Post by mikez on Apr 2, 2020 22:56:09 GMT
In this time of pandemic, I think it important to share a story about the old homeless guy you may have seen wandering downtown near the Mile Zero Post. Since we all need to look out now for the unfortunate and vulnerable more than ever, I thought I'd share this story to make you smile.. You know the guy to see him, he's kinda unkempt, wears what can best be described as multiple layers of dirty rags, and likely hasn't shaved or visited a barber in about 5 years from the looks of him. He's really in bad shape.
So while standing outside the bank the other day, practicing my best social distancing from everyone else in line, I saw him wandering down the street, approaching the line, and begin asking each person for twenty dollars to go get something to eat. One by one each person behind me refused to give him anything, but when he got to me, I had an idea.
So when he said "Hey buddy, can you give me $20 for something to eat?", I responded with "Well, nobody in town is taking paper money due to the pandemic my friend, and all of us just carry ATM cards now anyways, I don't have any cash on me."
"Oh" he said. "Guess I'm gonna have a tougher time than usual"
To which I piped up and said "Make you a deal though, my buddy and I are going elk hunting, and if you want to tag along, we'll give you a full share of whatever we shoot, and you'll have meat for weeks"
"No" he replied, "I've got Parkinsons so bad I can't shoot, and I haven't been hunting in over twenty years"
Hmmmm, I pondered that and responded to him "Well, instead of hunting, we could go Ice Fishing, the Rotary Club just had a derby, and the Ice is clear, its easy to get to Swan Lake, and I've got all the gear for that in my truck too"
He quickly dismissed that idea too, " Its been over 15 years since I fished, and if I eat Northern Pike I break out in hives, I think I'm allergic."
Well, there goes the "teach a man to fish" mantra I've been taught, so I guess I''m beat, I said to him "Well, I guess my good ideas are used up. But, the Silverado hotel bar is around the corner, they''ll take my ATM card, I'll buy you a beer and anything you want to eat."
He looked even sadder suddenly. "I appreciate the offer" he said. "But as broke down and hard on my luck as I am", I struggled with addictions for many years and vowed never to set foot in a bar again"
Now I was puzzled what could I do for this guy. Suddenly, like a cartoon, a light bulb went off over my head. I had the way to help this guy out.
"Friend, go get in my truck" I said. "Where are we going?" he replied
"We're going to my house, just out of town, I'll call ahead, and have my girlfriend put out an extra plate, put a few steaks on the BBQ, and you can use the shower and laundry machines while we wait for dinner"
He seemed a bit suspicious of my offer, but agreed if I could tell him why I would have a stranger in my home.
I told him the truth, "Well, firstly, its the right thing to do." With one eye raised, he uttered "Aaaaannnnnnddddddddd....."
"And", I replied, "I'll finally get to show my girlfriend what a man that doesn't hunt, doesn't fish, and doesn't drink looks like"
:-)
So while standing outside the bank the other day, practicing my best social distancing from everyone else in line, I saw him wandering down the street, approaching the line, and begin asking each person for twenty dollars to go get something to eat. One by one each person behind me refused to give him anything, but when he got to me, I had an idea.
So when he said "Hey buddy, can you give me $20 for something to eat?", I responded with "Well, nobody in town is taking paper money due to the pandemic my friend, and all of us just carry ATM cards now anyways, I don't have any cash on me."
"Oh" he said. "Guess I'm gonna have a tougher time than usual"
To which I piped up and said "Make you a deal though, my buddy and I are going elk hunting, and if you want to tag along, we'll give you a full share of whatever we shoot, and you'll have meat for weeks"
"No" he replied, "I've got Parkinsons so bad I can't shoot, and I haven't been hunting in over twenty years"
Hmmmm, I pondered that and responded to him "Well, instead of hunting, we could go Ice Fishing, the Rotary Club just had a derby, and the Ice is clear, its easy to get to Swan Lake, and I've got all the gear for that in my truck too"
He quickly dismissed that idea too, " Its been over 15 years since I fished, and if I eat Northern Pike I break out in hives, I think I'm allergic."
Well, there goes the "teach a man to fish" mantra I've been taught, so I guess I''m beat, I said to him "Well, I guess my good ideas are used up. But, the Silverado hotel bar is around the corner, they''ll take my ATM card, I'll buy you a beer and anything you want to eat."
He looked even sadder suddenly. "I appreciate the offer" he said. "But as broke down and hard on my luck as I am", I struggled with addictions for many years and vowed never to set foot in a bar again"
Now I was puzzled what could I do for this guy. Suddenly, like a cartoon, a light bulb went off over my head. I had the way to help this guy out.
"Friend, go get in my truck" I said. "Where are we going?" he replied
"We're going to my house, just out of town, I'll call ahead, and have my girlfriend put out an extra plate, put a few steaks on the BBQ, and you can use the shower and laundry machines while we wait for dinner"
He seemed a bit suspicious of my offer, but agreed if I could tell him why I would have a stranger in my home.
I told him the truth, "Well, firstly, its the right thing to do." With one eye raised, he uttered "Aaaaannnnnnddddddddd....."
"And", I replied, "I'll finally get to show my girlfriend what a man that doesn't hunt, doesn't fish, and doesn't drink looks like"
:-)
