A Tale of Two Pities
While there are plenty of poor in our city, they have to be sort of creative to bump into people, since there are very few places people pass by each other when not in an automobile. Yesterday however was a special one for me…
Around 9am I was biking towards a friend’s house and I noticed a tall, black man in a Cleavland baseball cap strolling on the side of the road. I waved hello at him, and he quickly asked if I lived in town, and if I knew any Christians nearby. “B” (we’ll call him) said he was looking for help (Can I just say that I’m grateful that Christians can still be turned to for aid?) and I told him that the friend I was going to visit had some yard work he could do. Man! That guy went at it! As soon as he was given work, he tore into and worked his tail off to get it all done. Afterward B, my friend and I had a good conversation with him, prayed for him and sent him on his way.
Around 5:45pm later that day, I was washing our car up at a local “hosery” (a place where you pay a quarter and you can hose/soap down your car…not sure what they’re really called) when an African-American man strolled up to my car port. My body was in “threat” mode, and I tried my best to seem friendly. His first question was, “Are you prejudice?”
I said, “Of course not.”
Next He (we’ll call him “T”) said that his 5 kids were crying from hunger, and he wasn’t going to get food stamps until Tuesday. He asked me for $10. I don’t carry any cash with me but I told him that I would be glad to leave right then to take him and his family out to eat together. He said he didn’t want that. He said he also needed $20 for bus fare - “What if my kids get sick, who is going to take them to the hospital?” I was a little confused, and he was beginning to mumble more and more to the point of being incoherent. I said, “I don’t understand, say it again,” twice (maybe I’m a bad listener - but I really couldn’t understand the guy!). At that point he began cursing me and yelling loudly. He reached into his pocket and said, “Nigga hater, I got a ‘38 in my pants! I could rob your sorry ______ _____ ______!”
Threat alarms were going off wildly inside, and I’m not sure this guy knew where he was, but I responded by saying, “No you won’t.” and then “I’m sorry, I can’t help you.” He then asked for $5, and I told him to leave.
What is the moral for these two tales? What was the fundamental difference between B and T? I’m not sure. Maybe someone could respond with some wisdom on how to interact with those who ask us for money. All I know is, I’m going to be washing my car there again.
Last 5 posts by Mark
- God is Wholly - October 2nd, 2008
- The Great Moderation - September 30th, 2008
May 24th, 2006 at 11:52 am
What was the fundamental difference between B and T?
One was humbly asking for help. The other was manipulative.
I have no advice on helping people who ask for money. There’s no cookie cutter answer. Just listen to the CEO at the moment.
And it sounds like that’s what you did. Thanks for being you.