Street Buddha A True Story About a Homeless Woman
by a friend of “Street Buddha” designed & illustrated by Melissa Kojima
Please do not copy or appropriate this story or images without permission. All rights rerserved to author and illustrator. Copyright 2014.
Street Buddha A True Story About a Homeless Woman by a friend of “Street Buddha” designed & illustrated by Melissa Kojima
There is a homeless woman in my town whom we call “Street Buddha.”
This is a true story.
Smoking a cigarette. Grumbling, yelling.
A monologue...
...on the street.
One day, a young man picked up her cigarette box in which she kept her money.
She quickly snatched the box from his hands....
. . . and gave him most of the fortunes, saying, “Thank you. I think you need some money too because you’re going through a tough time like I am.”
One day, there was a penny on the floor of a homeless shelter where my friend volunteers. My friend picked up the penny and offered it to her.
“Here is your lucky penny.” She said.
“No thank you. I don’t need a lucky penny because I am a very happy person.”
It was raining two days ago and I was wondering where she slept.
Next day, I saw her. Smoking a cigarette.
I said, “How are you?”
She said, “I’m doing alright.”
A dialogue on the street.
I am grateful for these enlightening moments.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
To protect herself and the homeless woman of this story, the author wishes to remain anonymous. Everything you read here is true. The author has observed it first hand or learned it from trustworthy sources. There are rumors about “Street Buddha�, but they have not been verified and are not in this story.
ABOUT ILLUSTRATOR/DESIGNER
Melissa Kojima illustrated and designed this story at the request of the author because she loved the idea of this wise, homeless woman who seemed to have nothing, except what mattered most. Find more about Melissa at her website: www.artistinlalaland.com
Who is “Street Buddha”?
Street Buddha
is a . . .
touching story about a homeless woman who has nothing, but unselfishly gives to others. It’s told in a simple & succinct way that is as elegant as a haiku.