I was approached by a homeless person last night while filling up my gas tank on the Interstate. He asked me for a couple of bucks. I declined, but instead of moving along he started up a conversation about how he needed to get him some wine before the homeless shelter closes its doors and stops letting people in for the night. I wished him luck, but he kept on talking.

The only thing I really said to him (other than “no”) was “I like your shirt.” He was wearing a Colosse Canes baseball jersey. “I’m originally from Colosse.”

He told me that it was on sale for seventy bucks at the athletics store of the outlet mall.

I told him that I couldn’t afford to spend $70 on a shirt.

Without skipping a beat, he asked “So can you afford to give me just a couple so I can get me some wine?”

The irony didn’t hit me until about ten minutes later. It probably never hit him.