I see Larry most every day,
if the weather’s OK,
and I walk my normal route.
For years
I only knew him as the short squat man
in faded t-shirt and suspenders
walking a small brown dog
down Bedford.
Once, I was summoned:
Excuse me! in a gravelly New York whine.
Could you pick that up for me?
pointing beneath a car to a piece of litter,
crumpled paper,
which he couldn’t bend over
far enough to reach.
In 2002
I finally learned
his true calling: collector—
of cash, not trash—
for cause after cause after cause.
They even made a movie about him,
The Collector of Bedford Street,
nominated for an Oscar,
documentary short.
It did not win.
In ’03
a stroke.
No more dog walking,
but still collecting,
gaunt,
in a wheelchair,
handwritten laminated sign
announcing the charity—
diabetes, AIDS, Meals on Wheels—
always a new one.
The dog died at 15,
liver failure.
Larry still collects.
Nurses, companions
come and go.
Larry still collects.
Now and again, I’ll be summoned.
Sir! Sir! from his side of the street.
Make a donation for autism? in halted speech,
more gravelly than before.
I pull out two bucks or three.
Please put it in my bag.
I unzip the front pocket of the worn black satchel balanced on his lap,
remove a tattered envelope, place the bills inside
along with any stray cash in the pouch,
straighten it up,
zip it up.
Thank you.
Where do you work?
Where do you live?
How long have you lived there?
I’ve lived here 40 years.
I see Larry most every day,
and he never remembers me.
But he’s always, always collecting.
That’s a very moving poem and picture, Jack. Larry’s one of the good guys, but so are you.
I love the way you let me see and hear Larry (even before I got to the picture!). Excellent, Silberto!
Give today! With each $25 donation, we’ll supply you with salt packets for each open flesh wound that you may have. Let’s all get along painfully.
I echo what Kate said. And it’s a really well-written poem. And a cool picture, too.
Well done Jack~
A beautiful tribute…..
Thanks Cat! And belated thanks to Caren and Sarah. (Double thanks to Sarah, who helped with this.)
Lovely. Simply, lovely.
thanks Kate….