(Originally posted for Christmas 2004)
4:00 am 12/24/04
There was a knock on my front door which startled me awake. My dogs were barking which required my dire threats to quieten them as I answered the door.
Maybe you have heard of our weather and the unusually cold temperatures and large amount of snow that has fallen in the last 24 hours. I live just south of Interstate 64 in Southern Indiana and you may have seen the news about the closed Interstate and stranded motorists on the national news.
A man in his early fifties, about my own age, stood at the door. He was wearing tennis shoes, jeans, a field jacket and sock hat. His glasses were frosted and his pale white hands and reddened knuckles attested to the fact that he wore no gloves.
He told me he was lost and asked for directions to a certain address. I told him that he missed his mark by a mile and a half and asked him where his car was. He said he was walking.
I invited him in and sat a chair for him by the warm air from the furnace vent. He was shivering uncontrollably, a faint whiff of alcohol was on his breath. I asked if I could fix him something to eat. He refused but accepted a cup of hot coffee.
My wife talked to him as he warmed himself and I could hear him speak as I prepared his fresh coffee.
My son heard his voice and came into the living room to sit and listen, and to watch, just in case.
His story unfolded.
He was homeless, he had been sleeping under a bridge over the river several miles to the West. He had decided that it was too cold and he might freeze to death if he didn't find safe shelter with more than cardboard boxes to keep him warm. About midnight, he had left his meager possessions and headed for his sisters home, a mile or so from my own home. He had walked past in the blowing snow, wind and the dark but continued forward. He was lost, confused and probably somewhat drunk. Hypothermia can add confusion to even the sober mind.
As he spoke, I realized that he had mental problems as do many of the homeless.
There are places that provide refuge for the indignant, I'm sure he knew, but they don't accept anyone who is intoxicated; which I'm also sure he knew.
He drank his coffee then asked me if I would drive him to his sisters house. He then offered me two dollars. Of course I refused the money but offered to take him where he wanted to go.
I intended to take measures to see after him and he seemed anxious to leave.
As I drove, he told me that his sister was out of town but he had permission to use her house in an emergency. I was worried that he was just lying for reasons of his own but I was determined to see the thing through, even if I had to call the police to ensure his well-being through this cold weather.
As we drove up to the house, there was a porch light on and smoke coming from the chimney vent. Even so, it was apparent that there was no one home, the snow around the house was undisturbed.
I asked him if he was sure he could get in, he said, "Yes, she (his sister) told me where the key is." He reached out his hand, as if for a hand shake, and when I offered mine, pulled my hand to his lips and kissed it saying, "God bless you".
I was profoundly embarrassed but stayed long enough to see him dig around in the snow and find a key, unlock the door and wave goodbye.
I drove home, my thoughts disturbed, by the events that had taken place.
My wife was relieved as I returned and I started preparing food, (very early,) for Christmas Eve. As I cut up fruit for salad and prepared the turkey for baking, my son came up behind me, hugged me and kissing my head, said, "Dad, you did a good thing."
Again, I was embarrassed, not by my son's hug and kiss but by his praise.
It was the right thing to do.
My son told me that he tries to help the homeless ones that hang around his place of employment. We spoke of how little we can actually do for them and I was proud of my son for being a good man and doing the right thing.
As I continued to prepare food for Christmas Eve, my thoughts drifted to a couple seeking shelter in Bethlehem and the birth of the Lamb of the New Covenant, and I felt God's Peace.
May God's Peace and blessings be with you all!
Merry Christmas.
Warren
Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
17 comments:
Warren,
You did the right thing.
Now it's time for people to do the right thing for YOU!
Merry Christmas to you.
I love this story. You are a blessing, Warren.
I hope you and Jackie had a very good Christmas...I think of you both often.
thanks for coming by geeez and for liking my song :-)
(AOW's right, as usual)
It's not Christmas without your personal Christmas story, Warren.
Note: word verification for this comment = barkes
Kewanio che Keeteru
Ye lovers of frolic, who blithsome and gay,
Resolve to be merry on Tammany's Day;
I Neddy the Sachem, by some surnamed P—e,
For a moment would like your attention to call.
In barbarous days, ere America rose
The pride of her Friends, and the scourge of her foes,
Old Tammany bounding o'er valley and hill,
Every deer that he met would constantly kill:
So each of his sons in remembrance of that,
On his birthday displays a Buck's Tail in his hat.
Now those who this tuft emblematic must buy,
To me let them come, and their wants I ll supply.
Since S—dd----S's deer skins I plundered of late,
I their tails can retail at a moderate rate:
‘Tis the joy of my heart all my neighbors to fleece;
Come buy my fine Buck Tails at six-pence apiece.
"NEDDY THE SACHEM."
Kewanio che Keeteru, FJ.
I'm still kicking, just don't have any time.
;)
pure gold
Merry Christmas, Warren!
Merry Christmas to you and yours, FJ
A touching story, Warren! There's no question you did what needed to be done.
You left us with a sense of mystery, however. I can't help but wonder what happened later between the homeless man and his sister? I also can't understand why, if she loved and trusted him, she wouldn't have let him live permanently with her? I suppose we'll never know, but I hope their story came to a happy end.
But that was not your affair of course, I know from things our friend AOW has told me that you have a lot on your ow plate, as it were.
God bless you, your wife, your son, and may Christmas this year be warm and bright for all of you.
FreeThinke
Merry Christmas, FT!
The man was homeless by choice.
If memory serves me right, he once was married and had a son that was full grown. He was an alcoholic that wandered from town to town and a veteran that could go to a VA clinic if he wished.
I don't understand it but I accept it. That morning I took him a meal, the day after he was gone.
I would say that he was self-exiled to Coventry. (i.e. that he would rather live outside societal norms than submit to some kind of therapy.)
Warren,
Once again, it's Christmas.
So, Merry Christmas!
Struggling physically here this Christmas -- as you know. As the song says, "We'll muddle through somehow."
I'll say it again this year...
Merry Christmas, Warren! And keep doing the good work of looking after other good people in need.
May G_d Bless you!
"Song for St. Tamminy s Day.
"The Old Song.
Of Andrew, of Patrick, of David, & George,
What mighty achievements we hear!
While no one relates great Tammany's feats,
Although more heroic by far, my brave boys,
Although more heroic by far.
These heroes fought only as fancy inspired,
As by their own stories we find;
Whilst Tammany, he fought only to free,
From cruel oppression mankind, my brave boys,
From cruel oppression mankind.
"When our country was young and our numbers were few
To our fathers his friendship was shown,
(For he e'er would oppose whom he took for his foes),
And made our misfortunes his own, my brave boys,
And he made our misfortunes his own.
"At length growing old and quite worn out with years,
As history doth truly proclaim,
His wigwam was fired, he nobly expired,
And flew to the skies in a flame, my brave boys,
And flew to the skies in a flame.
Kawanio Che Keeteru!
I'm late to this post, but it was just brought to my attention by AOW. I'm glad to have read your post.
Wonder where that fellow is today, over a decade later.
★ Merry ★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★ Christmas 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______ /~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門｜ ˚And a Happy New Year
* Joy to all! ♫•*¨* Peace on Earth ♪♫•*¨*
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