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- Dec 7, 2008
Today I was walking down the street near my apartment in Chicago. An elderly man approached me and asked if I had a dollar or change for McDonalds. I usually hate beggars but still looked in my pockets but only found a twenty. I told him I didn't have anything less and continued walking. As I walked, I turned around and looked at him. He was walking so slow, and something inside me told me to go help him. I decided to go back and offer an sandwich and drink from McDonalds. We began talking and he asked me for my name. He then asked if I was Jewish. I said I was and he showed me a Jewish star on his ring. I don't want to make this thread a Jewish thing, but most Jewish people always want to help each other out and stick together. And you usually don't find 75 year old Jewish men begging on the streets.
We talked more in McDonalds and it turned out he had an incredible lifestory and actually worked for my friend's great grandfather in the 60s in Chicago. This guy I was talking to had Richard J Daley at his wedding, served our country in the military for intelligence and was a very decent man. He dropped a lot of old school Chicago knowledge on me. However, he was down on his luck and was living social security to social security paycheck and they screwed up the last check so he wasn't getting his check until Wed. when he would get two so he was broke now. He had a daughter but she lived on disability so he was kind of screwed and couldnt ask for help. He told me he was so ashamed to have to ask for money and he understands why people won't give money as most beggers will just use it for drugs and alcohol. This guy didnt touch that stuff and was in real need for some food. He also really reminded me of my deceased grandfather, and i felt I needed to help him. I decided to go to the grocery store with him, and i bought him $50 worth of groceries. He was so thankful and called me a "lifesaver" etc.
After I bought the food I helped him bring it back to his apartment. He thanked me and I could tell it made his day. It made my day also. Afterwards I went back to my aparmtent and actually cried a little. I felt some connection with him, and he eerily reminded me of my grandfather. Normally I don't believe in signs, superstition, etc. but I felt something was going on here, especially since its my birthday tmrw. Honestly, helping him was the best birthday gift i could get. So remember next time you see people on the streets realize they might be from bad circumstances and down on luck, but are decent people. Im so happy I decided to turn around today.
We talked more in McDonalds and it turned out he had an incredible lifestory and actually worked for my friend's great grandfather in the 60s in Chicago. This guy I was talking to had Richard J Daley at his wedding, served our country in the military for intelligence and was a very decent man. He dropped a lot of old school Chicago knowledge on me. However, he was down on his luck and was living social security to social security paycheck and they screwed up the last check so he wasn't getting his check until Wed. when he would get two so he was broke now. He had a daughter but she lived on disability so he was kind of screwed and couldnt ask for help. He told me he was so ashamed to have to ask for money and he understands why people won't give money as most beggers will just use it for drugs and alcohol. This guy didnt touch that stuff and was in real need for some food. He also really reminded me of my deceased grandfather, and i felt I needed to help him. I decided to go to the grocery store with him, and i bought him $50 worth of groceries. He was so thankful and called me a "lifesaver" etc.
After I bought the food I helped him bring it back to his apartment. He thanked me and I could tell it made his day. It made my day also. Afterwards I went back to my aparmtent and actually cried a little. I felt some connection with him, and he eerily reminded me of my grandfather. Normally I don't believe in signs, superstition, etc. but I felt something was going on here, especially since its my birthday tmrw. Honestly, helping him was the best birthday gift i could get. So remember next time you see people on the streets realize they might be from bad circumstances and down on luck, but are decent people. Im so happy I decided to turn around today.
