Member-only story
A Sad Boxing Day Gift Exchange
The son is homeless, has PTSD, and no socks and the father is trying to be supportive.
I’m not typically an eavesdropper, but sometimes it’s hard not to overhear a conversation. This was the case when I left a coffee shop and sat down on a bench with a cup of hot chocolate and a blueberry scone this morning.
As I soaked in the late December sun, I sighed and felt thankful. Then I heard two men chatting. It sounded like they were right next to me, even though they were at least 30 feet away. I had found myself in a place with excellent acoustics.
Unfortunately, I had nowhere else to move to and figured I could tune out the men as I consumed my Boxing Day treats — purchased with a Christmas Day gift card from my daughter and son-in-law.
Then my ears perked up when the younger man who seemed to be around 35 years old said, “I’ve been homeless for two years now and I’m ready for a change.”
The older man who seemed to be around 70 years old nodded and said, “I’m sure you are.”
Now, they had my full attention and I had to look at the men again. They were literally behind bars, sitting almost parallel. The younger man was doing most of the talking, but he never seemed to face the older man or make eye contact. He…
