In The Spirit Of The Season

[CGM]

good one.

I remember once walking down a city street, and there was a scruufy looking chap who was lying on the ground in front of a park bench. He doesn't look happy. People were just walking by without so much as a 2nd glance. I took a closer look and decided to check things out. He tells me he's not drunk, just old and tired, had fallen off the bench. So I helped him back on the bench, and we ended up having a little chat, he seemed glad that someone gave a damn. Interesting guy actually.

I can't tell you how many times I have paid attention to some down and outer and ended up with something worthwhile to take away with me.

There but for the grace of God go I. I don't even consider it charity really, just being half decent.

People like you are a dying breed.

I hope you're wrong. I don't really consider myself a do-gooder or anything. I'll tell you about something I saw on tv years ago that really influenced me in this regard. It was about some poor dude who'd had a heart attack or stroke or something, and had laid on the sidewalk for a long time with no-one helping him. He died. Apparently he would have lived if someone had helped him soon enough. His family was all busted up thinking about all the people stepping over him, and made some big emotional plea to the public about stuff like that. I live in the big city, so I do see a few people passed out out. Usually if I see someone passed out or unconcious, I'll tell a policeman and be on my way.

If it's just panhandlers, sometimes I give, sometimes I don't. But I seldom ignore people altogether. But that's just me. I understand why people will walk right by a beggar. Just don't do nothing at all about someone who may be in real trouble.