Nighttime Companions

When we first started this job, we would get creeped out leaving the building.
We would jump into the first cab available.
But after weeks of walking home, the nighttime streets now feel friendly to us.

4:30am
Our usual route down 9th Avenue.
Each night we pass this lonely stretch by the post office warehouse.

Just outside the frame on the right there are homeless people sleeping.
On several nights we've seen one man tuck in his companion.

This is the night watchman at the warehouse.
He told us his shift is from midnight to 8:30am.
He asked us if we were religious.
Anita shrugged her shoulders; Anna said no.
He paused and looked at us. The moment felt tense.
Then he said with a big smile, "That's okay, Jesus loves you anyway."
It was oddly reassuring.


This man is the warehouse custodian.
We were struck by his proud pose.
He said, "It takes a certain temperament to work at night."
We all nodded in agreement.
Before we walked away, he added, "It's nice to see pretty faces walking down the street this late at night, and not King Kong."



People get lonely at night. They are more apt to talk. And so are we.