Hitchhiker

This morning while driving I saw a man walking along the side of the rode. He gave me the "thumbs up" sign and I stopped. I have never stopped before for someone asking for a ride. I have on previous occasions offered and given rides to people that were walking in the rain or snow, but never for someone that asked. I can't exactly figure out why I stopped but in those 2 or 3 seconds I made the decision that I should give this guy a chance. The second I started to brake, he started running and slowly he made up the couple hundred yards that had passed in those almost instantaneous three seconds.

He was a nice guy, rough, dirty and reeked of alcohol. He told me his name but I honestly can't remember. he was one of those people that will tell you their whole life. And he did.  I like those kind of people, they seem honest and sincere although not completely. He told me that he was getting married today at three and was on his way back from the bachelor party. He said things had gotten bad at the bar and he wasn't one for going to jail so he left and "started heal-toeing it." He said he had been walking for almost two hours. I am not completely sure about where he was going and if it even deserved a ride. I originally thought the girl that he was going to go see the one he described as a **** was his fiancée but now as I replay the conversation I am not so sure. No I am sure, it wasn't. He described his wife-to-be as nice and pretty. He said something about doing everything he could before he makes "his vows before God." We talked about how what goes around comes around but in the good since; in the thanks for a ride you'll get paid back for it one day sense. Which reminded me the second he walked up to the window he started offering me money but never mentioned it when he was getting out, this is fine I would not have taken his money. However I do find it interesting that he now in retrospect said whatever he needed to talk his way in the car. Originally when I asked him where he was going he said "where ever you are." Now don't get me wrong but I don't trust this man or any other stranger enough to let him in on where I am going or coming from let alone where I live so when I said something like "No, where are you going?" know that it wasn't completely because I was being nice. 

I wish him well in the 6 minute 2.2 miles of his journey that I drove him i saved him about 40 minutes of walking. 

To his wife, I was you to the best ... I feel no remorse for helping him on his walk because I truly believe that he won't if even ends up "doing everything he can" today he won't break his "vows before God" after you are married. Secondly, if you don't know what you had coming when you agreed to marry this man you are an idiot because I would then know more about him in 6 minutes as a complete stranger than you know about your husband in t-8 hours. 

Its not as bad as everyone thinks.

Today on my way home, I ran into two homeless men. One of them had forgotten his newly purchased propane tanks while he switching buses. I initially overheard the conversation he and the driver were having as I boarded the bus. They asked if the other bus could be stopped and his tanks recovered before some else took them for themselves. He said that he had spent $20 on the four tanks, twenty dollars that he cannot afford to lose.

Our conversation began when I accidentally interrupted him as he told the other homeless man, for at least the fourth time, that he wasn't going to talk to anyone on the bus ever again - he just gets distracted to easily. The other man while sympathetic insisted that it was not his fault, a point that all three of us silently knew. Despite my stupidly comforting "don't beat yourself up" and "everyone forgets things," he was needless to say still bummed. But what honestly can one say to a man who now could freeze tonight. However, he manged to still laugh and talk to me for the remainder of my trip. They described to me of the size of their tents and how in their camp all of the homeless live in a circle with a community camp fire at the center.

The other man was more talkative than the guy worrying about how he would stay warm this evening. He told me that 'he, they have to keep living keep fighting'. That they aren't going to just give up and die. He told me that one day he'd get his life back together, and to never if I could help it to not let my life fall apart.

The other man told me of how he has watched the neighborhoods fall apart around him. He told me that in thirty years when I am fifty I will get to see how the neighborhood has changed just as he has. I reminded him that he said he was a fighter and that 80 isn't that old, he warmly responded with god bless. Not the stereotypical give-me-money god bless that many might associate with the homeless but a sincere thank you. I hope he makes it to 80.

They took turns telling me quite a few stories and answering some questions on my 30 minute ride home. One of story in particular, I think many of us who've been camping can relate to. The other man told me that his new boots, that I later found out were given to him by a church had been burnt up. They melted as he was warming his feet by the fire. I must say that I have done the same to a couple tennis shoes over the years. The sakes were much lower in my case but its unfortunate none the less.

But during the conversation about their life style from "bird-bath" showers to tent placement, they felt is necessary to tell me that "Its not as bad as everyone thinks..." They have hope. They assured me they they live normal lives; they just don't have a roof, but in my opinion that just is a really big just.

I wish them the best. And I hope with our help these men can continue to fight to survive.