Extra Muse
"Romeo"
New York City---last night about 5PM, I met a young man with his little dog, Romeo. He was on 14th Street as I came out of my Monthly food shopping trip to Trader Joe. Romeo, the pup he saved from someone abusive, was sitting in his lap looking sleepy. There was a water bowl and a kibble bowl, and a sign asking for help. We talked while his little dog cuddled close to him, with what seemed the sort of relaxed trust love produces. He told me he left Texas for some very good reasons after his father died. I'll keep the details to myself, but say that I think he was wise to leave, and perhaps, that there was no other choice that made sense. However, though he is an experienced tattoo artist (His family ran a parlor for years), has been applying for work at parlors around town in the month he's been here, he has found none. He and Romeo are homeless, not lost. They know exactly where they are.
One of his originals of another dog he owned once
who just got old and passed away
I was only able to drop a dollar in change, and gave him some of my apples and raw sunflower seeds. I told him I'd post at my blog with his permission. He gave it willingly, let me take some shots (omitting his face was my idea of respecting his privacy--a decision I now regret) He said to look for him at tattoobear.com to copy/paste some of his designs, and a site reference at face book--but that's the only lead I have, and there are so many artists at the site, I couldn't find him. I just wasn't thinking clearly I guess, and though I thought he said his name was Brad, I didn't write it down! By the time I got home, I had forgotten it.
This is a story of inattention on my part. I'm hoping things work out for him, but how feeble that is.
Because I see a great many homeless folks, and I know a thing or two about tall stories, it is possible none of the story was true, or parts were true and parts not. The little dog could have just been the gimmick to catch coins, or the story was pure fact. The fact remains that I was moved to some small action. I had watched a while, and several folks stopped to talk with him, two different women gave him something. Most of the crowd streamed by totally self involved, as I am most of the time.
3 comments:
whether it was true or fiction or part thereof, the fact remains that he and his little dog were out there at night trying to earn some money, and it would be tough. I hope they had a warm corner to sleep in and someone had made them a quilt to sleep under.
We all do as best we can at that moment, whether in survival or attending to others survival.
kindness is a choice I sometimes make. Maybe always, actually, even when I walk away, 'cause if you can't help, best not to harm.
It can be so hard to know what is the best way to help. I think your offer of food was a good choice.
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