Chapter 10

It was a late‑autumn afternoon when I held Benjamin and walked out of the art museum. At ten, he was in that age of endless curiosity about the world. He chatted excitedly about the oil paintings we had seen earlier. Suddenly, Benjamin tugged my shirt and said, "Mommy, that homeless man is looking at us." I followed his gaze. A person dressed in ragged clothes crouched at the corner of the street. A chipped ceramic bowl was placed before him. I realized he was Isaac the moment he raised his head. He looked 20 years older than I remembered. His right leg was bent at an unnatural angle, and his eyes were dull and empty. Benjamin fished a coin from his pocket and skipped over. He placed the coin in the bowl and said, "Sir, please get something to eat." He was so young, and his eyes were filled with pure innocence. Isaac's lips trembled. He looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he lowered his head further. "Mommy, do you know that man? He looked like he wanted