Possessed by the wind, a hat rolled down the sidewalk. Fueled by a sudden and uncharacteristic surge of malice, I kicked it into the street. Cursing the wind that pulled at her clothes, a young woman ran around the corner, her voice cold and frustrated, then defeated when she saw her hat in the gutter.

*

Somebody dropped a bracelet. I picked it up, smelled it, and put it in my pocket; it looked like something my daughter would wear.

*

A bum followed me into Starbucks. While waiting for my coffee, he ordered a bagel with cream cheese. “Two cream cheeses,” he said, then turned out his pockets when the cashier told him his total. I slapped a five on the counter, walked away without my change, and sauntered into a glass door.  

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