Sunday, July 09, 2006
Overflow of a comment
This is actually a comment that went a bit long over at Ari's place...
So I decided it would be most suited as its own entry....
To see where this thought was instigated, go see Ari.
We have a few individuals who are homeless. For like 15 years! Shit you not...When I was waitressing, I would give them free coffee, drinks to go, sneak some food...The bosses knew just never said anything.
So I got to chatting with them, many have given up hope...Some choose to be in this space. Remove themselves from the "wheel"..One man lost his family in a tragic accident. He was well off, beautiful house in swanky town, he told me, he couldn't see the point of that stuff anymore...It was sad, but truly? He was happy...Inside.
Now I am well aware not all homeless have this zen philosophy, very few I am sure...But if one wants something BAD enough, it is there. Doesn't even have to be a job, Ari...Just a chat, an ear...a counselor...a smile even(so they still know they exist in our world, that there are those who care enough to spend a smile for them). Many have too much pride, stubborn and going to shelters and taking charity, drives them farther away.
There is one man who lives near the malls, he sits on a bench with his cart and stuff...One day the kids and I were going into a store, and the kids said hello...Otto, bold little man, asked him what he needed most...The man said a pencil. The teen asked why a pencil, he held up a crossword puzzle from a discarded newspaper(covered in wiped off garbage) and stated his pencil broke...We went on our way, and yet the man stuck with me.
The thought of here I am spending frivolous money, not that there is a lot of that, yet truly what is the importance of just shopping.(I will hear from the Union on that...shhh Judith).
The Teen, bored as we were not anywhere near a store that interests him, asked for twenty bucks and stated he was going to head to another store.
All done with shopping, I headed out with CJ and the Diva, to find The Teen and Otto walking across the parking lot towards this man.
At first, my gut reaction was to yell, "Hey guys!", yet, I did not and waited. I calculated in the span of 5 seconds a game plan, should anything go awry...(Damn judgments)
I slowly walked towards them and watched...I could hear them chatting with him again, The teen started to hand him something, I strained to see...
Oh My...
Otto and The Teen handed this man, a box of pencils, a sharpener and a brand new book of puzzles!
THe man was shocked and at first didn't want it, as he was afraid they would be in trouble. That was when I reached them, "No, no trouble."
The man sat there a bit dumbfounded. I quiet settled over us at that moment, a quiet that led to awkwardness.
"Okay, you guys ready?" And we turned and began to walk to the truck, when I heard, "Hey lady!"
Glancing over my shoulder the man, looking into my eyes, just said, "Some kids you got there."
I smiled said thank you...
We sat in the truck for all of two minutes..All quiet. Not easy with four children on a shopping rush. All I could say, without letting that knot in my throat loose, was, "I love you guys."
And the day moved on....
Yeah....Some kids I got here.
See Ari, it is those little things. Not only was it for him, but it does something to the soul...
It's the little things, we forget or glean over in the business of the day.
All good Karma , all good.
Peace
kids
homeless
simple things
posted by Jod{i} at 7/09/2006 07:53:00 AM, | 
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