~How a homeless man and his devoted partner assisted me in overcoming my~ ~spiritual depression~566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3R9A0WB9FT
By: Marion Bond West
566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ05DvIOi2iR
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. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacaWKomubD
The scorching heat didn't help — August here in Georgia 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmCt3JuYvZH
can be downright unbearable. It was 100 degrees today and 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUOfqazgmZ
was pretty sticky. I turned the car's A/C on full blast 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhtDAY55LH
and was ready to do my chores and head home. Then 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8cvMQtBwb
I saw a dog. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP3AAYvkTw2
He lay on an empty army green bag right next to the Applebee's restaurant and walked around. There is no shadow. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTCMuWZZ9C
Asleep, or at least I hoped he was. He could have 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzuXMHa40P
died in this heat! I went in and found a parking space. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnbZxN92M8x
Then I hurried to the dog. I bowed. "Hey buddy. Are you 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV198kKmVnl
thirsty?" 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRcZmQ3FknH
I love dogs and they love me. But this one—he was 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPkvgOxvAa
of medium height, black, gray around the muzzle—566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnk4kFhR27e
opened one eye, closed it, and turned his head away from me. On purpose. His tail did not slide. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgj9ti3V2s
He had a collar and by the way was guarding 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHHhq7tSBD
's bag, I thought he was waiting for his owner 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyD4dSMQitQ
who was undoubtedly sitting in the air-conditioned condition of the restaurant! 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnEG0f7Tm5
I stormed into Applebee's ready for battle. Immediately at 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoKvCJZNSp
I noticed the owner. He sat alone at the counter, 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX0Q7YRI7iT
a tall glass of iced tea in front of him. Long wavy blonde 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2zMD2TJL8
hair and beard. Skinny, how he can't always have enough 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nfP4rr2fQ
to eat. He wore jeans that had seen better days, 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBTuEyLKsw
, but they were clean, although his arms had the faintest of 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxtgsuQJDY
paint stains. He seemed to sense my 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oYNZuLkAQ
approach and turned the stool towards me.566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg5bmeJVnRt
"Is that your dog?" I insist. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRGuyDsKAC
"Yes, ma'am, he is." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGfB9o7F4c
"He's out in the sun and has no water. I think he's 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvWACO8nZM0
hungry too." I must have raised my voice because about 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjFx8DruG5
people looked at me. "Dogs like me, but he wouldn't even open both eyes when I talked to him." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaY3sDuKDXO
The man smiled slowly and lightly. He slipped off the 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcT45o45Jv
stool. "That's because he wasn't properly 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCr00iAS3IB
introduced to you. Don't bother. I'll do the honors." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXDNtBcItd
Introducing? I followed him outside. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwC5yLNEbDY
He crouched next to the dog, which was sitting up and 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1wTUVeuzj
turned his eyes to the owner. His tail came to life. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZ0DKJrIKc
"Madam, I don't know your name." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbfEycgXUGo
"Marion". I leaned close to them. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk39dhTLUHI
"Marion, I'd like you to meet Cheeseburger. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ44fR5uGR2
Cheeseburger, this lovely lady is Marion." The dog looked 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGggqPI2Eg
straight in my eyes and offered a paw. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IWGmKTAhw
I took it. "Hey, cheeseburger," I said. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC8UfRgPo0
He licked my hand and his tail went in high. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIye6EhBLI
"And I'm Johnny," said the man. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaU0g6hk2tH
"Johnny, I'm afraid he's thirsty." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtEnsf11Jb
"Oh, he's fine," she said. "This place was shady when 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPg5Qztj7ld
I left him here just a few minutes ago." Johnny picked up his 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTgJ2Bb8xt
handbag. "We've been together for nine years. Look, he has my cell number on his collar and he's vaccinated 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKzdRgYzAY
." Johnny moved his bag under the Japanese maple 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIHWvI48ce
and Cheeseburger sat 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0QC94NrWU
next to it in the shade.566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSNqvz5oot
"How far do you live from here?" I asked. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3f0e3bYq6T
"Not far," he said. "Back in the woods, on the other side of 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxAU4hpm6n
. We have a good tent." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7HDKtscPAm
"But couldn't you go to the shelter?" 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkB4oCRwfS
"They don't take a cheeseburger and I don't go anywhere without one," he said. Every time he said 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2v4JdzwARw
,566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVscQo5g4id
cheeseburgers, the dog's tail happily wagged 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3T02VElzb
,566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYnheN2p4m
back and forth. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYfZxt9dNc
"Johnny, I can't leave without a cheeseburger food and water," I said. "It's 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhmgX1AKLc
, not you. It's just, well, I have this thing about dogs..." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhB3AsJemwR
"Fine, if it makes you happy," he said. "I'll go back 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNfvJt7SWx
now and finish my drink... It was nice 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXoT4frGmv
meeting you, Marion. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegUapY7XvT
I locked up at Walgreen's and came back with a bowl, 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQcmCtNAqr
a large bottle of cold water, a bag of dog food, and 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGQVo7x9Lw
bones. Then I went in and picked up Johnny at 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmbTbdZFNX
restaurant. "I thought you should come with me while I give 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuQioY1t3I
food and water for a cheeseburger," I told him. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4Jag8jyVQ
"Okeydoke," he said. The cheeseburger stood Johnny 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72gCTqP705
and I approached. I put the food down and he took 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvbWYqu0DLS
bites of it - mostly out of politeness. He covered enough 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFITE9z9Tb
water. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡckIy2GMDAf
"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." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡixqoAcC6qx
"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. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoCKiXXcaJy
Johnny didn't seem to care. “That's how it works,” he said gently 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7tC8JuRQN
. “Every morning Cheeseburger and I get out of our tent 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9ZxmCFhz8
and look at the sky. And I say: Lord, we belong to you. We trust you. Take care of us one more day. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuE2hlE08Ci
Thank you. ” And then at night, when we fall asleep, 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxahMDAgVs0
I look at the stars and say: “God, we still trust You.” 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCVGYnKiMC4
He smiled again—that slow, easy laugh. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6X58vwehQL
I smiled back. There was just something about his 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzELIObsAXZ
eyes that I liked. "Maybe I'll see you and the cheeseburger again sometime 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhixhDI1gF
," I said. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4qn7YmQcg
“Okeydoke. Me and the cheeseburger come here or go to 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAAixVqS93
McDonalds most mornings. Then we walk down 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYcdrrGrXa
to the post office. I am a painter by trade and I hope to find a job for 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgymvtPNTMN
."566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOvCAmz3BX
There was a real calm about Johnny, even 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHnt75eq1u
despite my unkind accusations. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDeBFuq1EUT
I fished in my purse and found a twenty. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBvWncSaK7
"Can I have this?" I asked hesitantly, not knowing how 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTzkg2F1YhY
was supposed to work. 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYh3ajitrk
He did not hand over the bill, but looked at me with a 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTacoebdqT
satisfied expression. "You don't have to. We're 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymHwOutdEx
doing pretty well." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqAJd8Rrzo
566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDHDUZPl0O
"I would. Very much." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcxMjqpVzB
"Then I thank you, Marion. God bless you." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVWKr7oLDe
I went back to my car and turned on the 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqxUJGKCYM
air conditioner. At a red light I leaned forward and looked up at the 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBefpunDcRF
blue cloudless sky. "Lord, I belong to you. I trust you 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEU8LN245wK
. Take care of me today. Thank you." 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDtp1ETPX4
The light changed. I stepped onto the highway 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMp6y2mLgIZ
fresh, not so much from the cool air, but from 566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhk4IObP9Sg
. unmistakable peace, the same peace I saw in Johnny's eyes.566Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvTRp3cKar
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