this morning i made it to the gym for a half-ass effort on the elliptical machines. i still can't run. stupid stress fracture.
after i had my share of pseudo running and cnn hurricane coverage, i headed home. i pulled up to a red light sweaty, tired, and ready for a shower. to the left of me is a homeless man with the requisite cardboard sign.
i have an internal struggle every time am in this situation. if only i had a legitimate distraction...i'm not on the phone... i have no one in the car with me... i have nothing to focus my attention on to act like i don't see him... i am just sitting in my car thinking, 'crap.'
i know enough to not give him any money, so i scan my car for food. my ever-present luna bars are scattered around the car. i scrounge up two and roll down my window. i said, "are you hungry?" holding out the s'more flavored luna bars. he comes to the car and says he isn't hungry and asks what the bars are. i said, "they are chocolate granola bars." he reads the label, says "i don't think i like s'mores, but thanks anyway" and goes back to his post on the road median.
then he comes back toward the car - i'm thinking, maybe he changed his mind. nope. he offers me a pencil. he apparently has a stash of wooden #2 pencils that he uses to thank people...
i politely declined. it was really strange. i guess beggars can be choosers.
4 comments:
I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes you look around and all you see are people in need. It's so overwhelming that it makes your heart ache, but what can you do? You're just one person. It's so much easier to look the other way, pretend you don't notice. Problem is, we DO notice. It's hard.
HAHA! I didn't even notice the "Christ"! But I suppose if Jesus did take me out to dinner, it would have been good southern cookin'. Mmm Mmm!
Don't feel bad. I'm a nerd (proof in here-said quiz) and a copywriter to boot. Correcting people is my job. It won't get you many second dates, though. :) (Although I wouldn't want to date someone who couldn't spell or speak correctly, anyway.)
some of those people give off the wrong impression and they harden generous people who might have been compassionate to give to them. i dont always take my own advice here because i often get annoyed myself, but i think the best thing you can do in those situations is to at least make eye contact with the person and acknowledge their existence. they live in a world where people remind them that they are nothing and that they dont even physically share space with others. sometimes human interaction with the "other side" can be more fulfilling for them than your luna bar or $10. not always but many are hungry for a kind word or nod.
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