Holy Jeans

I think I might have seen someone needing a new pair of jeans recently. Guys name is Tom. He has had these same "holey" jeans on ever since I have known him. He's the guy on the other side of the Blue Heron Bridge, the one that I like to feed when I can. And I have been trying to teach others too. I think it might be working, because one day I drove up, and I said "Tom would you like some dinner?" And he said he had plenty of food today." But, sometimes, he is sleeping while sitting up when I pull over, and he doesn't hear me. I might have to toot the horn, and he is not drunk, he is hungry, and tired. After I began bringing him food, I noticed he always had on the same clothes. And I thought what that might feel like, to not have a warm shower, and clean clothes. It appeared as though the entire section around the knee area of his "holey"jeans was cut out leaving a gaping hole, for much "cold" air to get in. And he cannot afford to be any "colder" than he already is. So, one day, I drove on up with something for him to eat, and I said, "Hi Tom, by the way, what size jeans do you wear?" Well, you would have thought it was Thanksgiving. Right away, he jumped up from the bench, and he tugged at his waist, and responded, "I think I am a 34."And he gotthat happy look on his face, to think I might be back the same day. You see, I had not planned too, I had "other things to do," but I could not forget the look on his face. And I told him in a hopeful voice, that I would try to come back the same day. You see, I could tell that he was wishing that he might be getting a newer pair of jeans. So, later on that day, it had been pressing on my mind, so I headed on up to Goodwill on Broadway, and I told the lady that had sold me a white blanket for Tom (that was soft as a baby's blanket), that I did not have a lot of money, and I would like to buy a pair of jeans for a homeless man. Well, I got to looking, and sure enough, I found a nice pair of Wrangler jeans, but they were one size bigger in the waist. And they were $3.00, on sale that day, and they were similar in style, and color to the ones he was wearing, except these had no "holes." Then, I remembered that I had $10 in my wallet, and it had come in a card to me, and I had to stretch it. But, I took that $10 bill out, and I laid those jeans down at the cash register, and I bought them, and I felt good in my heart. And when I went to bring them to Tom, it was after sunset. I wondered if he would be there, because I had never asked him, till today, where he slept. I did not think that I could not stand to know. So, I pulled up in the car, and he seemed to be kind of down. I handed him the jeans, and said God Bless, and he sat back down. I thought he might cry; he had that look like he had not only gotten a pair of jeans, but some dignity. The next day I drove by, I noticed though that he was not wearing them yet, and I got to pondering why. But, before I knew it, a few days went by, and as I pulled up, he was wearing them. And he had a dark flannel shirt on too. He looked really sharp. I pondered as to whether the message was catching on. I said, "Hi Tom, how are the jeans working out for you?" And he said, "Yeah, they are great, and he told me thank you, and then I said, "Would you like some donuts?" And I handed him a box of donuts, for him, and his friends, and do you know he had one glazed donut dipped in chocolate finished before I pulled out. And I smiled, and I felt good in my heart. And the other day, I found out that he did not have a Bible, but now he does, to read with his muffins.
Heartstrings Two, Copyright © 2008 by Library of Congress