This story begins with the sun coming over the top of the old buildings full of the same histories on Bedford Ave spilling warm orange across the street nearly hitting a bench where a young man sits quietly drinking from a deli coffee cup noting the weak city trees and those people passing intently to work throwing long shadows. The young man is in a mood defined by both disillusionment and inspiration.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

Then an old man who’s homeless walks slowly and intently towards the young man. The old man sits next to the young man, and the old man carefully places a small torn plastic grocery bag on his lap. The old man stares ahead, and the young man continues to watch the day’s beginnings unfold.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

After a moment the downtrodden and derelict old man digs into his plastic bag and produces a freshly wrapped log of Oreo cookies. With his spindly fingers and sharp and soiled nails he carefully unwraps the top of the clear plastic that is sealing in the cookies. Before even thinking to touch the top Oreo he holds them over to the young man.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

“Would you like and Oreo,” the old man asks? The young man, turning to look at him politely declines the offer, but not without surprise. You see, you need to understand that this story takes place during a time of fear and greed, and while sharing would seem common place it is, in fact, not , so naturally the young man is taken aback, to the point in fact that this simple offer being so thoughtless and innate that the young man thinks it may be one of the kindest thing he’d ever experienced.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

To return the kind favor the young man offers to get the old man a cup of coffee. “No, thanks,” the old man says kindly. Again, the young man is taken by surprise. How can this old man not want a cup of coffee to wash down those cookies…especially since he probably doesn’t have more than a quarter on him.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

At this moment the sun comes fully onto the pair sitting on the bench, and the young man, still regarding the old man who is now looking off into the sun having forgotten the young man, sees in the old man’s eyes a pure glimmer of contentedness and happiness. The young man sees in the old man a great clarity and peace, as though the old man is a vessel to an ancient secret of life. And it occurs to the young man, if he’d a million dollars to offer the old man, the old man would probably not turn from the sun and would probably give the same soft decline as he gave to the cup of coffee.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.

The old man continues to look into the warming sun; placing a cookie carefully in his soft and nearly toothless mouth. The young man turns from the old man and watches as more masses work their way towards the trains.

photo: ©Graeme Mitchell, 2007.