So I took in a homeless neighbor last night.......

[Wetzelbill]

A guy I hardly know was in dire straits. He's a neighbor who hangs out with my younger brother sometimes and couldn't pay his rent, so he came to me out of desparation and I let him stay. Gave him fifteen bucks for a phone card and bus pass, fed him, let him shower etc. He was a miserable and fairly rude guest, but, I guess, you aren't really helping somebody if you only do it when it is convenient for you. Although, him washing his socks and boxers in my sink at 4 am was pushing the envelope. Did I mention he was naked when he did this too? Ugh....

At least, he said he'd be able to get set up in a program with a shelter or something. I feel glad to have helped someone less fortunate than me. I don't have much -poor college student- but, you know, I guess I do live a pretty lucky life.

Just felt like sharing this with you all.

[La_Serpiente]

1. Wow

you sure are really really nice :-)

We had another thread about homeless and shelterless before.

It is a Massive Thread so if you have Dial-up, then expect for a long load time.

[patdem]

2. WOW...you do deserve kudos....Yes it is easy to help when it is easy

and more difficult when it is hard. You have proven your metle. Good for you. I hope he finds digs elswhere...where HE has to wash his undies!!!

[Ashcroft Kutcher]

3. if you give a mouse a cookie

don't know if you read that book. but I did and it stops me from doing such things.

[wtmusic]

4. Yeah I've done similar things, don't expect thanks

but you did the right thing :-)

[pink_poodle]

5. You will have a gold star by your name tomorrow. wink! -nm

:

[pink_poodle]

6. You will have a gold star by your name tomorrow. wink! -nm

:

[trof]

7. Good on ya. We do what we can.

I gave two gallons of gas to the crazy lady in the neighborhood yesterday. We're the only ones who still talk to her and now she's driving us nuts.

People break into her house at least 3 or 4 times a day, except they don't. She's called the cops so many times and they never find anything wrong. I've talked to them and they aren't coming out again unless she screams "murder". I guess that'll be next.

She's about 60 and single. No family that we know of. Hangs out at the various military org. bars, American Legion, AmVets, DAV, etc. getting guys to buy her drinks. Sad case.

[Capn Sunshine]

17. I gave a couple of gallons of gas to my neighbor too

He was on the way to the International Money Fund building

[HEyHEY]

8. my college roomy used to wash shirts in the sink

fucking hippie!

[cigarstore]

9. He wouldn't be rude in my place

Allah, what an attitude! No wonder he's homeless.

UsSalaamu Alaikum

[HEyHEY]

10. what does that mean

"UsSalaamu Alaikum "
Never heard a direct translation

[cigarstore]

19. "UsSalaamu Alaikum " means...

"May peace be upon you."

And in return one would say:

"WaAlay KumUsSaLaam"

Which means...

"and may peace be upon you as well"

[corporatewhore]

11. The world thanks you for making it a bit more livable

small acts of kindness are what keep us going as the human race.Glad to see this country isnt totally full of the insane limbaugh types who say that helping out your neighbor is immoral and communistic O8)

[Demobrat]

12. That was kind of you, and brave.

It's one thing to take in a friend, I've done that, but a virtual stranger is something else.

[Pax Hayden]

13. Unexpected rewards:

My sister, bless her heart, is one of the most Yuppie-ish people I know. She doesn't understand why I chose to live in a small mountain town when I could make more money in the city, she doesn't see the appeal in shopping at the local food co-op if you can save a few dollars at the Wal-Mart, and she certainly doesn't know the joys of taking public transportation in lieu of a huge SUV.

Back in February of this year my sister and her husband visited me from Florida for the weekend. It was the first time she had ever visited me in my new home town and I took great pride in showing her around. It was Valentines Day, the mom-and-pop shops in the downtown area were decorated with pink and red hearts for the holiday.

As we returned to her car to drive back to my place, a homeless man approached us with both arms laden with plastic shopping bags from the local grocery store.

"Are you going West?" he asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"Can you take me to the bridge West of town...it's three miles away and that's a long walk with my hands full."

"Sure! I know the bridge you're talking about and it's on our way. Hop in!" I opened the door of my sisters SUV for the homeless man.

My sister and her husband looked at me as if I had just handed this guy her car keys.

She spoke to me in French: "What the fuck do you think you're doing letting that smelly peice of garbage into our car!" she hissed.

I stammered in French "Ummmm...gee I'm sorry. I should have asked you, but he's in the car now and I can't just throw him out."

My sisters husband got in the drivers seat, my sister sat in the passenger side, and I placed myself next to the homless person in the back.

"Thanks for the ride," the hitchhiker quipped once we were on our way, "I didn't want to be late for my girlfriend tonight."

"Did you buy enough alcohol for the two of you?" my sister asked sarcastically without turning her head.

"Oh no mam," he shock his head emphatically, "I don't drink anymore since me and my old lady met two years ago."

"Then what's in the bags?" my sisters husband asked.

"This here's the bread and soup we are gonna heat up tonight under the bridge," he replied, "but that's not why I don't want to be late. Lookit here what I bought her."

The smelly bearded man fished around in one of the plastic grocery-bags at his feet and he pulled out a red envelope, he then handed it to my sister in front.

"I done bought her a Valentines-Day card and I want her to see it before it gets dark. What do you think?"

My sister took the card in her hands, opened the card to read it for a moment then handed it back to him. She didn't say a word.

Within a few minutes we reached the bridge and pulled over to let the man out. He waved at us as we pulled back into traffic. I then braced myself for the tongue-lashing my sisiter was surely going to unleash upon me for giving permission to the homeless man to ride with us.

Instead there was silence. Then I heard my sister start to softly sob.

"That was the most beautiful act of love I have seen in years," she cried. "That man had nothing, but he still managed to remember to get his sweet-heart a card."

I've noticed a change in her attitudes toward the poor since that day. By forcing her to share a few moments in the same space as a homeless person, she learned that they both share the same emotions of love for their partners. She was unexpectedly rewarded for going along with my brashness.

Kudos to you for opening your home and heart to another human being. Even if this person didn't appreciate your act of kindness, it was an act that enriched your life.

[Skittles]

14. what a lovely story

thank you

[trof]

15. Got a paper towel?

There's some kind of precip on my keyboard now.
Nice Christmas story, Pax.
Thanks.

[Wetzelbill]

20. That was an awesome story

[Cheswick2.0]

16. A story about a homeless man

In Dec after 9-11 a group from my church went to NYC to see Dave Brubeck give a performance of one of his religious works at a Presby church in manhattan. Afterwards we went for dinner and then to see the site of the towers distruction.

We were walking down the street and there was this guy yelling. He was about 50, a skinny filthy man with lots of missing teeth. We could hear him a block away and he kept errupting into wild ranting senseless monologues. So as we milled around rubber necking he basically kept up his very disruptive behavior.

Being a group from a church we felt it was appropriate to say a prayer and light some candles and to sing a hymn. So we started and the guy kept yelling and being drunk and disorderly.

After a minute or so I realized his screaming had settle down to muttering and he was standing about 15 feet away from us. I turned and motioned for him to come stand by us, but he would come only a few feet closer. After another minutes his muttering stopped and he sang along with us when we sang.

Afterwards he said thank you and he walked away calmly. I am convinced he only wanted to be noticed. I think we don't look at homeless people. I think they must feel invisible.

You did a good thing.

[Blue-Jay]

18. You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.

Even though I try to help out all I can, I draw the line at sharing my santuary with anyone. Good on ya.