~How a homeless man and his devoted partner assisted me in overcoming my~ ~spiritual depression~598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMbji9yCgt
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. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2iASlvgbv
The scorching heat didn't help — August here in Georgia 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfQ6DG3AMX
can be downright unbearable. It was 100 degrees today and 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQaniBQ7L2
was pretty sticky. I turned the car's A/C on full blast 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwPJl0AFmb
and was ready to do my chores and head home. Then 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckD77rYezR
I saw a dog. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYY2aykbWGn
He lay on an empty army green bag right next to the Applebee's restaurant and walked around. There is no shadow. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMt2jjQCIhw
Asleep, or at least I hoped he was. He could have 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡueeeGxrUmP
died in this heat! I went in and found a parking space. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0g9D1Xrrq2
Then I hurried to the dog. I bowed. "Hey buddy. Are you 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFJp0i18Xo
thirsty?" 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK76DWhgzSC
I love dogs and they love me. But this one—he was 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrYsZhmv6D
of medium height, black, gray around the muzzle—598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9901hluB0
opened one eye, closed it, and turned his head away from me. On purpose. His tail did not slide. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiFOaOnOTKp
He had a collar and by the way was guarding 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwNvxzd4q6
's bag, I thought he was waiting for his owner 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDvfsKlT1P
who was undoubtedly sitting in the air-conditioned condition of the restaurant! 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRtuQfjF7N
I stormed into Applebee's ready for battle. Immediately at 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Bv9JVqAYw
I noticed the owner. He sat alone at the counter, 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBN9XNJbez
a tall glass of iced tea in front of him. Long wavy blonde 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QBa1fseA4
hair and beard. Skinny, how he can't always have enough 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bjyKKJ3Iu
to eat. He wore jeans that had seen better days, 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSlIaNNxkV
, but they were clean, although his arms had the faintest of 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmB8ymgusGJ
paint stains. He seemed to sense my 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN52mAwhlR5
approach and turned the stool towards me.598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyydrvVIALW
"Is that your dog?" I insist. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwVV3luBUv
"Yes, ma'am, he is." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8qcU7ssZV
"He's out in the sun and has no water. I think he's 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7oPjbY1ZP
hungry too." I must have raised my voice because about 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaDjUrfEWr
people looked at me. "Dogs like me, but he wouldn't even open both eyes when I talked to him." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiuCeYjHdW
The man smiled slowly and lightly. He slipped off the 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRfiG8EaxV
stool. "That's because he wasn't properly 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRp2XIt4flt
introduced to you. Don't bother. I'll do the honors." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nzgPXxbWi
Introducing? I followed him outside. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrUk5aBzVX
He crouched next to the dog, which was sitting up and 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqXOWWCfnr
turned his eyes to the owner. His tail came to life. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2wNUl8GCb
"Madam, I don't know your name." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO13AGoJPh6
"Marion". I leaned close to them. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0i01vtYyyd
"Marion, I'd like you to meet Cheeseburger. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q9whklNJz
Cheeseburger, this lovely lady is Marion." The dog looked 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGvx8a79vM
straight in my eyes and offered a paw. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNN9eAGq7Z
I took it. "Hey, cheeseburger," I said. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWETeYBnFY
He licked my hand and his tail went in high. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpioQWodz7e
"And I'm Johnny," said the man. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VkGKMibc8
"Johnny, I'm afraid he's thirsty." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTaeNzwg8i
"Oh, he's fine," she said. "This place was shady when 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgBtMzOvDK
I left him here just a few minutes ago." Johnny picked up his 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWS2xgDEQkc
handbag. "We've been together for nine years. Look, he has my cell number on his collar and he's vaccinated 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceZRPENZrs
." Johnny moved his bag under the Japanese maple 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgS2bkcQhWJ
and Cheeseburger sat 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwRXZopqER
next to it in the shade.598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjgHOCKjYf
"How far do you live from here?" I asked. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKEU0Nj7iv
"Not far," he said. "Back in the woods, on the other side of 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJNO8Tk7C8
. We have a good tent." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxKZyXYJBB
"But couldn't you go to the shelter?" 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynblVlHW1s
"They don't take a cheeseburger and I don't go anywhere without one," he said. Every time he said 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkImtcqTXN
,598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ByDx0V12K
cheeseburgers, the dog's tail happily wagged 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jgY9fr1FZ
,598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXiXtuUY0H
back and forth. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgURW5fm5Kz
"Johnny, I can't leave without a cheeseburger food and water," I said. "It's 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc38HEY145Z
, not you. It's just, well, I have this thing about dogs..." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZfKHRrOq2
"Fine, if it makes you happy," he said. "I'll go back 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHl1eaFygJ
now and finish my drink... It was nice 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQRez8XE0E
meeting you, Marion. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNclYM45dG
I locked up at Walgreen's and came back with a bowl, 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZ4vlCyc99
a large bottle of cold water, a bag of dog food, and 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3K0R1EMgMB
bones. Then I went in and picked up Johnny at 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOBfewaIidO
restaurant. "I thought you should come with me while I give 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ElSA36Nm0
food and water for a cheeseburger," I told him. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3CqPsIZJa
"Okeydoke," he said. The cheeseburger stood Johnny 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHGZtC1wRY
and I approached. I put the food down and he took 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfbX9zmLRh
bites of it - mostly out of politeness. He covered enough 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqctCcXpdS
water. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3aBgLlPqm
"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." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdiIlOMFbY
"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. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMm5R1O4US
Johnny didn't seem to care. “That's how it works,” he said gently 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IjgqxkY6G
. “Every morning Cheeseburger and I get out of our tent 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4xwsymAfD6
and look at the sky. And I say: Lord, we belong to you. We trust you. Take care of us one more day. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYP9XF3Al7
Thank you. ” And then at night, when we fall asleep, 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN6xCDRzKoU
I look at the stars and say: “God, we still trust You.” 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze3LHaMYaO
He smiled again—that slow, easy laugh. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CzAuL2Uar
I smiled back. There was just something about his 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlfcummJKf
eyes that I liked. "Maybe I'll see you and the cheeseburger again sometime 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoIrwul0YF
," I said. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ac1Z82K9r
“Okeydoke. Me and the cheeseburger come here or go to 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIK9M0BjTH5
McDonalds most mornings. Then we walk down 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRTbabZQz2
to the post office. I am a painter by trade and I hope to find a job for 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnFxJ4wEtD
."598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBz33uR0k4b
There was a real calm about Johnny, even 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Gb5zPf3D7
despite my unkind accusations. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjObA4NFeGp
I fished in my purse and found a twenty. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDz6K7OCDG
"Can I have this?" I asked hesitantly, not knowing how 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUIVc6gYPH
was supposed to work. 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzvmPNw1Cc
He did not hand over the bill, but looked at me with a 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEB7vinFwKq
satisfied expression. "You don't have to. We're 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6UsWz4a95
doing pretty well." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCkK53o4kk1
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"I would. Very much." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFjO8CKHCZ
"Then I thank you, Marion. God bless you." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgshQuwpFJO
I went back to my car and turned on the 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRasOHOINdI
air conditioner. At a red light I leaned forward and looked up at the 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2STDtfBmC
blue cloudless sky. "Lord, I belong to you. I trust you 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1whOGdjLh8
. Take care of me today. Thank you." 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXkH2sOWuuv
The light changed. I stepped onto the highway 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mu3MC59ut
fresh, not so much from the cool air, but from 598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBkSwcbpi2C
. unmistakable peace, the same peace I saw in Johnny's eyes.598Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYRCN3PUZP
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and then Add to home screen.