Today as I took exit off the freeway at the bottom of the ramp something caught my eye. At the red light I stopped. The cardboard sign read: "I know I'm dirty and I'm ugly, but I'm hungry too, every little bit helps" My first impulse was to avoid his gaze. Sure I tried to look away but something about him struck something inside of me. 36 degrees outside and dropping, I can see his breath in the air. I notice his soiled camouflage jacket and torn jeans, the scraggly grey beard and crooked teeth. It's so cold outside. Even in my car I can still feel the biting wind. I reach for my purse but remember that earlier today the vending machine took my $5 at lunch and kept the change. My hands dig deep into my pocket and found some change. But damn! The car window won't role down. He sees and start walking toward me when suddenly a horn goes off. I've got a green light. And I'm holding up traffic, they're impatient to get home. But at least they have a home, I thought. Four or five more horns go off sounding angrier and louder this time. The man stopped 3 steps shy of my window. Our eyes locked, he gave me a thumbs up as if saying "it's ok, at least you tried" and backed away, turned around and went back to his post at the corner. His smile was the last thing I saw as I drove by. I'll never forget that sign or the look in his eyes. I could not push the incident from my mind. I wondered what difference, if any, my measly pocket change could have made. Probably not a thing. One last street before I reach home. The light turns yellow. I slow down, stop. The man's face flash before my eyes. "Oh God don't let my light turn red!