I Befriended a Homeless Man
By on July 17, 2017
Unfortunately some folks are homeless. Something happened this weekend and it prompted a discussion on my personal Facebook page. Here is what I wrote on my FB update:
“I was leaving Dublin today and I saw a homeless woman on the corner by the stop light I was at. At first I kind of didn’t want to make eye contact but I saw that she had two dogs with her and that she looked very hungry. I didn’t have any money but I did have food. What a surprise LOL so I shared with her some of my fresh fruits that I got from Whole Foods yesterday. I told her I wish I had some money to give her but I wanted to share what I had. She said she was just thankful that I smiled at her because not many people come by to even speak and say hello. I gave her an organic peach and organic blueberries. She said it is rare that she eats any fresh food. She was very thankful and said God bless you before I drove away. I told her God bless you too.”
Some friends have tried helping homeless folks with food and the invidividuals they happened to come across didn’t want the food and were actually mean to them. I don’t judge. One time I was in Berekely and I remember giving a cheese pizza to a homeless a guy and he took it and disappointedly ask me if I had pepperoni. Lol!!! WHAT??? I walked away from that happy that the had something to eat but was puzzled that he didn’t really seem thankful.
In 2009 I befriended a homeless man named Robert. I still see him around the city. We always speak to each other. He still sleeps on the streets and when I see him I get him something to eat. Here is what I wrote when I met him:
I was getting gas today and as I was driving up to the pump I already saw a homeless man that I knew was going to either ask me for some money to offer to clean my windows. I was planning on ignoring him. I got out of my car and started pumping my gas and as I was waiting, sure enough, the homeless man comes up to me and asks me if he can clean my windows. I politely said no thank you and he politely said ok no problem. As he walking away I asked him what his name was. He said, “Robert”. I asked Robert where his family was and where stayed. He said that he lost his mother a while back and he had a brother that passed away too. I asked him again, “so where do you stay?” He changed the way he was standing and looked down to the floor and under his breath he replied, “I’m homless”…He asked me if I saw the flagpole that was across the street. I said yes. He continued to tell me that he slept underneath it because people can’t see him from the street.
I said look,I don’t have a lot of money to spare but what do you need? Do you need blankets and some food? His eyes lit up and he said, “BLANKETS?? BLANKETS WOULD BE GREAT!!! You would do that???” I said of course. I’ll be back here tomorrow at 11am. I will find you. He told me not to worry and that he will be there.
I just finished putting together a bag for Robert. I gave him one of my father’s old bags that I once used for my workout stuff. It still has a little boxing glove keychain on it. Inside it i put 2 face towels, a toothbrush, 4 bars of soap, 1 little blanket, 1 big blanket, a pancho for the rain, some plastic bags, toilet paper, a sweatshirt, lotion, and my favorite boxing mug that I don’t use anymore…oh and a Christmas card.
I don’t know how Robert got to this point in his life and I am not here to judge him. We all make mistakes and some of our own habits have gotten us to where we are whether it be drinking, gambling, drug abuse, whatever…I just asked him to say a prayer for me as I will for him…
I did what I did because my heart spoke out to help… I can’t help everyone but I can at least treat them like human beings and help when I can. They are someone’s child, someone’s brother or sister. or maybe even father or mother.
I was wondering what you usually do? Email me at freska@koit.com. I would love to know. In the meantime, take care!!