She must have crossed this bridge a thousand times without noticing the beggar. But today she got yelled at by her boss and felt like taking in the evening city from the old bridge. It was full of people, but still her eyes quickly gravitated to the dirty man on the ground.
He was sitting on his knees by the stone parapet, head hung real low, as if bowing to the passersby. His outstretched hand shook slightly as it clutched a paper cup.
She never gave money to such people because she believed that as she worked hard to make a living so could other people. And this man seemed strong enough - there was nothing preventing him from getting a proper job. It was just a matter of will.
This thought actually made her angry enough to come up to him and rebuke - "Why can't you go work for your money like everyone else?"
Without raising his head, he muttered - "But I have a job... I am waiting for you…"
What nerve! She did not hesitate - "I am not giving you any money... Get a real job!"
But as she started to walk away, he looked up and she saw his face. A face where pain has clawed into every pore, every heavy blink of the eyes… A face she had seen once in a childhood nightmare…
"I am waiting for you" - he repeated softly. "You are the love of all my lifetimes."
There was such simple truth in his words that a shudder went through her whole body. "You are just a beggar!" she cried out and ran away.
He watched her disappear into the city and put his head back down onto the cold stones of the bridge.
"I am a king and I will wait for you always" - he said to let the devils that lived on the bottom of the river know that he will never give her up.
But the devils did not remember him any more... There are too many kings looking for forgiveness...