Sharing the Last Plate
A man sitting on a concrete ledge used a plastic fork to lift a small bite of rice from his styrofoam container.
His grey shirt was worn thin at the neck, showing noticeable frayed tears near the shoulder seams and dust along the sleeve cuffs.
He chewed slowly while staring down at the warm takeaway box balanced across his lap.
A few feet away on an adjoining brick curb, an older man sat motionless in a long dark buttoned coat.
His long white beard rested against his chest, and his hands were folded over his knees as he watched the street traffic pass by.
A Moment on the Curb
The younger man paused with his plastic fork mid-air and turned his head toward the elder sitting nearby.
He lowered his meal slightly and caught the older man’s eyes across the short space separating them.
He asked directly if the elder had found anything to eat earlier in the day.
The older man shook his head slowly, explaining that he had not eaten anything since the previous afternoon.
The younger man looked back down at the remaining portion of rice and meat resting inside the white container.
He lowered the styrofoam lid shut, bringing the corners together over the plastic fork.
Leaning forward from his seat on the ledge, he extended both arms to offer the full container across the gap.
Dividing What Remains
The older man stared at the white box held out toward him, his hands resting on his coat knees.
He noted that the younger man clearly needed food himself, pointing toward the small box.
The younger man smiled softly, shifting his weight on the hard concrete seat.
He replied that half a meal was plenty when it meant not having to sit and eat alone.
The older man accepted the container into his hands, resting the white box firmly across his lap.
An Unexpected Arrival
The following day, the young man stood alone near a metal traffic sign along the edge of the sidewalk.
A sleek, black Audi sedan slowed along the lane and pulled up right beside the curb where he stood.
The back door opened outward, and a man dressed in a sharp dark coat stepped out onto the pavement.
It was the same elder from the previous day, standing tall with his neat white beard and walking toward the curb.
The young man’s eyes widened, his lips parting in complete astonishment as he recognized the driver.
The older man stepped closer, pointing out that he remembered the young man sharing his last food the day before.
The two men stood together near the curb, smiling as they extended their hands and shared a firm handshake.
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