I don’t know if he saw the car that was coming towards him, but he didn’t move. Instead, when the car pulled in front of him, he climbed up on the car and screamed.

“Get away from me! Leave me alone, you monster!” he yelled. I looked up at him shock. He was jumping up and down on the roof of the car. I could see the elderly lady inside. She was shaking while she talked on the phone.

“Hey, she wasn’t trying to hurt you!” I said.

“She’s a monster! She tried to run me over! She tried to kill me!” He claimed. I could hear the sirens coming.

“Come on down from there! You are going to be arrested!” I exclaimed

He stopped and jumped down from the car. The man stood there staring at me. His face was red with anger. He ran towards me and threw me to the ground. He was panting from anger. Sweat was dripping down his face.

“Arrested? Ya’ll can’t arrest me! I pay your salary!” He screamed in my face. His breath reeked of coffee.

“I’m not going to arrest you! I am not a cop!” I could see the police cars coming around the corner. They seemed to be moving in slow motion.

“I pay your salary! I give ya money! I pay your bills! Ya’ll cannot arrest me!” He screamed, “I am your boss!”

“I am not a cop! I swear, I’m not! Leave me alone!” I could see the officers running towards us. I closed my eyes, waiting for them to rid me of the man.

I could feel the man releasing his hands from my arms. I could feel the man getting up off of me. I opened my eyes to see him standing above me with a smile. His hand was out as if he wanted to help me up.

All I could do was look up at him in astonishment. It was like he forgot everything that just happened. The police officers were yelling at him to freeze. They were telling him to step away from me. However, here was the man doing everything he could to help me get back up on my feet. I decided to take his hand.

He lifted me up and said, “Now that’s better. Are ya alright? Didja fall?” I looked at him, puzzled. He smiled a warm, toothless grin.

“I must have tripped,” I stated. “I best be off to work.”

“Yeah, don’t wanna miss work now do ya!” He said, laughing.

“No, never,” I replied. I walked towards King Street. I passed the officers who were standing there confused. They went to talk to me about what just happened, but I put a hand up and continued on my way to work.

I never saw the man on the corner again after that day. Whenever I walk past the corner of Emerald and King Street, I wonder what happened to him. I hope he is still out in Canada, enjoying the days that pass.