations. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEqo7UELab
I fished in my purse and found a twenty. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfelp8I3Rk4
"Can I have this?" I asked hesitantly, not knowing how 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGY8GsD9NV
was supposed to work. 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZJu74h9eA
He did not hand over the bill, but looked at me with a 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rvI8cuadT
satisfied expression. "You don't have to. We're 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWz4ijECPg
doing pretty well." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBuxt7CY0h
611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEapdBu4D56
"I would. Very much." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbVTebQpkg
"Then I thank you, Marion. God bless you." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziRtpcNyMY
I went back to my car and turned on the 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvpcdzUg9I
air conditioner. At a red light I leaned forward and looked up at the 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsL8vojDw9y
blue cloudless sky. "Lord, I belong to you. I trust you 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaWXJ26YbOQ
. Take care of me today. Thank you." 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpFabSf03v
The light changed. I stepped onto the highway 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5yvZtARQ7
fresh, not so much from the cool air, but from 611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiGCazkwc3
. unmistakable peace, the same peace I saw in Johnny's eyes.611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kkSEWKcss
611Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7Q2Fa2dQm
