For God's sake, look me in the eyes.

Stock photo' to illustrate the story below.

He sat on the sidewalk, head bowed,  with his feet on the parking lot tarmac, and a small haversack on his back.

 I was there too,  with my neighbour Barbara B., after our usual early Sunday morning peregrination with Zion at Arlington Park.

 Barbara had gone into Panera Bread (Bahia Vista and Tamiami Trail, SRQ) to get her Coffee, whilst I moseyed around with Zion.

 And there he was, just as I have described above.

 "Oh sh-t" I thought.  "It's 7:45 a.m. on a Sunday morning, and the panhandlers are already at work".

 I decided to ignore him.  But then my better angels took over.

 Zion and I drew near to him.  I looked at him and said "hi".He responded  with his own  "hi".

 Z and I moved on. We turned back.  I greeted him again. This time I made eye to eye contact.
  
I asked "can you use a cup of coffee and a cookie?".  "Yes" he said  "a coffee would be great", and "I  am waiting here for a guy who I met at a gas station yesterday, he promised me a day of work".

 I bought him a cuppa and a cookie.  No big deal  at four bucks.

 The man who had offered him a day of work showed up  ( a landscaper).  They drove away. As they passed, the young man put his head out of the truck and called out a hearty "thank you" .

 There are no "homeless"

 There are homeless people.

 In half a generation the homeless people could include you or I.






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