CHESSNOID

The other night I had to pick up some vitamins and fish pills and some batteries on sale at the local target store.  I usually wait for the last hour to avoid crowds or long lines.  I am one of those types who want to be in and out as fast as possible.  After that trip, I drove by Jack in the Box to pick up2 sirloin steak cheese burgers which are excellent burgers.  Believe it or not, these high calorie burgers look exactly like they do in the pictures.  I think it is because they box them up instead of just paper wrap them.

Don’t worry about me though, I don’t eat out very often anymore  because it is just cheaper to make your own food at home.  While I was ordering food at the drive thru, a homeless man asked me for a handout.  It was about 40 degrees outside and I felt bad for him.  He asked for a couple of dollars to buy some hot dogs.   I told him I could buy him some food, but he said a pack of hot dogs would last him longer.  I told him wait for me at the front of the drive thru and I would give him my change.

We have a lot of homeless out here but when it is  this cold at night, they are out of sight just trying to stay warm.  I ordered him 2 Jumbo Jacks since I didn’t have much cash on me.  I wanted to make sure he used some of the money to buy food and not just alcoholic drinks.   I met up with him at then end of the drive thru, gave him the bag of burgers and $5.  I told him he can now buy a pack of hot dogs and a drink for later while he enjoyed the burgers.  He was very appreciative and thanked me again.

I asked him for his name and he said it was Cooper, and then I told him mine.  He said he can no longer drink because he ruined his liver.  According to him any more liquor in his system would kill him and that his father was already in a nursing home.  I asked him how he is able to keep warm from the extreme cold.  He said some generous people gave him 2 thick blankets and that was working fine.   I shook his hand and wished him well and drove home and told my wife what happened.

I blog about the recession all the time and  I don’t think it is getting better.   Situations like this always remind me how bad it really is out there.  It doesn’t matter if the stock market is up, gold is up, and oil is up.  I know on top of the increasing foreclosures there are many more people like Cooper joining the ranks of the homeless.  I already know our cities’ food banks and shelters are being pushed beyond capacity.  I wish I could do more to help as many people as possible.  Buying him a meal was easy but really doesn’t solve his problem.

I know some people would judge this person and think he is going to use the money for something else.  It really doesn’t matter to me.  The person asked for some help and I gave it to him.  I think it is important to be as nice as possible to everyone and help whoever you can with what you can.  I am watching my budget too.  I didn’t order the value meals like I used to because money is tight.  These burgers were a treat for my wife and me.   We had the burgers with some pickles, chips, and water at home.

I think all things happen for a reason.  That night just reinforced my feelings of gratitude.  I know how lucky I truly am and all the blessings in my life.  I wanted to share this with you in case you run into someone less fortunate than you, that you might offer him or her a hand and some conversation to go along with it.  I think Cooper was  thankful  for the food and dollars, but also enjoyed talking for a few minutes with a stranger.