Santa Hats

Yesterday I made the long drive home from Florida to Tennessee. It was way too long of a drive ending way too short of a trip. I had a wonderful time with my family and the week flew by. Outside of Lake city I spotted an older couple driving along in a SUV both wearing Santa hats and ridiculous grins. It was 2 days after Christmas and there appeared to be no one else in the vehicle. It was weird, but as I thought about it some more (as there was plenty of time to think in my 9 hour drive) I remembered an old poem I had written and it seemed appropriate:

I pitied a homeless man yesterday
It was cold and rainy

He was walking, dirty and downtrodden
Holding a paper coffee cup
Poor and "unsuccessful"
But not alone

He walked with a woman
Equally dirty, equally downtrodden
Facing the cold rain
Together

Warm by the fire in a trendy coffee house
I sipped my caramel macchiato
Affluent and "successful"
Alone

I envied a homeless man yesterday