Walter, again

Last night, as I'm sitting by the fire reading a mindless spy novel about the Middle East, Walter appears at my door.  You may remember Walter from previous posts. 

To make a longer story short, let me just say Walter has been a case!

But that makes this evening's encounter all the better. 

Walter knocks on my door and reports, when I open it to him, that he has a car, a job and five years sober.  I expect he is telling me the truth as the car is sitting in my driveway! And, as I checked my last note on this page about him, sure enough I realize he had been clean and sober for 5 years!

He also carries $200 in his pocket. 

What he needs from me is a solid referral to the CitySquare Thrift Store so that his funds can go as far as possible in his current effort to furnish his apartment.  Something about bed bugs destroying his most recent attempt at that process! 

He looked so good. 

Bright eyes.

Clean, neat clothes.

Good, solid shoes. 

He was understandably proud of his progress.

He thanked me and I pushed back against that, remembering how tough I had been on him in the past.

But, seeing him was a victory. 

What we are doing here is important. 

Living in the neighborhood where he can find me is essential. 

Nice New Year's day encounter.