"I have always relied on the kindness of strangers" Tennessee Williams
I received a hand-out today.
A kind man, thinking I was homeless, gave me two bananas.
Let me explain. I went to the gym around lunch today. I often forget to eat when I'm at home and it's only when I leave my house that I realize my hunger. So, I get to the gym and realize that I haven't eaten a thing and I was not going to perform at peak capacity with a growling belly. The solution, I decided, was to purchase two bananas from the produce stand down the street.
Let me explain my appearance: my unwashed hair was pulled into a messy pony-tail. I was wearing ratty, old yoga pants with a free, 'I donated blood' tee shirt.
And, house shoes.
(my gym shoes were in my gym bag, of course)
So, I park behind the produce stand, and walk around to the front. I find the bananas, take two off the bunch and ask the man how much they cost. I had a dollar in my pocket and was prepared to pay his asking price. After hesitating and assessing my appearance, he informed me that they were 25 cents.
"Oh...okay...I have a quarter in my car"
However, before I could turn towards the exit, he told me that I could just have the bananas. For free.
"Thank you, sir. But, really, I have a quarter in my car"
By this time, though, I'm starting to realize that he doesn't believe I HAVE a car. Nor a home, most probably.
I pull a dirty, crumpled dollar from my pocket and show the man.
"See...I have money"
But, not wanting to take the last dollar from a poor, homeless woman, he declined my money, told me to take the bananas ("It's a hot day") and then said to me what people typically say to the homeless:
"God Bless You"
I was very humbled, very embarrassed, and feeling quite bad for taking the merchandise of a man that, I suspect, makes less money than I do.
Not knowing what else to do, however, I simply smiled at him, swallowed my pride and said "No, God bless you".
Perhaps, I'll become a regular customer of his.
A paying customer, of course.
(And, perhaps, I'll purchase some new gym clothes....)
A kind man, thinking I was homeless, gave me two bananas.
Let me explain. I went to the gym around lunch today. I often forget to eat when I'm at home and it's only when I leave my house that I realize my hunger. So, I get to the gym and realize that I haven't eaten a thing and I was not going to perform at peak capacity with a growling belly. The solution, I decided, was to purchase two bananas from the produce stand down the street.
Let me explain my appearance: my unwashed hair was pulled into a messy pony-tail. I was wearing ratty, old yoga pants with a free, 'I donated blood' tee shirt.
And, house shoes.
(my gym shoes were in my gym bag, of course)
So, I park behind the produce stand, and walk around to the front. I find the bananas, take two off the bunch and ask the man how much they cost. I had a dollar in my pocket and was prepared to pay his asking price. After hesitating and assessing my appearance, he informed me that they were 25 cents.
"Oh...okay...I have a quarter in my car"
However, before I could turn towards the exit, he told me that I could just have the bananas. For free.
"Thank you, sir. But, really, I have a quarter in my car"
By this time, though, I'm starting to realize that he doesn't believe I HAVE a car. Nor a home, most probably.
I pull a dirty, crumpled dollar from my pocket and show the man.
"See...I have money"
But, not wanting to take the last dollar from a poor, homeless woman, he declined my money, told me to take the bananas ("It's a hot day") and then said to me what people typically say to the homeless:
"God Bless You"
I was very humbled, very embarrassed, and feeling quite bad for taking the merchandise of a man that, I suspect, makes less money than I do.
Not knowing what else to do, however, I simply smiled at him, swallowed my pride and said "No, God bless you".
Perhaps, I'll become a regular customer of his.
A paying customer, of course.
(And, perhaps, I'll purchase some new gym clothes....)
posted by Unknown at 12:24 PM
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