Spotted™

Mr. Wolf spent many hours waiting for the bus in Greenbelt. He passed through almost daily and made a number of friends here. He was easy to talk to, friendly and quick to smile or laugh. When I met him, he said he was planning on changing things in his life, finding work and getting off the streets. The first thing he needed to do, he said, was to get rid of his beard. He didn’t mind the beard. In fact, he liked it because it made him look older and no one at Metro questioned him when he paid the senior fare. But, he said he was ready for a change.

Several weeks later, after seeing photographs of himself, he remarked half-laughing how his weathered face and beard gave him a stereotypical homeless look. He seemed unsure if he was ready to leave the streets at that point. It was Spring, and the weather was improving and sleeping outside wouldn’t be so bad for the next few months.