the homeless man and the bike commuter

From the New York Times Metropolitan Diary section.

New York Times
Published: December 8, 2008

Dear diary,

I bicycle along the East River bike path every morning before dawn. I often see the same homeless people just north of East River Park between the F.D.R. Drive and the river. Since it is usually dark, I never make any contact with them and I assume they are sleeping. They never say a word.

Between some vacation time and needing a break, I recently did not ride for a two-week period. On my first predawn ride after returning, I rode past a man wrapped on a blanket, slumped on a bench.

Just as I was about to pass him, a loud voice boomed out, "Hey man, where you been? I was worried about you."

I said I had been on vacation, and he simply said, "O.K., glad you didn't get hurt."

The next morning I rode past the same person; he said nothing and has said nothing since.

Forest Markowitz