The Story Of Daniel

In school we learn that a story has a beginning and an end, this story has neither, it starts somewhere in the middle.

About six weeks ago I noticed a dark haired, bearded man walk down Main Street mumbling to himself, he had a backpack and a drink cup in his hand. He walks loose limbered, but can't exactly call it lumbering. From then on I kept noticing him, always walking, always muttering.

Two weeks ago he sat in front of "Scoops", an ice cream shop on Main Street. He clutched his backpack and had a drink in front of him. He laughed and had a good time with whatever story he saw in his head. I walked by not noticing him until I heard the  merry laughter. I turned around and looked and he met my eyes still laughing. His eyes were light colored, and clear as a bell, the whites a healthy white and his complexion where the beard didn't obscure his face, was clear and had good color. It is not the face of an alcoholic.

Last week I noticed that his backpack was gone and he no longer carried a drink in his  hand, he also seemed to have lost weight. For some reason he kept crossing my mind. He must have a family somewhere, a mother and father, siblings did they know where he was, did they miss him and why was he on the street?

Yesterday I went to the police department to inquire about Daniel. They are aware of him, had many calls from shop owners who did not want them in their shop because he smells. The police officer said they had no complaints about him so they can't do anything about him since he had not broken any laws, and that he is not dangerous. I asked the officer where/how Daniel got food; he said they have seen him look in garbage cans. The officer had heard that he is from Kingman and that friends had driven him to Lake Havasu and dropped him off. The officer also said he is not dangerous.

After I talked with the officer I drove down Main Street and sure enough, Daniel was sitting on a bench 20 feet from "Wired" a cafe on Main Street. I approached him casually and kept my distance "Daniel I said, are you thirsty would you like some water"?  He answered in the affirmative and told me they didn't let him in their shop. I said it was probably because he had no way to get a shower. He smoothed back his hair and asked me if he should try and get one somewhere. I told him it was not necessary. 

I went into Wired to buy a bottle of water. She asked if there was anything else and I told her no, it was for this homeless man, "in that case I won't charge you" she said. I thanked her and went back to Daniel to give it to him. He thanked me and wished me a nice day. His voice was clear and polite. He must be hungry I thought, turned back to ask him and he said yes he was. I told him to sit tight I'd get him a sandwich from Schlotzki's. I asked if he wanted anything in particular and he said anything was fine. I got him a sandwich and a large drink and went back to give it to him.

I sat at the other end of the bench and handed him his food and he thanked me. I asked if he was on any medication and he said no he was not. I noticed his clothes up close, his short pants were once a light color and they were filthy. I left Daniel to his food and he thanked me again. I told him I am Karin, and he said "I am Daniel".

Today I called Interagency and talked to someone. I was told they have tracked Daniel for four months, they offered him shelter and he refused, they don't know where he comes from or what is wrong with him, clearly something is. He said that Daniel sleeps in a culvert and that people are very kind and give him food and water here and there and as long as people did that he would refuse help. I told the man at Interagency that my fear was we'd find him dead in a doorway one day and he said quite calmly "most likely". So, one day we'll find this bearded man who up close did not look older then twenty-five dead in the culvert and we'll all remember that we did nothing, if his parents are still alive and turned him out without getting him help, damn them.