Sean of the South | A little bit of sole

BY SEAN DIETRICH

OPINION —

It was a big park. A big city. The man was sitting on the sidewalk. Directly on the ground. And he was barefoot. His feet were scraped and bloody. He was picking at the sole of his foot. Maybe he was trying to remove a splinter? A shard of glass? His foot was bleeding on the pavement. He was unshaven. His hair was bleached from sun exposure. His weathered skin bore a rich tan, like someone who has lived outside for the last few presidential administrations. He was using a tool to pick the offensive object from his sole. A pocketknife maybe. Or a nail file. Perhaps tweezers. I was too far away to see. The park was crowded with young people. Kids playing volleyball. Soccer. Having picnics. Doing yoga. Jogging in wolfpacks. Nobody even looked at the man. The stude