Under the Bridge

I left work at lunch today. The January to April grind got to be too much. I should have phoned in sick and taken the whole day off. Maybe that is what I will do tomorrow. Fuck 'em.

When I got home I filled my flask with cask strength and headed out into the heavy metal rain with the Hammer. Just like my first dog, the Strangler, the Hammer loves the rain. You cannot play in the mud without a few inches of rain to mix with the dirt.

As we walked through the rain, I let the Hammer off leash where I could for her to run wild and free, until we neared a bridge far from home after which she can really let loose. Under the bridge a man was blowing on a small fire. The bridge was one of the few shelters around able to protect a homeless man from the Flood.

I was in a do not give a fuck mood so I let the Hammer approach the man and his Indian fire. The man smiled and petted my muddy dog as he tried to keep his fire alive. I asked him, as I too sheltered from the rain, "How's it fucking going?"

The man, dirty and in need of a shave even more than me, answered, "It's going fucking ok I guess. That's a real nice dog you got there."

"Everybody says that. She loves everybody, especially the homeless. She rolls in your shit when she can find some to roll in."

I pulled out my flask, took a shot, passed it to him. He cringed thankfully. "What the fuck is that?"

I told him, "Cask strength Arrans' scotch. It's the shit the rich and the good growers drink. Have another shot. And this time make it count motherfucker."

The man tilted my flask into his throat and fucking near emptied it. This homeless man was a fucking man.

"You know," I said, "My buddy Pierre he helps feed the homeless. He's a good fucking union fucker. I look up to motherfuckers who take the time to do that shit. Does it do you any good to have me pass me my mickey here under this noisy bridge and have my dog say hello to you?"

I passed him back my flask to finish off before he answered me. "The Salvation Army and everybody else means well but having someone stop here under the bridge with their dog and their whisky is a little different. I don't know what to fucking think. What most homeless people I've met need is a second chance and a real job."