The ending made me think of the closing lines to Ernest Hemingways’s A Farewell to Arms. So stark and barren, just like the streets.

I remember being in the field or on mission during my time in the army. Getting warm or dry was great but made it so hard to go back into conditions. Brutal on your psyche. So cold it made you want to cry sometimes. Breaks you down and erodes your soul.

I had an experience one night in Cleveland. I was there on business and after the day’s adventures I got drunk and went looking for coke. I found a homeless man and promised him money. I ran to the ATM and withdrew a ridiculous sum of money by my standards, returned and gave it to him. I made him follow me to my hotel. But he refused to stay there. Even the homeless have pride. More than you’d expect actually. Great write. -R