When I was filling up gas on my car at the Chevron Station at around 8pm last monday, a homeless man, dress in a white beat up tshirt and dirty jeans and shoes, came up to me with his hands out asking for change. First reaction, I didnt have any change at all, and thats what I told him. And it took him a while to stop looking at me and to start walking away. Then I guess in way, I felt a little convicted, feeling that I should have helped in out a little at least. He walked away, and I was checking my pockets and all I had was 15 cents. So I walked up to him and told him this was all I had and gave it to him. He didnt look to thrilled but was glad, and said thank you. Then I went back in my car and checked the compartment of where I usually put my change in (usually pennies), and I found about 3 dimes (no pennies though, I didnt want to give him a handful of pennies). I took the 3 dimes I had, and walked back to the homeless man and gave it to him. This time he seemed a little more grateful this time. As I walked back to my car, I just realized that I only gave him 45 cents total. What could he have done with 45 cents? I just did go to the bank before the gas station to get some cash out, but I didnt feel prompted to give him a whole 20 dollar bill. I did go back to him though, cuz he did look really hungry, and I told him that after I finish filling up gas, to meet me at the KFC up the block. So I met him at the KFC and then bought him a meal. While he was having his meal, I tried to have some sort of conversation with him. His name was Mike, from Oklahoma, and he had no family whatsover. Although he was totally incoherent. He could barely understand what I was asking him cuz he had a really bad hearing problem. So I had to speak really loudly right into his hear for him to understand what I was saying to him. I read somehwere before that a large percentage of the homeless are incoherent and many of them continue to deteriorate and this was an apparent case of that.
So after he finished his meal, what was I supposed to do. I did have a heart for him and his well being after now, but I cant welcome him into my home and take care of him. He told me he hasn't had a good meal for a really really long time, and I believed him cuz he was totally skinny. But I hoped he would have at least a good place to sleep that night. He told me he usually finds a place in the park or at the nogales high school field. I just prayed that God would be with Mike, and I hope the meal he had that night would be able to just nourish his body for a while.
posted by raphael at 11:37 PM
