As the midday sun crept into the alley he called home, Larry lifted the lid of a large red dumpster and peered inside. It was packed with overstuffed trash bags and broken-down cardboard boxes. He hauled a few bags onto the ground and dug through them. His eyes widened as he sifted through the mess.
"Oh, ho ho," he chuckled, flashing a rotten smile. "Lookie here."
He grinned as he uncovered discarded treasures from the bags. Making two piles, he set the useful items like tattered clothes and trinkets to his right, while putting the trash on his left. Inside, he found a jacket, a pair of hole-ridden pants, worn-out shoes, and a half-eaten sleeve of saltines. He chewed the saltines to mush and swigged from an open bottle of water to wash them down. He pulled out a few more bags, settling down just as a noise came from the alley next door.
He ignored it. Kept digging. Then heard it again. This time, it was unmistakable: the sound of someone groaning in pain. Peeking around the corner, he saw a man lying behind a pile of trash bags.
"You okay?" Larry asked, not moving.
"Water, I need water," came a raspy voice.
Larry couldn't help but notice–the man was as naked as a newborn.
"Please, I need water," he said again.
Larry looked down at the water bottle he held. There was only a sip or two left, so he threw it to the man. The bottle thudded near his head, making him flinch. Once the man saw what the bottle was, he threw the cap away and downed its contents in one gulp.
"Thank you," he said, his voice less raspy than before.
Frowning, Larry turned back and gathered his new treasures. He carried the items back. Dropped them by the man.
"It’s all I've got for ya," he said, looking down at the man, who was lying in his own piss. The stench was strong, but Larry was used to it.
"Thank you," the man said.
"You uh… need a hospital?" Larry asked, leaning over to examine the naked man’s body.
"I don't think so," he replied, sitting up.
“Are you hungry?” Larry asked, placing his hand on the man’s shoulder.
“Get dressed, I know a place that might be taking people like us.”
“Oh, thank you. You don’t know how hard it’s been,” the man replied, pulling on the pants.
“Trust me, boy, I do,” Larry replied, turning back to face his new friend. “I’ve been out here for quite some time. What’s ya name, by the way?”
The man paused, mouth open. The words stuck in his throat. He looked up at Larry, meeting his gaze, and said, “I don’t know.”
