Amanda’s thoughts were focused on her tight agenda, and Joe’s plight was relegated to the background of her busy day. Meanwhile, Clara Thompson, a middle-aged woman burdened with the weight of several heavy grocery bags, came to a sudden halt as her eyes fell upon Joe lying on the sidewalk.
She paused, her breath momentarily catching in her throat. The sight of him, vulnerable and unmoving, tugged at the edges of her heart. Clara’s life had been marked by its share of struggles, and she knew firsthand the weight of personal hardship.