It had been thirty two years. Since the last time he had held a woman whom he truly had loved. More or less. Levi a man around the age of fifty six was sitting on a park bench. He wore rags for clothes, the only decent item of clothing he had on was a black coat. It kept the rain off him. To a degree, this bench in the middle of Thornside park was all that he owned, he had his bottle whiskey wrapped in a brown paper bag. Almost empty. Levi was an alcoholic. The people that walked past him didn’t show pity; no they looked at him with disappointment and disdain.
He begged, he had his little Styrofoam cup which held coppers, more than anything else. Every now and again some poor soul would drop a buck or two into his cup and then carry on with their lives assuming they had done their good deed for the day. Levi would sometimes pick up the cup shake it to catch passer-by’s attention. A child, no older than ten surely came over and offered Levi a sweet, it was pink and white he outstretched his hand to take one when his mother pulled him back, scorning the child. ”Stay away from strange men. He could have snatched you up.” The child gasped within its mothers tight grasp and looked at the older man with fright and walked away quickly muttering ”Sorry Mama.” Levi sighed. People who lived on the streets were classed as murderers and rapists. Those brutally shunned from the world. Left to die.
Life for Levi wasn’t always like this. He had a nice life, thirty two years ago. He had a woman who loved him. He loved her, until he got into trouble with the casino’s. Levi was known for his gambling problems. He’d run their bank account dry and into the reds, even got himself beaten up at one point. He owed a fair bit of money to a couple of people, all in poker chips. He had a woman to take care of, why did they care so much at a few poker chips going missing here and there. What ever he could cash in from the chips he stole he’d buy it’s weight in alcohol and drink it. Sometimes when he was drunk he’d climb into some whore’s bed and **** her silly.
When he went back home, he knew Savannah knew. She could smell her heavy perfume all over him. Everything was his fault, she had said. ”What if we were to bring a child into this world, what then, it’s not safe. It wouldn’t be safe around you.” “Good thing you are not pregnant then.” He had said. When Levi reflected on his life, and all his mistakes he had made. He had come to realise everything was and had been his fault this whole time.
Levi was such a fool, a fool to not realise this until just recently. Thirty two years of not knowing what life would have been like if he hadn't had walked out on her that day, saying hell to it all. Thirty two years he had spent ducking in and out of places all over America. Sleeping with any woman who would let him in her bed at night, with the promise of some for of payment.
He begged, he had his little Styrofoam cup which held coppers, more than anything else. Every now and again some poor soul would drop a buck or two into his cup and then carry on with their lives assuming they had done their good deed for the day. Levi would sometimes pick up the cup shake it to catch passer-by’s attention. A child, no older than ten surely came over and offered Levi a sweet, it was pink and white he outstretched his hand to take one when his mother pulled him back, scorning the child. ”Stay away from strange men. He could have snatched you up.” The child gasped within its mothers tight grasp and looked at the older man with fright and walked away quickly muttering ”Sorry Mama.” Levi sighed. People who lived on the streets were classed as murderers and rapists. Those brutally shunned from the world. Left to die.
Life for Levi wasn’t always like this. He had a nice life, thirty two years ago. He had a woman who loved him. He loved her, until he got into trouble with the casino’s. Levi was known for his gambling problems. He’d run their bank account dry and into the reds, even got himself beaten up at one point. He owed a fair bit of money to a couple of people, all in poker chips. He had a woman to take care of, why did they care so much at a few poker chips going missing here and there. What ever he could cash in from the chips he stole he’d buy it’s weight in alcohol and drink it. Sometimes when he was drunk he’d climb into some whore’s bed and **** her silly.
When he went back home, he knew Savannah knew. She could smell her heavy perfume all over him. Everything was his fault, she had said. ”What if we were to bring a child into this world, what then, it’s not safe. It wouldn’t be safe around you.” “Good thing you are not pregnant then.” He had said. When Levi reflected on his life, and all his mistakes he had made. He had come to realise everything was and had been his fault this whole time.
Levi was such a fool, a fool to not realise this until just recently. Thirty two years of not knowing what life would have been like if he hadn't had walked out on her that day, saying hell to it all. Thirty two years he had spent ducking in and out of places all over America. Sleeping with any woman who would let him in her bed at night, with the promise of some for of payment.
