Ed is a typical man.
He has a normal life,
he goes through the motions, day after day.
He wakes up, goes to work, goes home, goes to sleep.
His current existence consists of routines;
everyday Ed walks to and from work,
he goes the same route at the same pace and stops at the same coffee shop.
This has been his routine for five years.
Ed continues his routine even on weekends,
stopping to get his coffee.
Every morning, after he comes out of the coffee shop,
he gives his left over change to a homeless man despite the mans sign;
on an old piece of cardboard it reads,
"Don't want your money, just want your time."
Time is one thing Ed doesn't have.
His job forces him to dedicate his life to it,
a small sacrifice for wealth, women, and fame.
He hasn't always been like this, he changed.
On one particular day, Ed's life completely changed.... again.
He was on his usual routine,
everything started normal like it usually does.
He left his building and started to walk,
he stopped at his coffee shop, bought his coffee and came back out.
He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled the leftover change out,
Ed usually places the money in the mans beer stained hat,
however,
today the man reached his open hand out,
About to drop it in his hand, the man had quickly grasped on to Ed's hand.
He pulled Ed close and said to him, "all I want is your time".
Ed kept the money in his hand and started to walk away.
For the first time in five years Ed had stepped outside of his routine,
about a hundred feet down the sidewalk, Ed stopped.
He walked back to the man and sat beside him.
The man was like a little kid in a candy store with a smile from ear to ear.
With a big of sigh of confusion, Ed looked to him and said,
"alright you have my time"
The man stretched his hand out, "Hi, I'm Mike"
"I'm Ed".
"Tell me about yourself Ed"
"Why would I tell you anything about myself? that doesn't make any sense"
"Neither does you giving me your time, but you did"
After a long pause,
"Well, I work down the street, not married, don't have kids, and I enjoy being alone"
"Why did you sit down Ed?"
"I really don't know, just felt like I should"
"Well I am glad you did"
"Ya sure whatever, well I should get to work"
Ed stood up and was about to start walking;
"Have you ever been in love Ed?"
Clearly angered, Ed responded, "WHAT?", but also intrigued as he sat back down.
"Oh that must be a sensitive subject for you"
"What kind of a question is that, I don't even know you"
"Well are you gonna answer it or not?"
"Alright, I'll answer it if you answer one of my questions"
"Fair enough"
"Why don't you get a job, for the past five years that I've lived here, you just sit here with that sign"
"I have a job and I am doing it right now"
"Oh ya, your job is that you're a homeless person?"
"Ya, something like that"
"Oh please, what were you addicted to drugs? alcohol? lost everything? what was it?"
"Okay, you want the truth Ed... I'm an angel!"
"Alright, drugs it is."
"Okay I answered the question, your turn"
"Whoa, you still haven't actually told me why you are here"
"I just did"
"Pffff, but fine, yes, I have been in love"
"What happened?"
"Why do you assume something happened?"
"Because you don't seem to live a life of a man in love"
Ed immediately grabbed the collar of Mike's jacket and pulled him close,
"I have NEVER stopped loving her"
"Who?"
"My wife, I will always love her!"
"You aren't wearing a ring."
"Because I'm not married anymore, she died."
"How did she die?"
"Car accident, a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel and they both died"
"Is that why you are like this?"
"Like what?"
"Angry"
"You know other people they just ask how I am doing with it and apologise, but your different"
"Well I'm not like other people"
"Ya, that's probably why I am still sitting here"
"Can I ask you something?"
"I think that it is my turn to ask a question"
"Alright, go ahead."
"Why did you say you're an angel?"
"Because I am, that was a stupid question"
"If you are an angel why are you dressed like a homeless person?"
"Because descending from the heavens in white with wings seems to attract a lot of attention"
"Okay, but why a homeless person, I mean why not a doctor or a minister?"
"Because a homeless person allows me to sit here and observe people and complete my mission, purpose"
"Your mission?"
"Yes, I have a purpose for being here"
"And what is it?"
"Its you"
"Of course it is, then what is your purpose with me?"
"Its my turn for a question"
"Fine"
"Why do you always give me change?"
"Because its something my wife would have done, it would have made her happy"
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you happy?"
"Why would I be happy, my wife is dead!"
"Well maybe she is in a better place, wouldn't that make you happy?"
"Yes, if I believed there was a better place"
"Why don't you?"
"Because there is so much evil"
"There is some good in the world"
"Oh ya, like what?"
"People like your wife... people like you"
"I'll never be like my wife"
"You might, if you ever allow yourself to be happy again"
"I can't"
"Why?"
"Because it is my fault that she is dead"
"Why do you say that?"
"Because we got into a fight and she got angry and drove away, and I never saw her again"
A tear slowly appeared in the corner of Ed's eye, it grew and touched his skin and fell down his face.
"Trust me Ed, you are not the reason she died"
"You don't know that"
"Yes, I do"
Ed quickly turned from sad to angry.
"Mike don't try that angel crap with my wife"
Neither one of them said anything for a very long time,
they both sat there in silence.
Ed's face grew more and more wet while Mike sat there thinking.
Mike knew this was his chance and had to act.
"If you had the chance to talk to your wife before she died what would you have said?"
Ed's tears were no longer subtle, he began to cry.
"I would tell her that I love her and that I will always love her"
Mike had a very gentle and innocent smile on his face,
he leaned in really close to Ed,
his mouth was an inch from Ed's ear.
He began to whisper very softly;
"She loves you Ed, she never stopped loving you and she wants you to be happy"
"who?"
"Jane....... your wife!"
Ed's face went pale,
Mike stood up.
"You can be a good person Ed, if not for yourself than for her!"
Mike walked away and Ed never saw him again.
To this day Ed doesn't know if Mike was an angel,
but he does know that he has never been the same.
The next day Ed didn't follow one of his routines;
he slept in, made his own coffee and didn't go to work.
Ed walked down the same street as always,
he walked to the coffee shop and stopped in front of it,
he sat down in Mikes place and lifted up his sign;
"Don't want your money, just want your time!"
