Young Allen the do-gooder
Long ago I was a freshman at Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech is in downtown Atlanta. Just around the corner from my dorm was a laundromat. I was down there one Sunday morning doing my laundry. I saw a man who was sitting on the floor. He was dirty and had worn, dirty clothing. I watched him pull a bottle of rubbing alcohol out of his coat pocket and take a drink.
I was horrified! I was an innocent kid from the suburbs. Back in 1968 there was no publicity about "homeless" people. I had no idea that there were people who slept under bridges downtown, and who just stayed drunk all the time.
I told the guy he needed to stop drinking that stuff, that it was poisonous. He smiled and told me, "It is Sunday and the liquor stores are closed, whatcha want me to do kid?"
I asked him if he was hungry and he said he was. I went to the snack machine and bought him a couple of packs of those orange colored cheese crackers. He ate those cheese crackers like they were turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.
I went to the pay phone in the laundromat and made a few phone calls. I found a lady who had a home alcoholism rehab clinic which was Christianity based. She told me that her husband was a pilot for Delta and he was out on a flight, but would be home in a half hour.
She told me that he would be up there at Georgia Tech in an hour, and pick this poor guy up, and take him to their home in the country. They would keep him off the booze and give him good food for two weeks.
I told the guy the deal and he said that was great and he would wait for these people to come help him.
My laundry was finished and I had to head back to the freshman dorm. I didn't want to invite this guy to my room, I didn't think I could trust him not to steal some stuff. Plus he smelled bad.
I got my clothes and walked back to my dorm.
In an hour I went back to the laundromat. I saw that the manager had come in, and he was taking quarters from the machines. I asked him if he had seen a drunk guy sitting on the floor.
He told me, "Yep, I calld the law on that wino. You can't trust 'em. Atlanta police hauled that bum off to jail a half hour ago."
As I was going out the door of the laundromat a car pulled up with a Delta sticker on the window, I knew it was the pilot. I told him I was sorry that he had wasted a trip, but his new client was in jail.
I was horrified! I was an innocent kid from the suburbs. Back in 1968 there was no publicity about "homeless" people. I had no idea that there were people who slept under bridges downtown, and who just stayed drunk all the time.
I told the guy he needed to stop drinking that stuff, that it was poisonous. He smiled and told me, "It is Sunday and the liquor stores are closed, whatcha want me to do kid?"
I asked him if he was hungry and he said he was. I went to the snack machine and bought him a couple of packs of those orange colored cheese crackers. He ate those cheese crackers like they were turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.
I went to the pay phone in the laundromat and made a few phone calls. I found a lady who had a home alcoholism rehab clinic which was Christianity based. She told me that her husband was a pilot for Delta and he was out on a flight, but would be home in a half hour.
She told me that he would be up there at Georgia Tech in an hour, and pick this poor guy up, and take him to their home in the country. They would keep him off the booze and give him good food for two weeks.
I told the guy the deal and he said that was great and he would wait for these people to come help him.
My laundry was finished and I had to head back to the freshman dorm. I didn't want to invite this guy to my room, I didn't think I could trust him not to steal some stuff. Plus he smelled bad.
I got my clothes and walked back to my dorm.
In an hour I went back to the laundromat. I saw that the manager had come in, and he was taking quarters from the machines. I asked him if he had seen a drunk guy sitting on the floor.
He told me, "Yep, I calld the law on that wino. You can't trust 'em. Atlanta police hauled that bum off to jail a half hour ago."
As I was going out the door of the laundromat a car pulled up with a Delta sticker on the window, I knew it was the pilot. I told him I was sorry that he had wasted a trip, but his new client was in jail.
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Well you tried, that is what counts!!!
I say job well done.
Actually, I would not done more than buying the munchies..so you are way ahead of me!!!0 -
Couple years ago I was in a fast food place and saw a yojng college lad entertaining a homeless man at his table . must have been buying his meal. the homeless guy must have had some mental illness of some sort. swearing up a storm. being very loud and confrontational with just about everyone in there. wandering from table to table. The lad was obviously embarrsed and a little worried. I feel for people who slip through the cracks of our society. for whatever reasons. mental illness, addictions, circumstances, lack of education. etc. sometimes helping personally is a bit over our head and left to the agencies that can help best, if there is any. I wish the truley needy could be helped. 0
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