The Smell of Poverty

This afternoon, Lance Briggs, a line backer for the Chicago Bears came to my school.

Kevin, one of our second graders, has leukemia. Briggs was there to see him.

The kids were very excited. I was excited for them.

I got Briggs' autograph, and stuffed it in my pocket.

On the bus ride home from work, a young boy, about 11 years old, sat next to me.

He smelled poor. 

He had a Bears' jacket on, two sizes to big, and very old.

I didn't think.

I took the autograph out of my pocket and presented it to him.

# 55? I said.

He nodded.

He came to my school today, one of my students has cancer.

Do you want the autograph?

I gave it to him.

He stared at it the entire bus ride, almost in awe, almost expecting me to take it back, his mother and younger brother asleep on the seat in front of his.

I folded my eyes and sat silently.