a homeless man named John

[Bertha Venation]

I often see a homeless man named John. He is a slight man with a close-cropped beard and blue eyes and a sweet face.

I saw him last night, and we talked a bit as I sat at a red light. The instant the light turned green the guy in the car behind me honked. I let go of John's hand and waved at the guy back there. I saw John again this morning and the same thing happened. As if I can't see the light; as If I won't move. Jeez, people. This is a human being, gimme a second!

In this morning's nanosecond, I asked John where he stays, hoping he'd tell me of a shelter. He said lately he's been staying in the doorway of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. I asked "And they don't chase you away?" He said, "No, I clean it up really well before I leave" and then the light changed. :(

(x-post GD)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My dear Bertha...

You have such a good heart.

Some folks just cannot bear to be held up for even a nanosecond. They have no heart.

John does, and so do you...

:hug:

[Aristus]

2. Bless you for that, Bertha. I've worked with the homeless for years, and the hardest thing

to convince people of about the community as a whole is that they are human beings.

People forget that...

[applegrove]

3. Thanks for sharing dignity with John. You both deserve it.

[tblue]

4. Beautiful!

And inspiring. Ohhhh, that poor man. :hug:

[hippywife]

5. It's very compassionate of you

to spend time speaking with him but, and I mean no disrespect in asking this, if it means so much then why not pull over and spend that quality time rather than the nanosecond at the light? :shrug:

:hug: