so much happened last week, much of it good, for a change, but i want to tell you about something that could also happen to you.
i was walking down the street a few blocks from my house, returning from the grocery store.
a car pulled over asking me for directions.
as i was showing them the way a big, tall, beefy guy came up from behind me and asked me if i knew where homeless people could get food.
it just so happened that i did know, because there is a church two blocks from my house that not only serves hot meals for the homeless but also has a few tables in front of their doors where merchants and drop off bread and other things that homeless people can just grab and go.
this guy told me what many homeless people say, that they havent eaten in days, that theyre from out of town, that anything we can give will be appreciated.
but i seriously had no cash on me and what’s a few cans of Beefaroni gonna do for a man with no hot plate or can opener?
i walked home and easily passed him because he was walking with a terrible limp. his clothes didn’t look that dirty, he didn’t smell, he seemed to be what he said he was: a guy who came here from Texas by bus, got robbed, is expecting a check in a few days, but desperately needed food, water, clothes and shelter.
because he was walking so slowly i was able to get to my crib, put together a Trader Joe’s canvas bag of a half a rotisserie chicken still in its plastic case, fruits, vegetables, a giant thing of sparkling water (sorry Amber), biscuits, and candy. i ran out of my house and caught up to him.
i said, here you go man, and there’s the church over there.
this giant of a man dropped his one bag and said “thank you. you have saved a life. thank you. my day is totally changed because of you. THANK YOU!” and he hugged me.
i have experienced huge joys in my life. and this feeling was almost exactly the same. this man was geniunely starving. he downed the water nearly in one gulp. how could he be that thirsty? had NO ONE helped this man? had he been too proud to ask? WTF LA?
the entire thing was surprising, sad, and beautiful all at once. and i will never forget it.