Oops, I did it again.

Different man. Different dog. Same corner. Three new bags of groceries. I saw them at the corner on my way home this evening, but the light was green and I couldn't stop. So I pulled into the Whole Foods parking garage, grabbed the groceries and ten bucks, and walked half a block to the corner. It was a little bit scary, because it was 7 p.m. and it was dark, and there I was, approaching a homeless man with a dog on a busy street corner downtown. He must have assumed I was just another pedestrian because when he saw me coming, he looked away and started to eye the cars that were pulling up at the light, but I just said, "Hi! I brought some food for you and your dog." He turned around and said, "Really? You didn't poison it did you?" I said, "No, of course not!" and he approached me cautiously. I showed him the bags and explained that one was full of dog food and dog treats, and the other two were for him. Then I said, "I also brought you a little bit of money," and handed him the ten bucks.

His dog started barking at me, but I am the dog whisperer. I just turned around and said, "Hi, sweetheart!" and started to pet him. I think it was some sort of bulldog mix. Very cute dog, but very dirty and scruffy. He wagged his tail and let me pet him, but kept barking at me. Oddly enough, I never even thought about the possibility that he might bite me until later, when I was safely back in my car. I set the bags down and the dog set to work sniffing them.

The man asked me what my name was, so I told him, and he said, "My name is Alexander," and shook my hand. I said, "It's nice to meet you. What's your dog's name?" and he said, "Bluto, like in Popeye." Bluto was wearing a little blue doggie jacket. I told Alexander what a beautiful dog Bluto was, and he said, "His last owner left him tied to a tree all the time. That's why he barks for attention. But he's wagging his tail. It's okay." Alexander was very soft-spoken and shy, and obviously not quite all there in the head. It was also obvious that he was unaccustomed to people approaching him and talking to him like he's an actual human being, and that made me sad.

Alexander said, "Well, I'm gonna get out of here. I don't like to embarrass myself," and he started picking up the groceries and his belongings. I told him again that it was nice to meet him, said goodbye to Bluto, told them to enjoy the food, and then I walked back to my car.

I was hoping he believed me when I said I hadn't poisoned the food. I can understand why he'd be paranoid after any time living on the street, but I'd hate to think that he and Bluto went hungry tonight because they were afraid eat the food I gave them. As I pulled out of the parking garage, I saw Bluto and Alexander, with all three bags of groceries in hand, making their way up the street.