A $20 bill fell out of a pedestrian’s pocket, George immediately picked it up from the ground, and ran to the owner and returned it to him. I could see how much the person appreciated it. George didn’t seem to think much of it. Then he casually walked back to where he was, rummaging through a trash can to look for recyclables. It was a cold and chilly night. So I offered him some gloves that my friend Tara had donated to keep his hands warm, as well as protect them from broken glass and other debris when digging through garbage. “I wish I had something to offer you” he said with gratitude. I said; “It’s okay I’d be glad to keep you company though.” So I followed him along, as he went through different trash cans. George seemed very open to share about his life. How he grew up on small farm in Mississippi, driving tractors at age 6. He shared painful memories as well; how his dad was an alcoholic and his mom was a drug addict. “She was doing heroin while she had me.” he said. George has been homeless for about 7 years. He tries to stay at a different place every night. “It’s hard to trust people over here, it’s dangerous at night, so I got to keep moving around” he explained. We got some dinner together, and he insisted on getting me food. “I can talk to you all night. We’re friends now, so if you need anything, just let me know” he told me.
“I wish I had something to offer you”
