My New Friend

It is early and few are on the streets. I meet a man dressed in orange driving a street vacuum that looks like a golf cart fitted with an elephant's trunk, at the cross walk. He has climbed off of his charge to deal with some issue. I am waiting for the light to change. I look back at him, then step closer and ask, in a yell so he can hear me above his elephant's roar, if he would come and do my living room. He pauses, the offending piece of street refuse, paper, in his gloved hand. English is not his first language. He smiles and comments on how the day is going to be good. "Sun!" I smile back. "Yes. Sun. Thank God." We laugh. 

…and today I don't want the light to change. I want to spend the day with him, my new friend.