I see this man on the streets and wonder and worry about him. It’s especially heart-breaking because there are so many like him, and we only notice them occasionally or shut them out completely. I wish that I could help everyone, but I know that it’s not possible and it sucks. But this old man has been around for a while, popping up on my radar at different locations near where I live. I decided to stop by and give him some food and water as the heat has been intolerable. It’s got to be miserable to be on the streets, watching people go by as they ignore you for whatever reasons.
I know that I should have asked him what he wanted to eat, but I did try to be careful on my food and drink choices so that it didn’t make him sick. After all, it’s not like he has access to readily-available health care. Especially since a lot of working people are limited in their health care options because of reasons that don’t belong in this story.
I’d like to use his name, but it kind of went by in a blur as he was happy that someone had stopped to talk to him. I can imagine that he doesn’t get much opportunity for that. I let him talk because it seemed like the best thing to do. Simply be a sounding board for someone who doesn’t have many. He told me that he had once been married, but got a divorce years ago from a woman who didn’t have the same ideas as him. He has a son who he hasn’t seen in over 10 years, as the divorce wasn’t amicable. He’s heart-broken for the repeated hardships that he’s endured. He said that it’s especially been hard for him over the past year and a half. He even talked about his delicate health which has landed him in the hospital for treatment, because our fire department and ambulance services were kind enough to take him in without any comments about his life. I thought that this was at least some kind of blessing that there were people who kept their eyes on him.
He is a devote Christian. He asked me if I was. That’s hard to answer as I’m spiritual but not religious. I don’t like things that cause more hatred in this world, as we already have too much of that. He started talking about what he’d learned, and that he even used to run his own ministry. That got me a bit nervous as I am not exactly comfortable in that setting. Being a lapsed Roman Catholic can do that to you, I guess. But this isn’t about me. I let him talk and put in my words when he asked me questions. It was another learning experience from someone who isn’t as lucky as me. I know that life is precarious, so I’ve learned to take little for granted as it can be taken away with no notice at all.
I wanted him to eat his food so that it didn’t spoil and make him sick. He wanted to talk. He even offered me a chair to sit in, as he noticed me fidgeting. It’s really hard to talk on a road where hundreds of cars are going by. I don’t know how he does it. He says that his religion keeps him going. I can’t completely understand his devotion, as my experiences with religion haven’t been as pleasant. I’ve never been the type to accept “just because” as an answer. But I am glad that this man has something to hold onto so that he can make it through each impossible day. After some time had passed, I told him to please get back to his food and just stay as healthy as he could. He gave me the sweetest smile and thanked me for making time for him. HE thanked me, when I didn’t do anything special but treat him like a human being. That’s humbling.
I wish that his family would talk to him without harsh words. I don’t know the entire story as I only heard his side. But it still sucks that anyone has to go through this. A bit of my time isn’t too much to give to someone who needs it.
Do yourself a favor, and engage with someone who is normally not in your vision. You’ll benefit from the experience as much as they will.
