Homeless

"Got any spar change?" the man asked as a woman tired to walk by. His cloths were ripped and dirty. He had on several layers to fight off the cold winter's nights living on the street.

"Thanks!" he said excitedly. The woman shot him a look. One of confusion; she didn't give him a dime. "You see that nice lady walking away? She just gave me a bit of change." He was saying before she was out of ear shot. He held the cup over to his side showing someone the contents. One button, two pennies and a dollar. Exactly what he started with two hours ago. "What was that Tommy?" he looked over to his left; then in to the cup. "Will yeah I know it’s a button. I'm no dumb."

"Hey you have any change to spar?" he asked hold the cup out to another passerby. This time he had better luck. The man in the clean but old suit pulled out some change and dropped it in to the cup.

"Thanks mister." he said with a small bow. His face light up with happiness at the sight. He again turned and held the cup over to Tommy to view the content. "We are doing great today." Four more pennies a few nickels and two quarters. "We are going to eat tonight."

"What? No! Why would you say that?" He quickly grows annoyed by whatever Tommy he said to him. "Why do you always have to ruin everything?" he asked pulling the cup back towards him. A man sat across the street from the homeless man. He was trying in vain to do the crossword puzzle before he had given up. He now watched the homeless man. Standing there asking for money. Normally he would have told him to scram but this one he didn’t have the heart to. He listened as he counted to talk to this person named Tommy which clearly only the homeless man could see. He wondered how crazy he was. Would he snap and stab or attack someone? He didn't think so he seems to take it all in on himself. Who every he thought Tommy was clearly was clearly mean to him. He watched as the homeless man turned and looked at him.

"Hey why you watching us? Tommy doesn't like it!" he shouted across the street.

"I'm sure but this is my street. I can look anywhere I wish. But do tell Tommy I do not mean to stare." The man listened to the homeless man as he talked to Tommy. Only hearing one side of the conversion.

"He said he was sorry Tommy. He didn’t mean." He stopped mid sentence as if someone had cut him off. Before starting up again. "No don't call him names. Be cool man. Before he calls the cops." Now the homeless man seemed to struggle with someone as if to keep him back. "Come on man. Let's just get out of here." The man picked up a few things and started to push his cart down the sidewalk.

"Sorry mister! He didn’t mean anything by what he said!" with that the homeless man rounded the corner and was gone.