~How a homeless man and his devoted partner assisted me in overcoming my~ ~spiritual depression~607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HHVKaBpQK
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. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBodEnDnNP
The scorching heat didn't help — August here in Georgia 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAf2nC4JTq
can be downright unbearable. It was 100 degrees today and 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTF5EfzXRcA
was pretty sticky. I turned the car's A/C on full blast 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAAHEWXnAt
and was ready to do my chores and head home. Then 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZZO5x9xo5
I saw a dog. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWS0MbvXS3
He lay on an empty army green bag right next to the Applebee's restaurant and walked around. There is no shadow. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6fUiqhy3V
Asleep, or at least I hoped he was. He could have 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPpee7A2w0
died in this heat! I went in and found a parking space. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwHoelYidrn
Then I hurried to the dog. I bowed. "Hey buddy. Are you 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1BWVfmbNp
thirsty?" 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0ikFbWySh
I love dogs and they love me. But this one—he was 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UZ3rU9wTA
of medium height, black, gray around the muzzle—607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3mbR2b9sr
opened one eye, closed it, and turned his head away from me. On purpose. His tail did not slide. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9Kio7aiwM
He had a collar and by the way was guarding 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyRLAqaGdDP
's bag, I thought he was waiting for his owner 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxySLKna0y
who was undoubtedly sitting in the air-conditioned condition of the restaurant! 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFVfBZ6zRaR
I stormed into Applebee's ready for battle. Immediately at 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqJJSFhXBM
I noticed the owner. He sat alone at the counter, 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYKpoiqZaY
a tall glass of iced tea in front of him. Long wavy blonde 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPIu6XxmH4
hair and beard. Skinny, how he can't always have enough 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxTp9oYYvo
to eat. He wore jeans that had seen better days, 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJDadUSOrW
, but they were clean, although his arms had the faintest of 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2PLYjHFG0
paint stains. He seemed to sense my 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHQtLheRHP
approach and turned the stool towards me.607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MNF83Pf2j
"Is that your dog?" I insist. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡerypwaAT1I
"Yes, ma'am, he is." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8TKD1dFQ4
"He's out in the sun and has no water. I think he's 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JUlB0X7XJ
hungry too." I must have raised my voice because about 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3G5xJSwkzs
people looked at me. "Dogs like me, but he wouldn't even open both eyes when I talked to him." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRaNnrnUkPD
The man smiled slowly and lightly. He slipped off the 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NnDndYMbQ
stool. "That's because he wasn't properly 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66TnPQ29Fi
introduced to you. Don't bother. I'll do the honors." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UDTDp98eV
Introducing? I followed him outside. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFgze9nkdz
He crouched next to the dog, which was sitting up and 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWgNUTyXRg
turned his eyes to the owner. His tail came to life. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsv6Wa0ryF
"Madam, I don't know your name." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BWMpCbXs8
"Marion". I leaned close to them. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEECj7NNYt
"Marion, I'd like you to meet Cheeseburger. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKyyptD2iT
Cheeseburger, this lovely lady is Marion." The dog looked 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYBGjmG4ck
straight in my eyes and offered a paw. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoglkgQ9xr
I took it. "Hey, cheeseburger," I said. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMp7tGYQur
He licked my hand and his tail went in high. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9a3XcUpp7E
"And I'm Johnny," said the man. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyjcI4m51r
"Johnny, I'm afraid he's thirsty." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkQkmPa3Xf
"Oh, he's fine," she said. "This place was shady when 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQTPAeHRRs
I left him here just a few minutes ago." Johnny picked up his 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPYEYxBzDs7
handbag. "We've been together for nine years. Look, he has my cell number on his collar and he's vaccinated 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqYnkNHRrl
." Johnny moved his bag under the Japanese maple 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgxt1BEWjC
and Cheeseburger sat 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOE4Qpb4qn
next to it in the shade.607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4zBO03pIk
"How far do you live from here?" I asked. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmy3ZnIRE4u
"Not far," he said. "Back in the woods, on the other side of 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFwzMvfLbO
. We have a good tent." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPXu53I3Aa
"But couldn't you go to the shelter?" 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQu6nFCUIlL
"They don't take a cheeseburger and I don't go anywhere without one," he said. Every time he said 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ451C6VBoFd
,607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdwybHVPeH
cheeseburgers, the dog's tail happily wagged 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIe8f0s7UQs
,607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQCLdjday6
back and forth. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn52mjaByfH
"Johnny, I can't leave without a cheeseburger food and water," I said. "It's 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdOyH6Te80
, not you. It's just, well, I have this thing about dogs..." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOw37vT0kw
"Fine, if it makes you happy," he said. "I'll go back 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEuADz0PdN
now and finish my drink... It was nice 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIp7yKan8uF
meeting you, Marion. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3qUym0wO1
I locked up at Walgreen's and came back with a bowl, 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqeVc8NgUx
a large bottle of cold water, a bag of dog food, and 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSl2U5XaDMf
bones. Then I went in and picked up Johnny at 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ8hwKjvGU
restaurant. "I thought you should come with me while I give 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwCNlHR9hpZ
food and water for a cheeseburger," I told him. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Oi8tZUkiS
"Okeydoke," he said. The cheeseburger stood Johnny 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2hwlSqfKL
and I approached. I put the food down and he took 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWUWEPHG8Q
bites of it - mostly out of politeness. He covered enough 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡae6kjAxqBZ
water. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6DNSQ5Z6B
"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." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1w2UgZV29N
"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. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjMPHe5HFN
Johnny didn't seem to care. “That's how it works,” he said gently 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6aRAMg9lSx
. “Every morning Cheeseburger and I get out of our tent 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtsatvJYbM
and look at the sky. And I say: Lord, we belong to you. We trust you. Take care of us one more day. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKO2CDzdkIo
Thank you. ” And then at night, when we fall asleep, 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2IilXJJ4z
I look at the stars and say: “God, we still trust You.” 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIwbZ8YGM5
He smiled again—that slow, easy laugh. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRSIaZn1cX
I smiled back. There was just something about his 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNSazyrNVb
eyes that I liked. "Maybe I'll see you and the cheeseburger again sometime 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWBKSnlqbU
," I said. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNVS7l0E7s
“Okeydoke. Me and the cheeseburger come here or go to 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTE5VHmU5QP
McDonalds most mornings. Then we walk down 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRn1lRTomf
to the post office. I am a painter by trade and I hope to find a job for 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3sNV0hGkJX
."607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYIDC8x1CZ
There was a real calm about Johnny, even 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8ws2Jgk6P
despite my unkind accusations. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlXsITI19K
I fished in my purse and found a twenty. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAD5fUZmgWy
"Can I have this?" I asked hesitantly, not knowing how 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTJv8Ot1fk
was supposed to work. 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjIJLZ42qEz
He did not hand over the bill, but looked at me with a 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMMYSyyRo6
satisfied expression. "You don't have to. We're 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0puuL0D4LU
doing pretty well." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXTjefqt7q
607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Dd6lNceqd
"I would. Very much." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceSWnFd6kz
"Then I thank you, Marion. God bless you." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡck7bDrRTZw
I went back to my car and turned on the 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8cMlxD9MKv
air conditioner. At a red light I leaned forward and looked up at the 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmT5qsYfuZY
blue cloudless sky. "Lord, I belong to you. I trust you 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0ezVyPszr
. Take care of me today. Thank you." 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZnXcHiyyp
The light changed. I stepped onto the highway 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sRinoMXvS
fresh, not so much from the cool air, but from 607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSnVpFbeu8
. unmistakable peace, the same peace I saw in Johnny's eyes.607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2v3yvZps8
607Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFVRVgQgbf
