THE NOBLE NOBODY

The walk of shame

Kenneth's heart was pounding rapidly as he remained hidden behind a dumpster. He had managed to outsmart and escape from his pursuing lawman, but his anxiety and worries remained in the thought of being found once again.
He was anxiously waiting for darkness to fall and cloak the surroundings as he attempted to elude the area without being noticed, but it was unclear if any other lawmen were still lurking around.
The odour behind that large dumpster was unbearable; it smelled so bad and he was doing his best not to inhale too much of it while trying to catch his heavy breath after all the running he had to do.
The hard and dirty ground underfoot felt unpleasantly cold on contact.
The sight of rats running around the ground where he sat, and the cockroaches crawling on the wall he rested his back against, created an environment of utter filth and unhygienic circumstances.

The hours passed by slowly and painfully as he lay still in the filthy dumpster and on the cold and hard flooring, causing a pain to emerge within his lower back.
His body cried out for nourishment as his stomach rumbled and gurgled from the pangs of hunger and thirst.
As the pain and discomfort from his position and the hunger and thirst overcame him, he decided that escaping on foot was far more desirable than remaining still in the filthy dump he had taken refuge in.

Kenneth rummaged through the dumpster with hope that he might find some piece of clothing or anything he can utilize as a hood to conceal his head and provide some form of disguise from the lawmen.
The trash-filled and filthy condition of the dumpster, however, yielded no success, instead, resulting in him acquiring yet more filth layered onto his person. With a defeated sigh, he climbed out of the dumpster and looked about himself, his appearance now bearing the resemblance of a homeless man.
He dragged himself out of there, looking like a filthy and unkempt individual, and proceeded to walk around the area.

Ken made his way through the busy streets and packed town, where he was seen by passersby who expressed a variety of reactions when they walked past him.
Some people offered him glances of sympathetic pity while others regarded him with looks of utter disdain and disgust. The reactions were understandable as his appearance was one befitting that of a beggar.
It was a walk of shame that weighed heavily upon his soul, causing his heart to be burdened with immeasurable humiliation and embarrassment.
He deplored how others viewed him as scum and regarded him with utter contempt. He loathed every moment of this mortifying experience that dented his dignity.

The rag-and-bone looking man hastened his pace, increasing his speed and taking long and fast strides as he desperately craved to exit and leave the area quickly. As he marched, he felt as though he was walking naked in front of the world, exposing his shame and disgrace to everyone who passed by and saw him.
The experience prompted a moment of clarity as he realized that this was exactly the feeling those who endured a street life harbored about themselves and their situation, feeling as though they were seen and deemed to be something lesser than all the rest of humanity.

Kenneth made his way to the farm, where he was met with concerned and shocked looks that were painted on the faces of his parents as he arrived.
The unkempt appearance that he had acquired as a result of his endeavor immediately filled them with an overwhelming feeling of worry.
He stood there in a state of silence, stunned and unsure of how to even begin his explanation of what had happened, letting his parent's gaze speak for itself about the abnormal situation.

Mary's old voice conveyed a tone of concern as she asked her son, "Where have you been Kenny? We've been plagued by worries! What has happened to you? Is everything alright?"
Abraham was left speechless and in a state of disbelief as he stared at his son's unkempt appearance.
Kenneth replied with a calm and collected voice, "Let me quickly change these garments, then cleanse myself. I'll explain everything. You have my word." The bum then proceeded to walk past his parents and departed towards a bath, eager to cleanse and rid himself of the filth that had clung to him during his journey.