Thinking on Russia...

I have been challenged to write more these days so here is a little story about a man I know in Russia.


Just up the street in what looks like a small garbage dump lives 2 homeless men. One of these men is a older gentlemen named Slavic. Slavic is in his 50’s he has a long grayish beard and walks with a stick for a cane. He has been living on the streets for at least 2 years. Slavic is always kind… at least to me. He always asks how I am doing and whether or not I still like living in Russia. Some days Slavic is not there, those are the days in which I pray a little more for him as I know he is on one of his drinking binges. There are other days we come and he is passed out cold on a pile of garbage, we leave a sandwich and hot tea for when he wakes up. At night I can some times hear the yelling and smashing of bottles, I worry about Slavic and what state he will be in the next time I visit. How Slavic came to be on the streets I do not know but I do know he does not want to go back… in fact Slavic’s house is just across the street. Everyday his wife or kids can look down from their balcony and see their “dad” living in his little dump. When Slavic looks up he gets angry and sad, yet the days pass choices made, consequences lived out.


If you have a moment, let me know what you think.