Lester was great. Probably still is.

He is such a typically friendly and seemingly eager creature of America. Quick to say hello, willing to hang around, perhaps to see if you might need anything or just might need some company.

Maybe should have suggested he visit our mountain man’s mother. They likely would have hit it off.

Wonder what he’s doing today. It’s cold and rainy where he is and while he isn’t homeless he does spend a lot of his spare time outdoors. He’s probably okay doing so if the weather isn’t too, too bad. Today it is. Just thirty degrees, grey and rainy. But for us not bad- it’s only ten degrees back home, wherever that might be.

Still, we are inside and dry and warm while Lester is out there somewhere roaming around as I hear he usually does. He probably has places where he can take cover from the rain and the cold. At least I certainly hope so.

Poor Lester. A product of America these days I’d bet. Likely thrown to the streets after they no longer needed him doing whatever it was that he used to do; left to fend for himself in a world fast filling with others all too much like him.

Where do they go, what do they eat? How do they regain what they once had before? Who will take them in, give them shelter, feed them, provide a roof and some rest from the cold, from the rain?

He seems just a bit all too much like America and the growing number of the rest of us these days.

No hope, no shelter from the storm today or the one that is building up for tomorrow or the next day. The job today being just to stay alive, somehow; to manage a handout of food- Lester turns his nose up at money- or just a kind word or friendly touch to let him know it will be okay, that, somehow, he will make it.

But for now, today, poor Lester and others like him just shiver and shake, trying to ward off the cold. I wish that we might take him with us but it is clear he does live with someone, is looked after by someone, at some times at least. He may be all that they have and together maybe they are better than either alone and off with another. Together they both likely shiver and shake.

We met a mountain man. And then we met his mother. And later that same day we met Lester. The mountain man and his mother have a roof, have a home and fend all for themselves, with no help from anyone.

Poor Lester is not half so lucky. He shivers and shakes.

And his poor leg suffers as well. I notice the leg as he leaves and limps away leaving him with just three good legs. Hopefully they’ll give him a hot dog down the road apiece as I hear they usually do. He’ll go by there but he will not beg. No, not Lester. At least not yet.