On his way to the convenience store
The man stopped
To reach
deep into his pocket
And withdrew the only coin he had
Which was a toonie.
His thumb rubbed the golden center
As he caressed the queen’s face
And with a gentle gesture
Handed the coin to the seemingly broken girl.
With cat’s eyes and a cheshire grin,
she accepted the coin.
Matching her, as if to say I understand,
He took two steps forward and then
Doubled back. Extended his hand.
He murmured, “Hey, I’ve been walking for a long time;
And I’m about to go have a coffee and warm up.
Why don’t you join me?”
And that’s all it took.
(With gratefulness extended to Analia Baggiano for the great photo)
Purple Pennies 