He looked defeated, worn down by life more than by years. The dog actually seemed in better shape than its master.
He cleared his throat and said:
— “Ma’am… excuse me. I’m a former soldier. We haven’t eaten since yesterday. I’m not asking for money, just… if you have anything extra.”
Normally, I would have been wary.
But there was something in the way he held his dog — gentle, firm, protective — that made me stop.
— “Wait a moment,” I replied.
