看奇中文网

无辜的流浪者 Innocent Homeless（第1页）

无辜的流浪者IHomeless

洛里·S。莫尔LoriS。Mohr

&ilyscrawledsignonthecrumpledcardboardread：BROKE-NEEDDOGFOOD。ThedesperateyouhesigninonehandaheotherashepacedbadforthonthebusydowntownLasVegas。

Attachedtotheleashuphanayearold。Notfarfromthemwasanofthesamebreed，ppost。Hewashowlingintothebriskchilloftheapproaterevening，withawailthatcouldbeheardforblocks。Itwasasthoughheknewhisowhesignthatedohimread：FORSALE。

&ingaboutmyowion，Iquiedtheadeabeeliowardthehomelesstrio。Foryears，I‘vekeptdogandcatfoodirunkofmycarfryanimalsIoftenfnd。It’sbeenaingthoseI‘ttakein。It’salsowhatIveusedtoanyascareddogofftheroadtosafety。Helpingneedyanimalshasalwaysbeenanautomatie。

Ipullediparkinglotandgrabbedafivepoundbagofdogfood，aerofwateray-dollarbillfrommypurse。Iapproachedtheragged-lookingmanandhisunhappydogswarily。Ifthismathesecreaturesorwasusingthemase-ons，Iknewmyangerwouldquicklytakeover。Theatthesky，whiningpitifully。JustbeforeIreachedthem，atruckpulledupalohemandaskedhowmuwahe。

“Fiftybucks，”themanontheerreplied，thenaddedquickly，“butIreallydontwanttosellhim。”

“Ishepapered?”

“No。”

“Ishefxed?”

“No。”

“Howoldishe?”

&Ireallydontwanttosellhim。Ijustofeedhim。”

“IfIhadfftybucks，Idbuyhim。”Thelightturhetruckspedoff。

Themanshookhisheadandueddejectedlypagthesidewalk。Wheiingiiooppedwalkingandwatchedmeapproach。Thepupbeganwagginghistail。

“Hi，”Ioffered，asIdrewheyoungmaleandfriendly，andIsejustbylookingihewassomeoneinrealcrisis。

“Ihavesomefoodherefs，”Isaid。DumbfouhebagasIsetdowerinfrontofthem。

“Yhtwater，too?”heaskedincredulously。Webothkdowhe，andthepuppygreetedmeenthusiastically。

“Thato。dthisone‘sDog。I’mWayhesad，stenoughtoseewhatwasiainer。

“ened，Wayabitihealyandsimply。“Well，IjustmovedoutherefromArizonaabeeofndwork。I’matthepoievehedogs。”

“Whereareyouliving?”

“Inthattruckrightthere。”Hepoioadilapidatedoldvehiclethatarkedcloseby。Ithadaralohashell，soatleasttheyhadshelterfromtheelements。

Thepuphadylapaledin。Iaskedeofworkhedid。

“Imamedawelder，”hesaid，“Butthere‘snothingouthereforeither。I’velookedahesedogsaremyfamily；Ihatetohavetosellthem，butIjusttaffordtofeedthem。”

&sayingitoverandover。Hedidn‘twahem，buthe’tfeedthem。Anawfullookcameoverhisfaceeverytimeherepeatedit。Itwasasifhemighthavetogiveupachild。

&imeseemedrighttocasuallypassoverthetwenty-dollarbill，hopingIwouldntfurtherdamagehisalreadyshakypride。“Here。Usethistobuyyourselfsomethi。”

&hanks，”heslowlyreplied，uolookmeihiscouldgetusarht，too。”

“Howlonghaveyoubeenouthere?”

“Allday。”

“Hasopped?”

“。”Itwaslateafternoonandquicklygettingdark。Herei，whenthesuemperaturewoulddipiies。

Mymiofast-foricturedthethreeofthemgoingwithouteveoday，perhapsforseveraldays，andspendingmanylong，coldhourscoopedupintheirie，makeshiftshelter。

Seeingpeoplebegforfoodisn‘tahiscity。Butthismanstoodoutbecausehewasn’taskingforfoodforhimself。Hewasmoreedwithkeepinghisdogsfedthanwithhisownarentofnineassionatelyloveddogsofmyown，ithitadeepe。

Idon‘tthinkI’lleverreallyknowwhateatthatmoment，inspiriodowhatIdidIjustkwassomethingIhadtodo。IaskedhimifhedwaitthereforafewmiilIreturned。Henoddedhisheadandsmiled。

Mycarfewtrocerystwithurgency，Iradtookholdofacart。Istartedoaisleanddidn‘tquituheothersideofthestore。Theitems’tbepulledofftheshelvesfastenough。Justtheessentials，Ithought。Justfoodthatleofweeksandsustaintheirmeagerexisteerandjelly。Bread。edfood。Juice。Fruit。Vegetables。Dogffood（fortypou）。Aheyshouldhavesometreats，too。Afewotherhejobwasdone。