"The Room Source, Of Course!"

Last week, a satchel-laden homeless man asked for spare change. The smallest denomination I had was $5, which I handed to him. He was surprised, and pleased, and started talking animatedly. Apparently he was recently a furniture salesman. Looking for new work was unexpectedly-difficult at age 61. He sang the store jingle: "The Room Source, of course!" For a while I didn't think he would leave me be. I was thinking how employment was the only thing separating him from me, and how tentative that might be.