I was taken back to my childhood today in a very sad, sad way. We lived near a railroad track when I grew up, in fact, right in front of one. I remember occasionally a hobo would come to the door and ask for food or a drink. My sweet grandma would always, always, fix them a sandwich. It was funny, though, if she gave them a drink, she would throw away the glass. I would watch the raggedy man bless my grandmother as he went on down toward the floodwall talking to himself, eating his sandwich.
Today, my door bell rang, but I was napping, and I didn’t get up. No one comes to my door except the Avon man who rings the bell. Then, a minute or two later, I heard knocking on my glass patio door. I figured I had better check this out. There stood a young man and a toddler. The toddler was busy trying to eat a big green apple, his yellow hair tousled, his clothes mismatched. The young man was holding a yellow bag. I thought he was delivering phone books. I looked at them both through the door, and the young man said, “Maam, would you happen to have some work I could do. I have a 1 year old and a 2 year old, me and my wife, and we are hungry, and the babies don’t have any diapers.” I looked at him standing there in sweat pants and a tee shirt in this raining cool weather we were having, looking like it was going to storm. He said, “I came up and don’t have any family in the area. I’ll do any kind of work.” I was so touched, but then, again, I have been burned many times throughout my life. I have always been a soft touch. I have always been for the underdog and tried to help people, and, so far, I don’t see the rewards on this earth. I am waiting for them in heaven. On this earth, it seems the people who are out for themselves, who lie, cheat and steal, come out better. I told the young man, “Now listen, this is a one time only deal. I can’t trust anyone anymore because of things that have happened to me. I don’t need any work done. I’m old and don’t have much myself. My mom paid my way to bingo last night and I won a hundred dollars. She paid my way because I was flat broke. Now, I want you to take this 20 dollar bill and get those babies some diapers, and if there is anything left go down and get some bread and milk and cheese.” The young man genuinely said, “Maam, I don’t want a hand-out.” I looked at him and said, “Please, bless your heard, take it. I won it when I needed money. Maybe you are the reason I won it so I would have this to give you today. No, take it,” and, as he took my hand with the money in it, he kissed the back of my hand, and looked at me with tears in his eyes. My eyes were teary, too. I told him to please call the Salvation Army or check out the food pantries around here since he was new to the area, and I turned away, as he walked off.
What a sad state of the economy: Number one that I work every day and still am broke before payday comes around again in 2 weeks. That I work every day and can’t have any pleasurable activity like going to a movie or playing bingo unless someone pays my way. That the utility bills can charge you to “deliver” the gas to your house. That groceries are so high, milk over $4.00 a gallon. I don’t even know what diapers cost, but I’m sure they are way up there now. That people are struggling so they have to go door to door to ask for work, and in most areas, if someone called the police, they would probably arrest them and take their children away.
My heart grieves for this young man and his family, and those like him. There isn’t any work around here. I feel sorry for myself sometimes, but at least I have a job. I feel for this young man and his kids who may have empty bellies and be sitting around hungry. I know how that feels, and I remember my grandma, what she told me when I was a child, and a picture she had….it was a picture of Jesus knocking on a door with someone opening it…it was a beautiful picture….and my grandma said, you never know when Jesus might knock on your door. He might even come as a stranger asking for help…so I helped this young man. I could have been being duped. He could have wanted money for drugs or something, but I didn’t get that impression from his eyes. I think he really was hungry, and from the way that child was dressed and chewing on that apple trying to eat it, I believe he was sincere. Anyway, I fell for it. Luckily, I had the money from winning at bingo because I, myself, didn’t have any food in the house I could give him. I couldn’t go to the store lately and was running low.
I just had to write this because I have been upset about it all day, and I had to get it off my chest. Why did he choose my door? I live in a poor neighborhood. Maybe he just started walking down a street close to where he lives. Anyway, I’m trying to put it out of my un-trusting mind, all the alterior motives as to why someone would do this.
It is a sad state of the economy when we begin seeing hobo’s and people knocking on people’s door asking for work and for food.
