“Yo! Did you have lunch yet?” I looked down upon the wizened old frame quickly rising to his feet. He hadn’t shaved for days. He wore his coat inside out. He was hungry. He hurried to keep up with my brisk pace. “Me and you are going to go get us some lunch,” I told him. I slowed down as he asked me again where we were going.
“The Reading Terminal. They have good stuff to eat there.” I was talking about the farmers market. He was thinking of the train station.
“You takin’ me somewhere?” he mumbled, still thinking we were going to the train station.
“No, no, man. We are going to go get you some lunch.” I replied.
“O, ok.” He followed me obediently down the street. When we reached the back entrance of the market, the guard looked into my face, recognizing me and waving me through, but he tried to block the old man. My new friend simply pointed at my back and kept walking. The guard let him pass, reluctantly. We went inside and he came close to my side so that I could hear his voice above the hubbub. I told him that I usually get seafood soup and a loaf of bread. “No, no. I need something solid. If its no trouble to you I think I am gonna git something off of that recipe.” He was referring to a menu board. His mind was obviously not what it used to be. “I think I want the roast pork.” He decided. I handed him a ten dollar bill and went to get my soup. I came back and it was his turn to order. “Give me the roast pork sandwich and a small coke please!” he yelled. He turned to me. “Are you a Roman Catholic?”
“No,” I replied.
“Are you a Christian?”
“No,” I stated. “I’m just a follower of Christ.”
He smiled and cracked a joke.
“Ok I think I am going to go now,” I said, and told him where I worked and that he could keep the change from lunch and buy supper with it. He was pleased.
I met him later that day while at work. “What’s up?” I inquired.
He went straight to the point. “Man, I don’t want you to think that I’m always a bum, but I was wondering if you know of any place I could sleep tonight. See I don’t have anywhere to sleep, and I decided to ask you. You are the first friend I ever had.”


“How can I worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?”