and there i sat.

dear you,

name: mr. man

former area: l.a.

past: coming from gang violence and a heroine addiction to serving 14 years in the navy and surrendering his life to christ. he moved his family out to chicago a few years ago and has become a spiritual leader for the rest of the locals.

my story: there he sat. elbows stretched out on the table and legs spread, his small body was resting on the edge of the seat in an excited yet relaxed position. his dark brown hair was buzzed short and his ear lobes stretched to the size of quarters. his arms and legs were covered in beautiful artwork. his black shirt was worn and tattered with shorts to match. and there i sat, watching this 40-something punk rocker eat a chicken salad and drink out of an old mug filled with ice tea. and there i sat, listening to him talk about his hometown and the fake people within it; how he yearned for something more. something real. something true. and there i sat, for the first time, appreciating the small towns that have surrounded me. appreciating the comfort of being known and knowing others. and there he went--in the blink of an eye--vanishing out of my site to help a fellow neighbor.

what a guy.

sincerely,

shae