Hey, old man. How ya doin’?
Fine, just fine.
Got any loose change?
I got a lot of loose but no change.
Then why am I even talkin’ to you?
Beats me, fella.
Waddyah doin’ here anyway?
Everybody’s gotta be someplace.
That so? … Yeah, I guess you’re right.
Don’t have any loose change.
Y’already tol’ me. Got anything else?
Empty pockets. And me. Just me.
Too old, old man. Ain’t nothin’ there.
Hey, now! That’s not nice.
Old guy like you shouldn’t have empty pockets.
Fella like you should be doing something with himself
other than hitting on strangers.
Jus’ a bad stretch, that’s all.
I hope that’s all. You living on the street?
Anywhere I can breathe…an’ sleep in peace.
Well, get on with it. Go find a life, why don’t you?
When did you lose yours, old man?
Lost some of it… Don’t have any change but I still
have me.
That enuf?
Don’t see me shaking out others, do you?
Jus’ thought you might wanna help…
Only help you need you already have.
That don’t make no sense.
Makes all the sense in the world!
You don’t know nothin’.
I know no amount of anyone’s loose change can give
you a life.
So? What will?
Your heart. Stop listening to your head and try hearing
what your heart has to say.
Gimme a break, man.
Oh, I’m not old anymore?
Sure are. So old your head’s empty.
May be. But not my heart.
What’s dis heart stuff you pushin’?
It’s where life happens. All you need to do is listen to
it, then do what it tells you.
Is that what got you here, Gramps?
In a way, yes.
I don’t get it. What did your heart tell you?
The heart is the home of one’s spirit. It’s where you
find the meaning of your life.
What you sayin’, old man?
Listen, will you? It’s your head that keeps you stuck,
gets you in trouble. It’s where your fears hang out.
But your heart…
My heart don’t tell me nothin’.
Try listening to it, will you? And you’ll be fine. That’s
all I have to say.
Hey, old man, wait. Where y’goin’?
Need to move on. Others to talk to. Just following my
heart.
But…but…
Just gave you something a whole lot better than any
loose change. My pockets may be empty but you got
the best part of me. Make the most of it.
Words don’t get me nothin’.
Listen to your heart and they’ll get you everything you
need. You’ll be fine, just fine.
The old man shuffled his way onto the crowded
sidewalk and was gone. The other watched him go.
Looked back at the park bench he had been sitting on,
shook his head and murmured, “What the hell?”
There was a jolt of white light, a distant voice calling his name. A warm hand on his shoulder. His dry raw mouth tried to respond but all he could do was try to blink away the sterile brightness. Someone was assuring him the surgery went well, that his heart was working fine, just fine…