When the World Is Running Down, You Make the Best of What's Still Around

One of the dangers of running: sometimes you just can't find a place to sleep on the money you have (I'm pretty sure all my credit cards would be declined right about now). If I wanted to, I bet I could have found a homeless shelter, but I was so tired and cold and the bench was comfortable, so I closed my heavy eyelids and let the world fall away.

I woke up when someone tapped me in the shoulder. I looked up at the face of a policeman, his uniform a crisp blue, with brass buttons. He motioned for me to take off the headphones and I did.

"Hello, officer," I said. "Is there a problem?" It pays to be nice to the police, especially if they could run you through their database and find you are a known arsonist.

"You're going to die here," he said.

I stopped. I had heard him correctly, I knew. He hadn't said that, but I had heard it. His lips hadn't even been out of sync.

"Sorry?" I said.

"I said you can't sleep here," he said.

"Ah," I said. "Okay, sorry. I didn't mean to. I just am waiting for a bus."

"Buses don't run this late," he said. He looked at me, my backpack, my laptop. I didn't look like a homeless person - what homeless person has a laptop? - but I didn't look like someone just nonchalantly waiting for the bus. I looked like what I was: a runner.

The policeman took out his notepad, wrote something on it, and then ripped it off and handed it to me. "Here," he said, "there's a place where you can sleep. It's not far."

"Thanks," I said taking the slip of paper. Could I trust him? His words had been twisted in the beginning - were they being twisted still? Was I being led into a trap?

The policeman tapped on the top of his notepad with his pen thoughtfully and then said, "I can give you a ride if you want."

I took a look at the paper. "No," I said, "I can walk. Thanks anyway."

I got up and slipped the paper into my pocket. I would go in the direction of the shelter - if that was what the address was - but I wouldn't go in. I'd find somewhere else. 

"I don't want to find you sleeping here again," the policeman said as I walked away. "Loitering is still illegal here."

"I understand," I said.

I slipped my headphones back up over my ears and didn't look back.