The man and the boy watched as the old gentleman across the street gave a tiny flower to lady passing by. This action always followed the smile and slight bow.
"He does this everyday? the boy asked.
"Not this exactly. Sometimes it is just a hug."
"What about the men who pass by? He doesn't give them flowers, does he?"
"They get a handshake or a tip of the hat and a smile. Once in a while a cigar. The little ones get a little toy or piece of candy"
"Wow...and he has been doing this for how long?"
"Oh years...since I have been here, over twenty years ago. Funny, he was old then, too"
"And you don't know his name? After all this time?"
"Nope. Another thing: never heard him speak either. Far as I know no one has ever heard him speak"
"Holy cow! Never?!"
"Nope He just comes to the corner every day and gives away his little gifts and smiles, then goes wherever he lives till the next day. Nobody even knows where he comes from"
The boy pondered this for a moment in silence.
"How about his name? Someone's gotta know that!"
The man looked at the boy and smiled.
"No name either, son. No one knows that"
The boy just shook his head. They watched him in silence for a few minutes, smiling, handing out candy and flowers and handshakes and tipping his hat.
"Well" said the boy, "what do YOU call him then?"
"I call him what everyone else does: the man with the crooked hat"
"He does this everyday? the boy asked.
"Not this exactly. Sometimes it is just a hug."
"What about the men who pass by? He doesn't give them flowers, does he?"
"They get a handshake or a tip of the hat and a smile. Once in a while a cigar. The little ones get a little toy or piece of candy"
"Wow...and he has been doing this for how long?"
"Oh years...since I have been here, over twenty years ago. Funny, he was old then, too"
"And you don't know his name? After all this time?"
"Nope. Another thing: never heard him speak either. Far as I know no one has ever heard him speak"
"Holy cow! Never?!"
"Nope He just comes to the corner every day and gives away his little gifts and smiles, then goes wherever he lives till the next day. Nobody even knows where he comes from"
The boy pondered this for a moment in silence.
"How about his name? Someone's gotta know that!"
The man looked at the boy and smiled.
"No name either, son. No one knows that"
The boy just shook his head. They watched him in silence for a few minutes, smiling, handing out candy and flowers and handshakes and tipping his hat.
"Well" said the boy, "what do YOU call him then?"
"I call him what everyone else does: the man with the crooked hat"
