The Janitor

photography by Jeff Rinehart

I once knew a man who, whilst in search of broken pieces of time past and life lost, settled for picking up behind others. He was as wise as a man could be, acquainted to our offal as he was; what better measure of humanity than its detritus?

He was a janitor; I came to know him as a friend. For my benefit, he swiped food off counters. Unseen and unheard, he was a great eavesdropper, a Listener, if you will; he always told the best stories.

Never turn your back on a man who has the keys to everything.

[fin]

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flash-fiction in six sentences