Not preaching here.....but think you have it tough??.... Had a long day yesterday...waiting at A Terminal to work the 10:20 fto Buffalo.. I am at the food court outside of security...it's about to close. I go in and get a single slice of pizza and sit down to eat it before heading to the gate....just as I have finished.....In walks this kid....he looks to be 25.....good looking young man.... But unkempt and dirty... He did not make eye contact as he walked past me about 15 feet to the trash can where I had just deposited my pizza crust and half a soda.... He reaches in to the trash can and retrieves my crust and someone else's discarded soda.... it was so surreal to me that I just froze for few seconds.....he takes a bit from my pizza crust and rips into the soda.... I come back to myself and I call over to him..... Son.... Would you like a slice of pizza.... He replied ..... Yes Sir.... But they told me I was 85 cents short...Come over with me Son.... I'd like to get you some food.... He hesitated a second......I said its ok...you got me next time.....he was looking at the plain slices..... Son wouldn't you like a couple of these thick, slices with all the stuff on them....he said one is fine.... I said nonsense.....you're hungry.... You could eat a couple right..... He says yes Sir I could.... But I didn't want to appear to be greedy...... Son.....I promise that's not greedy..... I leave him to make his choices....I go to pay up and he comes over to thank me again profusely... And then attempts to hand me a few dollars and some change to "make some of it up"...I said no way.... It's on me and you get me next time....he thanks me again....an articulate kid .... Talks to me a bit now.... Talks about being in the construction trades. But been out of work for 8 months, though he'd been actively trying to procure other jobs...we chatted a bit more and I had to start for the gate.... I left him with I am gonna be praying for you son.... His eyes welled up and he said man that would be great...... I had 40.00 in my wallet and tried to slip it to him.... I did not succeed this time.... He was adamant this time....no says he.... You've been too kind.... Would not take the cash.....Now I gotta get going or I am gonna be welling up!!.....So.....how bad do we have it friends..... Ever been hungry enough to eat out of a trash can...We are Blessed!!.....Douglas...OUT!!
 
Touching story--Thanks for sharing--we take so much for granted..God Bless You and this young man.
 
Ed,

Thanks for the tears of joy.

One of my favorite of song lines is by Ian Anderson of the old group Jethro Tull:

"It's only the giving, that makes you what you are.?

In Venezuela, the desperate people are down to eating cats and dogs. Another engineered downfall of a people. All of their guns were confiscated FOUR years ago.

Terry
 
With today being the day of Professional Bums I don't give money to those I see on street corners. News reports I've heard are some are making 6 figures doing so.
This story however reminds me of one I once ran across in Nashville. It was just before day light I was setting in a dock getting unloaded. I was setting in the drivers seat with the inside light on when I saw a man in his mid 30's moving very slow. Bad limp.
I was on a side street and he passed on the other side. Most Bums would when seeing some one in a truck will come up and ask for money. Not him. As I watched him he came up on a soda can left on the sidewalk. He picked it up, shook it, then drank the last swallow that had been left in it. He then put the can in the pillow case he had that probably also had his blanket in it too and walked on up the road. After a while I was empty and finished up my paper work and was ready to go. I saw him a couple blocks away coming back my way. Though I was ready to go, I waited. Remember, he moved very slow. He finally got back to were I was and was walking passed me. He never asked me for any thing. I called him over and gave him a Five and told him to go get himself some Breakfast. He was very thankful and told me how he had hurt his leg and had surgery and that he was going to have to go back for another surgery. Like I said, I usually don't give money to "Professional Bums". I think most of them are just doing a disservice to those that really do need help. But I know this young man did in fact need help. Latter I felt bad that I didn't give him more. Hope things worked out for him.
 
One more story about "Professional Bums". I know Eds story is about some one needing help as was mine.
But about 25 maybe even 30 years ago it was the thing for them to come up to you and tell you they ran out of gas down the road and needed money for gas.
I know sometimes you'll still here that story today but back then I heard it atlest a dozen time in one year.
Well, I had an old Ford truck with a utility bed. The gas gauge didn't work in it so I always kelp a can of gas in one of the compartments.
Ever time someone came to me with that story I would tell them I had some gas and to hop in and I would help them get it going.
I jumper cables and tools and most anything you would need to get something going.
Not a single one took me up on the offer.
If I was out of gas I wouldn't turn down any help someone offered.
That's when I learned to be careful who I hand money to.
So what I'm saying is, unless you are sure that person really needs help, Don't give them money!
Help those that do need help and give to your Church fund to help those in need. But don't give money just because someone is holding up a sign and it makes you feel good.
 
"Ever been hungry enough to eat out of a trash can"

No, but there was a point in my life I wasn't far from it.
At one point in my teen years I would dig "things" out of
the trash others threw away, clean and fix them to sell
for money. Stereos, automotive gauges, tape decks, lawn
mowers, bikes, car parts, carburetors, whatever. I carried
them all by hand, didn't have a car at the time.

I was working a construction job and doing this to supplement
my income so I could afford to [b:d72c0f33b8]not[/b:d72c0f33b8] live in my parents' house.
They, like most good parents, had rules and I didn't like them!
Sound like a typical teen? Good thing my boss would transport
me to and from the job site. I learned real quick not to be late.

Now college graduates live at home until hover parents can
help them get into a job "worthy" of their degree.
My how times have changed, eh?

That young man needed help and I'm glad you helped him.
I would have too. We didn't get here easily though.
We earned the ability to help, or not, as we choose.
 
back in 78 on our cross country honeymoon trip in my wife's 74 duster we came upon a young couple standing by their car that had a flat tire. we stopped and I put the spare on for them. would I do that today? I'd like to think I would but I honestly do not know.
 
As a foreman on a commercial construction crew in Dallas,years ago,a homeless man came in to our break room. It was just an old utility room we used for tool storage,break room and my office. He went around asking for spare change,and when he got to me,I said that I'd give him $5.00 if he'd sweep up the room[a 3 minute job]. He got upset,saying"I didn't mean to make you mad" and left. He was a professional Bum.
 
I'm glad you did something for that young man. All too often we ignore those in need.

But on the other hand there are a lot of "bums" who are pros and other that are just too lazy to work.

We have a couple of the former and lot of the latter in our area. Really in need. They generally have no education and just can't make ends meet at low paying jobs. But they are willing to work to earn a few extra bucks. I've hired a few when I've needed the help. Others have come and helped with our garden for a cut. One a couple of years ago not only helped with the garden but when I told the young lady (single mom with a dead beat former husband) that I was going to butcher pigs in a few weeks ask if she could help. I had raise a couple more feeders than I needed and I knew she had a freezer. I sent her home with a whole pig. Couple of months later the wife, who sews doll cloths as a hobby took 4 Barbie dolls and a bag full of cloths over to her just before Christmas for her 2 daughters. I then talked her into going back to school. Sure she did it on a government program but she is now a tax payer, remarried to a good guy and is doing well. Yea I feel good about helping her.

On the other side several years ago when departing the Fargo VA medical center after an appointment about 5-6 blocks from the hospital I saw a guy sitting on the curb. He was holding a sign that read "disabled vet, need money for meds". There was a place to get coffee right behind where he was sitting so I pulled in, got a couple of cups, walked over and handed him one. Then I offered to give him a ride over to VA and get him started into the system. He only wanted money and never even thanked me for the coffee. Yea the meds he wanted were not of the type VA offers.

Rick
 
It may sound corny,but it does feel good to be able to help someone,especially in the way the Oldtanker did.
 
Douglas, you were tested by the Almighty. You will be blessed farther than you can imagine. Thanks for the uplifting today. There is hope for us all. God Bless you and all those that help others.
 

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