I saw a man today on the side of the road at a very busy intersection holding a sign that saud "Hungry"...It was the second time I can remember passing him with the same sign on the side of the street at an intersection. I wondered how many people ignored him; how many gave him money, how many thought about giving him money and then decided that he might use it to buy booz and decided against giving him anything...And then I wondered how many thought about taking him somewhere so he could eat. I have thought that and I have done that before just not in this town.
And then I wondered why I hadn't stopped and offered to take this man out to eat. A warm meal on days like today can keep a homeless man warm in any weather, at least for a while. Thats what my dad used to say. After my mom threw him out he lived on the street for many years doing the same thing that man was doing today. He was the type of person who proved all the above thoughts to be true...except mine. No one took my dad out to eat. He was definally ignored, even attacted by those who knew him. Some were right about him spending the money on booz instead of food, but for an alcoholic, booz is food. And some starred at him for along while and then did nothing. But no one took him to a place to get food. No one brought him food to eat either. (I have also done that.)
My dad was a very strong man, brave, stupid sometimes (but we all can be)... He's been gone for a year now...While he lived on the street I never saw him. Even called another man "Dad" for awhile b/c I hadn't seen mine in so long that I thought he was dead. Ya know what that can do to a person? To hear your kid tell call someone else "Dad"? I met a man that my dad used to "live" with on the streets. He was a great big ol man. Haha, he reminded me of a dirty santa clause! He was so nice. He was an alcoholic too and he had a wife and child that he hadn't seen since he was thrown out...He used to talk about her alot. Emily was her name and she sounded beautiful. She wouldn't come see him though and she ignored him when she did see him...like alot of people do to homeless people. He died about a year after I met him. He was the first man I took out to eat of the streets. (My dad had cleaned up by then.).He died curled up under a trailer with a picture of them in his hand and a bottle of alcohol in the other. I cried for him and still do. And then I cry for my dad. Not b/c I'm sad, but b/c I am so damn proud to be his kid, so proud of him showing me a life I hope to never live; a life on the streets. I hope someone else gets the opportunity to see things like that.
And the next time I see that man at the intersection, I'm gonna offer to take him out to eat. Funny how one man can make a thousand thoughts come in a wave like that. Funnier still how stupid sweating the small things in my life seem really is.
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And then I wondered why I hadn't stopped and offered to take this man out to eat. A warm meal on days like today can keep a homeless man warm in any weather, at least for a while. Thats what my dad used to say. After my mom threw him out he lived on the street for many years doing the same thing that man was doing today. He was the type of person who proved all the above thoughts to be true...except mine. No one took my dad out to eat. He was definally ignored, even attacted by those who knew him. Some were right about him spending the money on booz instead of food, but for an alcoholic, booz is food. And some starred at him for along while and then did nothing. But no one took him to a place to get food. No one brought him food to eat either. (I have also done that.)
My dad was a very strong man, brave, stupid sometimes (but we all can be)... He's been gone for a year now...While he lived on the street I never saw him. Even called another man "Dad" for awhile b/c I hadn't seen mine in so long that I thought he was dead. Ya know what that can do to a person? To hear your kid tell call someone else "Dad"? I met a man that my dad used to "live" with on the streets. He was a great big ol man. Haha, he reminded me of a dirty santa clause! He was so nice. He was an alcoholic too and he had a wife and child that he hadn't seen since he was thrown out...He used to talk about her alot. Emily was her name and she sounded beautiful. She wouldn't come see him though and she ignored him when she did see him...like alot of people do to homeless people. He died about a year after I met him. He was the first man I took out to eat of the streets. (My dad had cleaned up by then.).He died curled up under a trailer with a picture of them in his hand and a bottle of alcohol in the other. I cried for him and still do. And then I cry for my dad. Not b/c I'm sad, but b/c I am so damn proud to be his kid, so proud of him showing me a life I hope to never live; a life on the streets. I hope someone else gets the opportunity to see things like that.
And the next time I see that man at the intersection, I'm gonna offer to take him out to eat. Funny how one man can make a thousand thoughts come in a wave like that. Funnier still how stupid sweating the small things in my life seem really is.
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and would like to join SGVA -
Would you vouch for me?
Regards