The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the parking lot.
I sat there, my back against the cool concrete wall, feeling the rough texture through my worn-out jacket.
My stomach growled, a constant reminder of the day’s failure.
I’d been here for hours, hoping for some change to come my way.
People passed by, their eyes sliding over me as if I were invisible.
I watched them come and go, their hurried steps echoing in the quiet evening air.
Each footfall was a reminder of the world I was no longer a part of.
Then he appeared.
A man, his clothes clean but not fancy, stopped a few feet away.
His eyes met mine briefly before looking away, uncomfortable.
“Hey,” he said, voice hesitant.
I nodded, not trusting my voice to sound steady.
He shifted on his feet, uncertainty etched across his face.
“You got any change?” he asked, almost whispering.
I blinked, the question catching me off guard.
It was usually me doing the asking.
“I… I don’t,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Sorry,” he mumbled, taking a step back.
I watched him, the encounter leaving a strange knot in my chest.
It wasn’t just about the money.
It was about being seen, even if just for a moment.
The world seemed to slow down, the air thick with an unsaid understanding.
We were both lost, in different ways.
He lingered for a moment, as if deciding whether to say more, before finally walking away.
I sat there, the silence settling in again, heavier than before.
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