isarmsandlickedhisfaceaffeately,itstailswitgiement.Dimitripettedhimlovinglyiurn,forthergelooldhimitwashislittlefriendMaureen.

    “Ah,mylittlefriend”hesaidhappily,“howdidyoufindme?Didyourbeautifulmistressewithyou?”Thenhastyfootstepsandthesoundofshoppingcartwheelscametowardshimandsomeodhtohimonhisleftside.ThenaturalstoftheskinfaintlytincturedwiththefragranceofrosestoldhimthatCharina,theauthoresshadarrived.

    “Whydidn’tyouevensaygoodbyewhenyouleft…”askedamencholyvoice.

    “I…Iamsorry”repliedDimitri.“I’mafraidthatIamusedtoavagabondlifeofroamingalround,treatingtheskiesasmytentahasmybed.OccasionallyIwouldseekrefugefromtheweatheruheeavesofsomeone’shome,neverhavingtosaygoodbyetotheowhehouse.IdidnotsaygoodbyetoyoubecauseyouwerestillsoundasleepbutIdidtellMaureenthatIwouldapologizetoyouifyoufeltangryatmyanners.”

    “Afteryouleft”tinuedCharinasadly,“IfoundIcouldledowntomywriting….Ihavebeenlookingforyouineverynookandyofeverystreetiytonoavail.JustnowIaskedanotherhomelesspersonafewblocksdownaboutyourwhereaboutsandwastoldthatyouwereretlyseenaroundhere.Maureencaughtyourstandbeganbarkingsohereweare.”

    “Really?Istheresomethingurgenttomakeyouseare?”askedDimitri.

    “Haveyotten?”askedCharinainhersadandsexyvoice,givingDimitriawhiteeye.“ItoldyouIwaoapanyyouandexperiehelifeofavagabondfirsthand…Soyousee,Iboughtashoppingcartandputintoitasleepingbag,awoole,food,water,abottleofyourfavoritewhiskeyandsomethingsawomanneeds…IamlookingforyoubecauseIwanttogowithyouwhileyouroamtheearth”

    12

    “Youpreparedallthistoroamaroundwithme?”askedDimitriincredulouslyandcouldn’thelpughing.“Butisneededfabondlife!Lookatme.DoIhaveanythinglikewhatyouhaveinyourcart?Arealvagabondhasnothingatall.Thesumptuousfood,waterandwineyouhavepreparedlookmorelikeyouarelookingforasicspottohaveapiic!”Thenhesuddenlyrealizedthathiswordsandtonesmackedofsarcasticcriticismandrebuke,sohequicklygedthesubjedgehetoneofhisvoicesaying,

    “Sinceyouarealreadyhereandwishtoexperiehelifeofavagabond,I’llhelprealizeyourdreahiiooyouoncebeforeandIwillstressitagaihattherealityofthekindoflifeyouwishtoexperienotaneasyoisarduousandfullofhardshipandnotatallromantideasygoingasyoumayhavethoughtittobe;forrealityandimaginatiowopletelydifferentthings.Iwantyoutobepsychologicallypreparedforit.”CharinawasveryexcitedtohearthatDimitriwouldletherapanyhimandsaid,

    “Iamfullypreparedmentallyandpsychologicallyforthege.Iwilldowhateveryoutellmeto.”ThenDimitrisuddenlythoughtofsomethingandsaid,

    “No,no,no,Istill’ttakeyouwithme.Youaretoobeautifutobesleepingoreets.Itwillbedangerousforyou.”CharinahadknownDimitriwouldhavesuchareaandhadpreparedforit.Shewasfullofself-fidendsaidtohim,

    “Don’tworryaboutit.Ihavethoughtaboutthisandamperfectlycamoufged.Iamwearinganoutfitexactlylikeyours:safarihat,brownjacket,andbckbaggypantsandround-headedbckshoes.Ievensmearedmyfacewithdustandmud.NobodywillthinkIamnotabona-fidehobo.Ihaveybeautifullong,flowinghairwhichIhadtreasuredandcoddledforyearsintoashortsassystyle.WhenIputmyhatonnoonewil

isarmsandlickedhisfaceaffeately,itstailswitgiement.Dimitripettedhimlovinglyiurn,forthergelooldhimitwashislittlefriendMaureen.

    “Ah,mylittlefriend”hesaidhappily,“howdidyoufindme?Didyourbeautifulmistressewithyou?”Thenhastyfootstepsandthesoundofshoppingcartwheelscametowardshimandsomeodhtohimonhisleftside.ThenaturalstoftheskinfaintlytincturedwiththefragranceofrosestoldhimthatCharina,theauthoresshadarrived.

    “Whydidn’tyouevensaygoodbyewhenyouleft…”askedamencholyvoice.

    “I…Iamsorry”repliedDimitri.“I’mafraidthatIamusedtoavagabondlifeofroamingalround,treatingtheskiesasmytentahasmybed.OccasionallyIwouldseekrefugefromtheweatheruheeavesofsomeone’shome,neverhavingtosaygoodbyetotheowhehouse.IdidnotsaygoodbyetoyoubecauseyouwerestillsoundasleepbutIdidtellMaureenthatIwouldapologizetoyouifyoufeltangryatmyanners.”

    “Afteryouleft”tinuedCharinasadly,“IfoundIcouldledowntomywriting….Ihavebeenlookingforyouineverynookandyofeverystreetiytonoavail.JustnowIaskedanotherhomelesspersonafewblocksdownaboutyourwhereaboutsandwastoldthatyouwereretlyseenaroundhere.Maureencaughtyourstandbeganbarkingsohereweare.”

    “Really?Istheresomethingurgenttomakeyouseare?”askedDimitri.

    “Haveyotten?”askedCharinainhersadandsexyvoice,givingDimitriawhiteeye.“ItoldyouIwaoapanyyouandexperiehelifeofavagabondfirsthand…Soyousee,Iboughtashoppingcartandputintoitasleepingbag,awoole,food,water,abottleofyourfavoritewhiskeyandsomethingsawomanneeds…IamlookingforyoubecauseIwanttogowithyouwhileyouroamtheearth”

    12

    “Youpreparedallthistoroamaroundwithme?”askedDimitriincredulouslyandcouldn’thelpughing.“Butisneededfabondlife!Lookatme.DoIhaveanythinglikewhatyouhaveinyourcart?Arealvagabondhasnothingatall.Thesumptuousfood,waterandwineyouhavepreparedlookmorelikeyouarelookingforasicspottohaveapiic!”Thenhesuddenlyrealizedthathiswordsandtonesmackedofsarcasticcriticismandrebuke,sohequicklygedthesubjedgehetoneofhisvoicesaying,

    “Sinceyouarealreadyhereandwishtoexperiehelifeofavagabond,I’llhelprealizeyourdreahiiooyouoncebeforeandIwillstressitagaihattherealityofthekindoflifeyouwishtoexperienotaneasyoisarduousandfullofhardshipandnotatallromantideasygoingasyoumayhavethoughtittobe;forrealityandimaginatiowopletelydifferentthings.Iwantyoutobepsychologicallypreparedforit.”CharinawasveryexcitedtohearthatDimitriwouldletherapanyhimandsaid,

    “Iamfullypreparedmentallyandpsychologicallyforthege.Iwilldowhateveryoutellmeto.”ThenDimitrisuddenlythoughtofsomethingandsaid,

    “No,no,no,Istill’ttakeyouwithme.Youaretoobeautifutobesleepingoreets.Itwillbedangerousforyou.”CharinahadknownDimitriwouldhavesuchareaandhadpreparedforit.Shewasfullofself-fidendsaidtohim,

    “Don’tworryaboutit.Ihavethoughtaboutthisandamperfectlycamoufged.Iamwearinganoutfitexactlylikeyours:safarihat,brownjacket,andbckbaggypantsandround-headedbckshoes.Ievensmearedmyfacewithdustandmud.NobodywillthinkIamnotabona-fidehobo.Ihaveybeautifullong,flowinghairwhichIhadtreasuredandcoddledforyearsintoashortsassystyle.WhenIputmyhatonnoonewil