A/N This story is dedicated to a man whose name I don't know and never will know and his dog Nia. It also is inspired by that man and his dog. I met them when we stopped to get something to eat one day. When we came out, there he sat on the sidewalk with his sign "Will work for food" though we gave them what money we could I knew it would not be enough. I pray for him and his dog each day and always wonder where they are now. I hope that someone was kind to him and helped him and his dog out.

Sometimes when you meet someone like him and his dog a person might realize even if you don't have any income yourself, you have it better than they do in the fact that you have a roof over your head and you have family who willingly helps you with your needs. Meeting them and having seen others who were totally without in the past truly makes me thankful.

If you ever can help someone please do so. Who knows maybe one day some of you might come across that same man with the blue backpack that I did with his black dog in her harness and will feel as thankful as I do.

There but for the grace of God go I.

Thanks to Shergar for checking this story over for me.

Disclaimer

I do not profit from the characters from "The Streets of San Francisco" I am not the creator of the series, that is Quinn Martin.

Nia

Steve Keller had been teaching criminology for a little over three years now. He had proven to become one of the more popular professors at the college. That afternoon he was doing something he normally didn't do. Rather than focusing strictly on criminology he was speaking to his students of a cause that was close to his heart. He hoped to get them involved, he knew he was possibly treading a fine line doing this. On his way back to the college that afternoon he had seen someone that he had seen in a couple places before that spurred him into this talk.

"I know that some of you don't have anything to worry about when it comes to where you will sleep at night..."

"Or day!" a young voice was heard to exclaim that Steve recognized immediately.

Despite being interrupted he found himself allowing a smile at the wisecracking young man's voice. He paused a moment while the others tittered a bit after the remark. When they finally quieted he went back to what he had been saying.

"Yes, or day. As I was saying some might not know what it is like to not know where you will be sleeping or where your next meal will be coming from or when. Then again some of you might have had this problem at some point, who am I to say? My wife and I volunteer at what some refer to as a soup kitchen for the homeless. I wanted to urge you to come help out down there. I know there are some that might think why should I? Well, you never know when one day that might be you needing that help."

"This isn't an order is it Professor Keller?" a second year female student of Steve's asked.

"No, Bonnie it's not an order consider it more like a challenge. A challenge to look within yourselves and see if you have the guts to show you care about those who are for whatever reason are much less fortunate than yourselves. You might find you enjoy helping out."

"Professor Keller, what made you become so involved with the homeless? I mean if it is alright to ask that." a young man he knew to be Lane Stepens inquired.

"When I was still with SFPD I saw many that were down on their luck. Some even were involved in a case or two that we were working. I could not get their problem out of my mind when I would go home. I lay awake wishing there was some way to help and a good friend told me about volunteering at the soup kitchen. He told me how some of the ones that came there needed more than food though, some needed someone to just listen and care about them. I finally was able one day to go down and volunteer to help out and just never stopped. You know that was the first time that when Mike found me to come yank me back to work he didn't bother dragging me in on my day off."

Laughter was heard throughout the group. All knew about Mike Stone pulling their professor in on his days off. The time to leave came upon them, none really wanting to leave his class. Some that were genuinely interested in possibly volunteering stopped to inquire about days and times to go help out. One though that Steve had still had some problem reaching went right out of class as though it was not her concern.

Finally Steve had to break away from his students. Jeannie had warned him to not be too late tonight she was fixing a special meal. He still had a stop to make on the way home. As he drove he saw once again that man and his dog. He had that blue backpack the few times Steve had seen him. He always wondered how they survived. Steve knew despite Jeannie's warning he had to stop and talk to this man. The other times he had seen him he had not really had the time to spare; by the time he got back around to where he had seen him, the man and his dog were nowhere to be found. Steve pulled into the curb and got out pocketing his keys and approached the man. He was sure the man made sure the dog got more food than himself considering the healthy look of the dog.

"Hi, my name's Steve. Do you live here in Berkeley?"

"I'm not breaking any laws by being here."

"No, I know that just wondered if you live here. I have seen you a few times but by time I got back around to speak with you I would find you gone."

"You're a cop."

"Former cop, now associate professor at the university."

Steve had no idea but the student he had been trying to reach had been passing by. She saw him alight from his car and when she saw the reason, she stopped and watched curiously. If she expected to see Steve keeping his distance from this obviously homeless person and his dog she was greatly mistaken. Steve got as close as he knew he could but made sure not to invade the man or his dog's space while speaking. She knew she should be headed to work but the scene captivated her.

"I am originally from Mississippi. I just got in town a few days ago. I have been travelling by hitching rides. I met a couple of people at a Pilot Travel Center in Texas that suggested Berkeley or San Francisco for a good place to be. I was warned the law in the town I was in was to be avoided as good as possible."

"Do you have a place to stay? When was the last time you ate?"

"Nia and I have been just sleeping where we find a place. We ate this morning, we are fine."

Steve could tell the man had not really ate that morning, if he had even ate in the past few days. He tried to think of a way to handle this so that the man's pride was not hurt. He thought it out in his head and hoped part of what he was about to say was true.

"I am about to head home. I have a stop to make, why don't you come with me? You and Nia would both be welcome to have a meal with my wife and I. We have a guest house as well that you could stay in until you found a place you would like to live, if you decide to remain in Berkeley."

"Shouldn't you check with your wife first? I mean we don't want to be any trouble."

"Jeannie won't mind. Come on, let's run by the store I have a couple things to get and we can get Nia some food as well and get onto the house."

The man seemed to consider Steve's offers and finally nodded with a small smile. He stood up and walked with Steve to his car. The girl watched with a smile and growing admiration for her professor as the man and his dog got into Steve's Porsche. As Steve pulled out he did not know it but he had finally reached someone who to this point had been resistant.

Steve went to a store where he knew pets were welcome as long as they were on a leash. He knew the man whose name was still unknown to him would know better what his dog might like. Once they had made selections including various dog needs as well as some people food and toiletries, etcetera for the guest house they headed to Steve and Jeannie's house.

"How can I ever thank you Steve? I mean you don't even know me and here you are helping me out. My name is Adam Tate."

"No need to thank me. Do you think you do want to remain in Berkeley?"

"I think so, so far it has seemed like a nice place. I want to try to get a job I have been out of work for almost six months. That was one reason I left Mississippi. I thought another one was in the works but it fell through."

Steve got Adam to tell him what kind of work he had done in the past. He told him he would check something out for him but for tonight Adam and Nia should just try to relax. Jeannie met Steve at the front door and greeted Adam and Nia warmly. Steve explained quickly about Adam and Nia.

"Welcome Adam and Nia it is good to have both of you. I will get Nia started on some food and water while you two wash your hands. Dinner is ready and on the table. Adam do you prefer tea, water, cola, milk or coffee?"

"Whatever you and Steve are drinking would be great. Thank you Jeannie. I'm sorry for imposing, I know you didn't expect anyone with your husband."

"You aren't imposing."

At dinner they both found Adam warm but shy. He became more comfortable with both of them as they ate and talked. He found himself becoming more open with them then he had with almost anyone in a good while. Jeannie could not help but think how Adam reminded her of how Steve was for the longest time when she and Mike first met him.

That night when dinner was finished, after they had visited a good while Jeannie and Steve went with Adam and Nia to the guest house. Jeannie had just cleaned in there the day before so it was ready for someone to live in. While Steve gave Adam a tour Jeannie fixed up both beds with fresh sheets and covers; as she was not sure which room Adam would prefer to sleep in.

The next day Adam and Nia rode with Steve and Jeannie to help out in the soup kitchen. Not half an hour after they arrived Steve got a pleasant surprise when he saw his entire class coming through the doors to help. At the front of the group was the girl Bonnie who he had been trying to reach since she started in his class. With the students helping more was done in less time and some took time out to visit with the people eating there as Bonnie had seen Steve do with Adam Tate.

"I can't believe it Jeannie. I wonder what happened to change her. I had been trying to reach her since she started almost a year ago. She seemed so angry that she had to transfer here. I honestly never thought anything would ever happen to get her involved."

"Maybe sometime when all these people aren't around she will let you in on what caused her to turn over a new leaf darling. I would say for now just accept it and enjoy it."

From then on Steve had even more volunteers. After Steve spoke up for him, Adam Tate was employed by the university as one of their security personnel. He stayed on in Steve and Jeannie's guest house paying them a monthly rent. He had protested the rate was much too low but learned from Steve's teaching that Jeannie was not one to argue with. Adam finally accepted it as he knew at first both were refusing to take anything at all from him. He knew he was very blessed and lucky to have met this couple.

The day three years later when Adam married a clerk from the university registar's office Steve Keller was his best man. Their friendship lasted the rest of their lives. Nia lived to the age of twenty three years, Adam buried her under her favorite tree in Steve and Jeannie's back yard at Jeannie and Steve's invitation.

You never know when just taking a moment out of your day, whether you have a busy schedule or not could change another person's life who just needed to know there was someone out there that truly cared.