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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"And there, people, is the story of why I hate people. And why I love people...."
Barbara Mack on FB~
I stopped to grab a water, and on the way in I saw a homeless man I know sitting in the shade with his bike beside him. He was red-faced and shaky looking. I asked if he was ok, and he told me that he was just resting. This guy's got the mind of a child, and I'm afraid he doesn't know he needs to stay extra hydrated when it's super hot outside.
There were a bunch of people in line in front of me and only one cashier, so I grabbed two waters and yelled to the cashier that I was taking one to the guy outside and I'd be right back (I'm a regular there).
When I came back in, the lady in front of me turned around, hands on hips, and told me that I was just enabling that 'homeless person' (said with a sneer) and that I shouldn't be wasting my money on him.
It's hot as hell in Florida right now. Mid nineties with humidity around 80%. It's a good day for heat stroke, and I told her so. I said I'd rather give him a water than call an ambulance.
I was gonna shrug it off. Let it go. Chalk it up to ignorance and the heat making everybody cranky.
And then she told me I should be ashamed of myself. That someone should call the police on him, and that it should be illegal to beg for money. That people who give the homeless money just encourage them to stay homeless and that should be illegal, too.
Ashamed. I should be ashamed for giving some poor old guy a water - it cost a whole dollar, BTW - and I should get in trouble for making sure he didn't stroke out in this heat.
I guess I look nice. Approachable. Like I wouldn't rip your head off. I am nice, most of the time.
But not always.
And I lost my temper.
I told her to call a cop and report me for buying shit at a convenience store.
I told her that I wasn't in the damn mood for crazy right now. That it's a hundred fucking degrees outside, and I'm hot and tired and sick to death of stupid people. That if she had an ounce of compassion in her whole body, she'd buy him a cold drink, too. That maybe she should figure out why she needs to accost complete strangers. And how's about after that, she back the fuck up outta my face and outta my business and turn back around and not say one more damn word to me.
I'm just about deaf in one ear. I try to modulate my voice. Unless I get angry.
It got pretty loud there at the end. There was dead silence in the store and then someone said loudly "For real!"
And the guy at the front of the line told the cashier to add a sandwich to his purchases for the guy outside.
The guy behind him bought an extra ice cream. The girl behind HIM got change for a twenty 'cause that guy could probably use some cash.'
Every single person in line got him something. Every one, except the now very embarrassed lady in front of me, who slunk out without saying another word.
When I got to the cashier, she didn't charge me for either of the waters, because she was going to take him one anyway. And mine was free because of the entertainment.
When I went outside, he was eating his ice cream and drinking his water with a pile of stuff all around him, a big old grin on his face. He didn't look shaky anymore.
And there, people, is the story of why I hate people. And why I love people. All in the same damned minute.
I sat in the car and drank my water and laughed with tears in my eyes, same as I'm doing now.
hlthe2b
(102,225 posts)who found their hearts that day. May they pass it on.
tblue37
(65,319 posts)2naSalit
(86,534 posts)Telling off an asshole where others can hear is, sometimes, the best thing to do. Look at the positive outcome in the immediate but also, that snob might have to sit and contemplate her own outlook on life for a moment.
Well done!
MyOwnPeace
(16,925 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)There are some awful people in the world, but hopefully the good ones outnumber them.
Lonestarblue
(9,971 posts)Sometimes people just meed that one good person to speak up.
MiHale
(9,715 posts)Great soul story, thanks.
Response to babylonsister (Original post)
imblue This message was self-deleted by its author.
lookyhereyou
(140 posts)-misanthroptimist
(810 posts)...like my user name.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)UpInArms
(51,280 posts)I love it when the good people say and do the best things
Vinca
(50,261 posts)Traildogbob
(8,713 posts)All I can say is you are a great reason to love people. I am sure the ass thinks she is a Christian. Yet you just did what we are told Jesus would do. Hegot mad as well. Or so we are told. You rock, made my day. The story goes, that homeless man could have been him. Bad news for the ass, if it was.
rateyes
(17,438 posts)read Matthew 25.
blueinredohio
(6,797 posts)Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)3Hotdogs
(12,372 posts)70sEraVet
(3,493 posts)After I got out of the Navy many years ago, I worked in a convenience store for a short period. I found that I was coming home in a foul mood every night, because some rude asshole had pissed me off. Then it occurred to me that the problem was, I was ONLY focussing on the assholes. I started paying attention to the 99% of the decent folks. My job suddenly became almost enjoyable!
renate
(13,776 posts)So simple but its so easy to get fixated on the horrible people. Thank you!!
genxlib
(5,524 posts)Great story. Its good to be reminded that not everyone is an irredeemable asshole. They have power because they are louder and more aggressive than normal people
Sometimes they just need an attitude adjustment.
Nice work
Raven
(13,889 posts)PatSeg
(47,399 posts)Thanks for starting my day off on an upbeat. Needed a tissue though.
Scrivener7
(50,949 posts)to finish it. And whenever possible, finish it by helping someone and shoving that in THEIR faces.
Great story.
niyad
(113,258 posts)Scrivener7
(50,949 posts)I often give to homeless people, and there are often those who feel the need to tell me their opinions about that. I always sputter something about not giving a crap about their opinions, but I can never muster a real reply like the woman in the article did. I envy that.
niyad
(113,258 posts)me" attitude, which I have in sufficient measure.
KS Toronado
(17,198 posts)Habibi
(3,598 posts)and was almost the first thing I read this morning. I loved it so much I shared it on my own timeline.
I hope I can speak that kind of out-loud righteous anger when confronted with such awful people. What an inspiration this woman is, as evidenced by the joyful participation from the good people in that line.
FailureToCommunicate
(14,012 posts)Evolve Dammit
(16,723 posts)mrsadm
(1,198 posts)oasis
(49,376 posts)gab13by13
(21,304 posts)of the only way to get anything out of life, by giving.
GQPers will never learn that lesson, will never understand.
spanone
(135,821 posts)niyad
(113,258 posts)sarchasm
(1,012 posts)MLK was right about the arch, but we will always need good people to remind us.
The Jungle 1
(4,552 posts)He was standing by the door asking for money. I bought him a burger. He immediately tore it in half an gave half to a friend.
Shit now I gotta go buy more.
PoliWrangler
(139 posts)What a great story to start a day, thanks sis.
LittleGirl
(8,282 posts)Because it was in Florida and that sounds like something my sister would do mock a homeless person. Thanks for sharing the positive side of humans.
2Gingersnaps
(1,000 posts)The Beeeeeee-otch, no doubt, voted for Reagan-who destroyed the mental health system in this country. People were thrown out into the streets, the violent ended up in prisons, the non violent remained in the streets. LGBTQ kids make up a disproportionate amount of homeless, so do foster kids aging out of the system with no preparation to be fully self supporting, not to mention Vets.
I had a great Sunday School teacher when I was a kid. Trouble is, it only made me struggle with faith since then. To quote Little Steven, "what I believe in my soul ain't what I see with my eyes, and we can't turn our backs this time."
DemUnleashed
(633 posts)What a way to start my day! I slept in this morning, woke up and your story was the first thing I read! I read it a few times because I enjoyed it so much
I live in Florida and so was very happy and surprised to see how the other people in the store reacted to your tirade on this heartless woman! Good on you and the other kind people in this store!!!
Ohioboy
(3,240 posts)llmart
(15,536 posts)It reminds me that for most of my adult life I've always believed that there are many, many more kind and caring people in this country than there are unkind. I've sort of lost faith in that over the past decade but this story reminds me that I need to look for the good more often instead of focusing on the bad.
Pepsidog
(6,254 posts)Picaro
(1,517 posts)yellowdogintexas
(22,250 posts)Who knows? This story could wind up in a sermon or study group
I love it.
Thank you for this reminder of the grace taught by John Wesley. God's Grace is one of the core tenets of Methodism. On this day, that grace was raining down on all of you. (except for that one little hailstone).
"For as much as you have done unto others, you have done unto me"
HAB911
(8,880 posts)Hotler
(11,415 posts)Those people need challenged whenever they start spewing their shit.
Trueblue Texan
(2,425 posts)This made me laugh and cry! God, I wish I had been there to see the look on Ms. Crabby's face when she let lose on her! ehehheheh
Thank you!
denvine
(799 posts)Thanks for being who you are!
Upthevibe
(8,035 posts)Thank you for this beautiful post....
bahboo
(16,337 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,128 posts)MoriaeEncomium
(25 posts)DU is now my homepage. 8^)
pandr32
(11,578 posts)Native
(5,940 posts)Hekate
(90,643 posts)progressoid
(49,978 posts)babylonsister
(171,056 posts)lunatica
(53,410 posts)Too bad the assholes dont learn much when they encounter nice people on their path to unredemption!
yonder
(9,663 posts)With luck, the woman who took offense/embarrassment went home and thought about it for a good, long while. And with even more luck, she has decided to take steps to change the way she thinks about her own personal interactions with the world around her.
Talitha
(6,581 posts)malaise
(268,925 posts)Compassion rocks
calimary
(81,211 posts)What a GREAT story!
Look what one moment of righteousness started!
That just might have saved that homeless mans life, outside there. Sounds like he finally got some relief, and much-needed nourishment, too.
There but for fortune
and all that.
bluboid
(560 posts)people with their heart on their sleeve & some maturity have a place to hang out. wow! what a story. thank you!
soldierant
(6,846 posts)for sharing a story by Daily Kos's Tevye. Now I thank you again for this - and I have forwarded it to Tevye since it is definitely his kind of story. This is truly lovly.
Skittles
(153,147 posts)that sneering gal in the store considers herself a pro-life Christian.....yup
bluecollar2
(3,622 posts)Thanks for going to bat for decency!
What part of Florida?
I'm down here in Dade county.
crickets
(25,962 posts)7wo7rees
(5,128 posts)So very proud to know you.
I've done some of same these last few months.
Stay cool.
Faux pas
(14,666 posts)Claire Oh Nette
(2,636 posts)I carry extra water with me all the time. I give water to those panhandling and tell them to stay hydrated. They are grateful.
That woman criminalize the symptoms of poverty while she spreads the disease. She'll get her just desserts. When she needs water, or assistance, she'll find herself alone. Karma is a bitch.
Sogo
(4,986 posts)And Barbara Mack is a mensch!
Demovictory9
(32,448 posts)Love this story
dreamland
(964 posts)Too many folks have lost their compassion. Glad you brought it back for all the others wjo chipped in after you.
Joinfortmill
(14,416 posts)PatrickforB
(14,570 posts)sisters of mine, you did for me.
See, if the Christians would worry about the welfare of these, the least of our brothers and sisters instead of amassing political power and trying to put this country under theocratic law, outlawing abortions, and erasing racism from history books, we would be a shit load better off, wouldn't we?
rateyes
(17,438 posts)Whatever you refused to do for the least, you refused to do for me. And this was after God tells those who refused to GIVE THE THIRSTY A DRINK to depart from him FOR ETERNITY, and after they asked him WHEN DID WE SEE YOU THIRSTY AND NOT OFFER YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK?
The woman was probably a church goer who never knew that passage of scripture because 1) she doesnt read her Bible and 2) her preacher never preached on it because it doesnt fit his politics.
Blue Owl
(50,349 posts)dchill
(38,471 posts)Generic Other
(28,979 posts)Maybe ACTS for example? I'd print this story. And end with the standard WWJD? I am over caring about heartless Karens.