I am not sure how to start this story or how to end it.
I was packing up my things. Throwing trash in a bag. The TV was on but I wasn't really paying attention to it. I just finished eating Chinese food from a restaurant down the street that I really could not afford. But I had been cooking so much and soon I would be leaving and I was just so tired from my day and the task that lie ahead of me so I decided to treat myself. To be fair it was a craving I had been having for more than a few days. I was sipping a glass of wine and thinking about all I had to do. I was cleaning out a drawer. I remembered a few things I needed from the CVS down the street. I had a lot of trash to take down too so I packed a bunch of it together and headed down the street.
Our apartment buildings dumpster is enclosed with a nice high fence. I swung the door open to begin throwing the trash inside. There was a tall, middle aged man picking through the trash inside the fence. As soon as I opened the door he quickly said "Hi. I didn't want to scare you." I answered, "that's ok." As I threw the rest of my trash in the dumpster he was whistling to himself. I kept on walking to the store but I wished at that moment I carried cash on me. I don't have much at all but he had even less and he whistled. Was it to show me he was content and not ashamed? Or was it to make me feel more at ease? Whatever it was it touched me.
I came back home to my messy apartment and all my boxes and everything looked different. My wine glass was right where I left it and my belly was full. I hung my head and wept for the man in the dumpster. I felt ashamed of feeling overwhelmed about the move and my day and everything else I was worried about and my heart broke a little. I wanted to go back to the dumpster and see if he was hungry but I was sure at this point he had moved on. I didn't know what else to do so I decided to write this all down.
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6 comments:
You are so special, and I'm happy to know you. I often feel rotten for not stopping to help someone on the side of the road, or to not reach out to the people holding signs, and I think how awful our world has become that we are afraid to make contact for feeling unsafe. And how respectful this man was for clearly being in poor circumstances and cheerfully going about his business without encroaching on you. Take heart in this affirmation that there is still good out there. He may have been sent to you for a reason.
That is very sweet and touching.
Hmm...that sounded like a Hallmark card, didn't it? Oh well, it had good intentions.
That is very nice - thank you ladies - and Lisa - you don't sound like a hallmark! Hope you guys have a great weekend.
Hi JB!
It's funny how one person's actions, good or bad, ripple across the earth. Thankfully, this was a good one. He touched you. Your story touched myself and others. Hopefully, that ripple will continue. Nothing is more humbling than watching someone with so little bravely and cheerfully venture on. A lesson I know I can stand to be reminded of. Thanks for the reminder. I love you.
Joy
I understand how you feel- I can promise you something. You'll never forget him. You might forget a lot of things that happen in your life, you'll accidentally forget some things and you might "forget" some things you choose to. But you won't forget him.
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