This is from the Homeless Poet, given to me at 10 pm last night:
"When I was young I had a dog. The dog went everywhere with me and we were very close. You could say that the dog and I were best friends. And I remember someone told me that "the dog is man's best friend." And at the time that made a lot of sense to me because the five things that I was looking for in a friend, the dog had everyone beat at.
"And they are:
1) undivided attention
2) unconditional forgiveness
3) uncommon valor
4) complete honesty
5) unquestionable loyalty
"I would get undivided attention from the dog whenever I would call his name.
"I would receive unconditional forgiveness from the dog whenever I would say no or after I would have to punish the dog. The dog would forgive me every time and never bring it back up or hold it against me.
"It would be very uncommon valor for any friend to give up their life so that mine could continue, but it would not be uncommon for the dog to do just that because the dog would.
"Even though the dog and I do not communicate with words, the dog can tell me when he is mad or happy by growling or wagging his tail. And he is always telling me the truth this way, which is complete honesty.
"The dog's unquestionable loyalty leaves no doubt in my mind what side he will be on, in any fight I could or would be involved in.
"Yes, the dog had every friend I had beat by a country mile.
"About ten years later my dog died and I did miss my best friend, but about a year after, I found a new friend who was the only one who had the dog beat at the five things that the dog had everyone else beat at. And to my amazement his name was dog spelled backwards. . .
"So now I have to say that God is man's best friend."
I thought it was an interesting essay from someone without a roof over their head. But then, my best Friend was homeless too.
