第16章和你在一起（2）
afterall：毕竟，终究
造__________________
无辜的流浪者
IHomeless
洛里·S。莫尔LoriS。Mohr
&ilyscrawledsignonthecrumpledcardboardread：BROKE—NEEDDOGFOOD。ThedesperateyouhesigninonehandaheotherashepacedbadforthonthebusydowntownLasVegas。
Attachedtotheleashuphanayearold。Notfarfromthemwasanofthesamebreed，ppost。Hewashowlingintothebriskchilloftheapproaterevening，withawailthatcouldbeheardforblocks。Itwasasthoughheknewhisowhesignthatedohimread：FORSALE。
&ingaboutmyowion，Iquiedtheadeabeeliowardthehomelesstrio。Foryears，I'vekeptdogandcatfoodirunkofmycarforstrayryanimalsIoftenfind。It'sbeenaingthoseI'ttakein。It'salsowhatI'veusedtoanyascareddogofftheroadtosafety。Helpingneedyanimalshasalwaysbeenanautomatie。
Ipullediparkinglotandgrabbedafivepoundbagofdogfood，aerofwateray-dollarbillfrommypurse。Iapproachedtheragged-lookingmanandhisunhappydogswarily。Ifthismathesecreaturesorwasusingthemase-ons，Iknewmyangerwouldquicklytakeover。Theatthesky，whiningpitifully。JustbeforeIreachedthem，atruckpulledupalohemandaskedhowmuwahe。
“Fiftybucks，”themanontheerreplied，thenaddedquickly，“butIreallydon'twanttosellhim。”
“Ishepapered？”
“No。”
“Ishefixed？”
“No。”
“Howoldishe？”
&Ireallydon’twanttosellhim。Ijustofeedhim。”
“IfIhadfiftybucks，I'dbuyhim。”Thelightturhetruckspedoff。
Themanshookhisheadandueddejectedlypagthesidewalk。Wheiingiiooppedwalkingandwatchedmeapproach。Thepupbeganwagginghistail。
“Hi，”Ioffered，asIdrewheyoungman'sfatleandfriendly，andIsejustbylookingihewassomeoneinrealcrisis。
“Ihavesomefoodherefs，”Isaid。DumbfouhebagasIsetdowerinfrontofthem。
“Yhtwater，too？”heaskedincredulously。Webothkdowhe，andthepuppygreetedmeenthusiastically
“Thato。dthisone'sDog。I'mWayhesad，stenoughtoseewhatwasiainer。
“ened，Wayne？”Iasked。Ifeltabitihealyandsimply。“Well，IjustmovedoutherefromArizonaabeeofindwork。I'matthepointwhereI'tevehedogs。”
“Whereareyouliving？”
“Inthattruckrightthere。”Hepoioadilapidatedoldvehiclethatarkedcloseby。Ithadaralohashell，soatleasttheyhadshelterfromtheelements。
Thepuphadylapaledin。Iaskedeofworkhedid。
“I’mamedawelder，”hesaid，“Butthere’snothingouthereforeither。I'velookedahesedogsaremyfamily；Ihatetohavetosellthem，butIjust’taffordtofeedthem。”
&sayingitoverandover。Hedidn’twahem，buthe'tfeedthem。Anawfullookcameoverhisfaceeverytimeherepeatedit。Itwasasifhemighthavetogiveupachild。
&imeseemedrighttocasuallypassoverthetwenty-dollarbill，hopingIwouldn'tfurtherdamagehisalreadyshakypride。“Here。Usethistobuyyourselfsomethi。”
&hanks，”heslowlyreplied，uolookmeihiscouldgetusarht，too。”
“Howlonghaveyoubeenouthere？”
“Allday。”
“Hasopped？”
“hefirst。”Itwaslateafternoonandquicklygettingdark。Herei，whenthesuemperaturewoulddipiies。
Mymiofast-foricturedthethreeofthemgoingwithouteveoday，perhapsforseveraldays，andspendingmanylong，coldhourscoopedupintheirie，makeshiftshelter。
Seeingpeoplebegforfoodisn’tahiscity。Butthismanstoodoutbecausehewasn’taskingforfoodforhimself。Hewasmoreedwithkeepinghisdogsfedthanwithhisownarentofnineassionatelyloveddogsofmyown，ithitadeepe。
Idon’tthinkI’lleverreallyknowwhateatthatmoment，inspiriodowhatIdidIjustkwassomethingIhadtodo。Iaskedhimifhe'dwaitthereforafewmiilIreturned。Henoddedhisheadandsmiled。
Mycarflewtrocerystwithurgency，Iradtookholdofacart。Istartedoaisleanddidn’tquituheothersideofthestore。Theitems’tbepulledofftheshelvesfastenough。Justtheessentials，Ithought。Justfoodthatleofweeksandsustaintheirmeagerexisteerandjelly。Bread。edfood。Juice。Fruit。Vegetables。Dogffood（fortypou）。Aheyshouldhavesometreats，too。Afewotherhejobwasdone。