Reliance

His heart was tethered to a stony soul
so cold and indifferent, harden to his world
from seeing so many desires
crushed under circumstance's avalanche.

Spending his retirement days in bitter existence
forced to work a menial job in order to survive.

Watching all the need surround him
by all the impoverished inner city faces,
feeling so justified in ignoring their misery,
even though living alone in his four bedroom house
after his wife died and kids left who never called.

Keeping himself secured in his self reliance
depending upon the small medic alert transmitter he kept constantly
should his weak heart or feeble legs leave him stranded on the floor.

Working alone one Christmas Eve,
hearing the shuffling shivering feet
marching outside in their parade of destitution,
a pain streaked through his chest,
making him fall to the ground and drop his transmitter.

Too paralyzed by his stroke to move
his mouth stubbornly refused to call out for help
presuming everyone hated as he did.

Then one transient in tattered clothes suddenly appeared.
One he had pretended not to see
each night he passed his body sleeping in the alley.

Looking closer at the eyes,
realizing they belonged to the son who was now a stranger.
Silently, the son pressed the device.
Shaking the old man to the core
finally accepting true lines of life
are never severed from other hearts.