Overcompensating

"People are strange when you're a stranger. Faces look ugly when you're alone. Women seem wicked when you're unwanted. Streets are uneven when you're down."

People are Strange ~ The Doors


"You are overcompensating because you feel bad about not visiting Dan when he was sick. It's something all of us go through. I wish I would have went and seen him as well. We didn't know how bad off he actually was." - James was right - Recently, a mutual friend of ours passed. He was a homeless guy I met when I lived in North town - "Long live 'Dan the man!" He says intently, "There will never be another one of him. That's for goddamn sure."

Well, I have been feeling guilty with how things went down with Dan so I decided to atone by lending a hand to another homeless gentlemen I know...his name is Jeff..."He's no Dan. That's for sure," I tell James, "Do you remember how thoughtful and intelligent Dan was?" James nods yes. "What's the best way to put this?" I murmur, "Let's just say if Dan was a can of beer Jeff would try to pop his top and drink him."

"Imagine that, a homeless guy who is a drunk. I have never heard of such a happening," he says with a snicker - "Makes you really appreciate Dan that much more." My new friend Jeff is not a bad person, he just has a drinking problem...a big drinking problem - "The other day he came over and I made a nice dinner for us but he didn't take one bite. I think he was afraid food would mess with his buzz."

We chat about the weather for a minute and then James says - "You really wouldn't know Dan was homeless unless he told you or you saw him sleeping at the church. He seemed like an ordinary guy most of the time." - I say to him - "Not this guy. He is the most disheveled person you will ever meet. He is long gone." The other day when Jeff came over I made him take a shower and wash his clothes before he did anything - "I gave him some my of clothes to wear and he looked like a scarecrow in them," I say with a hearty laugh.

I will continue to help Jeff as much as I can. I would say that missing Dan is the underlying factor in why I decided to help Jeff. It's not the only reason. It seems like the right thing to do as well. But I will say this - "I sure miss Dan."