Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Some time last year Jenn asked if I'd ever seen the "homeless guy." No, I hadn't heard of such a person. Well, a few months ago I did see him for the first time. It was late at night and I was taking John to work, when there he was. Long, gray hair, long white beard & moustache. The streets were quiet and empty aside from us, and he was slowly making his way across the 4-lane road with his possessions in tow, alone.
The weather has been getting fiercely colder, I've seen him twice on two consecutive days, keeping warm indoors at the food court. Yesterday he was sitting at a table sleeping, and today he was sitting at a table reading the paper. I suggested to John that we put him up in a hotel for a night, and give him cab fare. Or buy him some food. We're at the foodcourt after all. Or if we don't know what he'd like to eat, we could get him a little AAFES gift certificate so he can buy whatever he needs; food, clothes. But then I second-guessed myself (with John's help). "We don't know his story. What if he's not homeless? It's just hearsay."
So we didn't do anything for him today. Isn't that awful? He might be outside somewhere at this very moment, very cold. But as we left the food court I was really upset that I didn't have the courage to talk to him. I would really love to know his story. I've heard of some people who make themselves homeless on purpose because they're tired of the rat race and paying bills and materialism, and they feel free by having no worldly possessions.
Well, I resolved to do some serious thinking about this old man, and next time I see him I'll be prepared.
But what should I actually do? ........
posted by Angela Marie at 12:54 AM
