The Invisible Homeless Man

I was going into my local 7Eleven to purchase my daily cup of coffee.

I noticed a very skinny, sickly looking man in his 30’s squatting outside in the cold with a cane and I went over and started to chat with him. I first asked him if was he hungry and he replied yes, so I took him into 7Eleven. He obviously had some sort of neurological medical condition as I had to literally help him up and he was unsteady and very weak.

We went in and the guys know me in there and I asked Anthony to give this man whatever he wanted to eat. He asked if I was sure and I said yes, pick out whatever you want, then I explained to both guys that I was giving Anthony (the guys who works at 7Eleven) $40.00 and to place it in an envelope and to only sell him food like it was his own personal tab.

I listened to his life story and it was sad. He was very humble and sweet and shocked. He just kept repeating I don’t know what to say.

I went home and got clothes my husband no longer wears including a coat to keep him warm with a Red-Cross bag we had in the attic that we got during Sandy when we lost our home. I drove back, brought him to his motel and carried all of the stuff in for him. From toiletries to vitamins to food and water. I begged him to call an ambulance because he obviously needed to be admitted and it was below freezing. As a former ER nurse I knew that they wouldn’t discharge him, but he was afraid if his caseworker came looking for a shelter for him that he would lose his spot. I shared the story with my children, my husband probably would haven’t

I shared the story with my children, my husband probably wouldn’t have been so happy because he would have thought I put myself in danger, which was not the case at all. I could have knocked him over with my pinky he was so weak.

We all practice Random Acts of Kindness, especially my kids and I every day. I don’t share with other people because I am not looking for a pat on the back. I do it with humility and love. Now imagine if every 3rd person did this everyday! The world would be a much more amazing place.

My son is a talented writer and this is all he writes about is change one person at a time. Let’s make the world a better place. I know it might sound a bit simplistic but I believe it would work. Why are people so self-absorbed? Why is everyone chasing more and more “STUFF”? Why don’t kids have to work for anything anymore? It is just handed to them (in my affluent neighborhood anyway) and almost of the cars parked outside of 7/11 were Mercedes, Range Rovers, BMW’s… yet this man was invisible.

I just pray that he doesn’t die alone! No one should. Not even a dog! – Michelle ❤