The rhythmic clink-clink of coins hitting a plastic cup was the only heartbeat Elias had left. He sat on the corner of 5th and Main, draped in a coat that had seen more winters than he cared to remember. To the morning commuters, he was part of the architecture—a weathered gargoyle in a canvas jacket [1].
He didn’t ask for much, and he rarely looked up. He learned early on that eye contact was an intrusion people paid to avoid. Instead, he watched shoes. Polished oxfords meant a brisk pace and a firm "no." Scuffed sneakers sometimes yielded a crumpled dollar and a sympathetic nod.
Elias cleared his throat, the sound like dry gravel. "I could eat, little miss."