He said that he reads too much. I said that I don't think someone can read too much

He was carrying a bouquet of paper flowers, looking around calling for Santa. I watched as he tried to sell phony flora to some of the large tourist crowd.

I know his as Sammy. I was first made aware of Sammy as he was being poked to make sure he was still alive as he was lying by the dumpster one rainy day; I was sitting in my usual place in the bar and when the back door opened, I can see the dumpster.

He lost Santa in the crowd and I was just about to point him out to Sammy when he made eye contact with me and said “Hey, how you doing man?” I didn’t know if he knew me or not, I’ve certainly passed by him enough times to be remembered as he held a cup.

He started his sales pitch to me only it was slightly modified; he added that he was just tying to sell some things but that no one was buying. The bouquet must have taken some time to fold. I’ve made those origami orchards myself, there are a lot of folds.

I shook off the flowers. He then reached into his plastic bag and pulled out some drawings done in colored pencils. The subjects were mostly still life’s, mounted on cardboard.

The reached into my pocket and peeled off a five and offered it to him, “He seeing how you’re a friend of Shawn’s here you go.”

Shawn’s the manager at the bar, he the one that did the poking. He’s also the one that brought in some no-longer-needed clothes for Sammy a week after the poking incident and ever since Shawn has kept a casual eye on him.

“My name’s Samuel, but they call me Sammy. Samuel Samson. It’s a biblical name.” I smiled and said “Yes it is.” All his drawings where crudely signed Samuel. He didn’t want to take a handout, he wanted me to buy a drawing and asked me to choose one. I should have just bought one but instead, I told him that the money was for pencils. He took the five and said, “I do need pencils.”

He then went on to tell me that he doesn’t believe in reincarnation and that if they ever find a cure for aids or cancer that then there would be some other killer disease that would come about. He even swore it to God.

I told him that I was glad that he’s doing good work and he replied that he can do good as long as he doesn’t drink. I then told him that that was true of everyone, even myself. I think he then said something about aliens growing in people’s testicles.

I tried to pay attention to Samuel while I kept an eye on Santa but at some point in the conversation, Santa slipped away.

Sammy told me that he prays to God every day and he asks why the wicked prosper while good people die. I wondered how I was ever going to end the interaction.

Eventually, he walked away while he wished that God would bless me for the rest of my life. I wished that I had taken some pictures.