A true story.
We had run into the man we call Little John on a bench in this park. (photo below)
The story starts many years ago when I was walking my kids home from school.
Poverty is everywhere and Little John is just one of many that I chose to meet, talk to and get to know. Thank you for all the wonderful comments. For those using translators, John is not a young boy. He was about thirty-five, six-three and well over two hundred pounds when we met.
The man in the photo is not John, but I found it nostalgic to find a picture of the park before it was refurbished and also less habitable by people in need. Street View is not the best in the way of quality but I found what I was looking for.
Stepping in to help and knowing when to step out of the way.
This shot was from 2014 on street view, showing the stone benches he lived on.
As in the picture above, the bench was empty the following Friday. His bench is the one in the far distance past the tree on the right. John lived under the crooked old rubber tree in the distance with its branch on the left reaching twenty feet outward, parallel to the ground (right under the yellow leaves in the picture). I had gone straight to the park at 4:00 p.m. hoping to take him to the grocery store. I even walked through the park which took about thirty minutes. No luck.
The school was barely visible from the park. The street makes a T into the avenue that runs along the park. I crossed the street and headed up the hill, no parents gathering in front of the school yet, but there was a silhouette of a burly guy waiting across the street from the door to the school. "I was looking for you buddy!" I said as I approached him. He smiled and pushed himself up from the wheelchair ramp he had been seated on. I checked my watch and asked him if he had time to go to the store with me. He nodded. The question was not really necessary but who am I to assume is plans.
The store was only two blocks away from the park and around the corner. It was not a chain supermarket, but not quite as small as a Seven-eleven either. John did not have his things with him and we made the walk there making small talk. In passing, I mentioned that I would have found him faster if he had been at the park. Truth told, I would rather he not wait in front of the school but I did not mention the creepiness of it. I hoped that my displeasure at seeing him waiting there had not shown on my face.
We passed a homeless shelter on the left as we walked. I was told that it is a very rough place where extortion and other really bad things happen. He said, "If it is not raining, I prefer to sleep outside." He handed me a paper that had been folded at least six times and none of the folds were rectangular. There were notes on every facet. None that I read made any sense to me.
Arriving at the supermarket, I just walked in. The woman there looked right past me and got up pointing her finger. I looked back and saw big old Little John standing half around the corner, obviously having been prohibited from entry on other occasions. I turned and went back to the door and grabbed a cart. I said, "Come on. I need to know what you want." Then I asked the woman if the deli counter was open, being mid day on a workday, she abandoned the cash register, taking the key with her and walked toward it. There were maybe only one or two others in the store.
John followed me in as the woman went behind the deli counter and started slicing the salami I pointed to. I asked John what kind of bread he wanted, and put it in the cart. I then realized that the smell of a person who has not bathed was filling the general surroundings of the counter. I suggested that John see if he could find the toilet paper, and maybe some shampoo. He didn't move. I grabbed a bottle of mustard and mayonnaise for the cart to tame the awkwardness. The worker / possible owner was not at all happy with the situation.
The moment she was done, we were on the move up and down the aisles. I was asking questions and John was looking at me as if I were crazy. "What about soap? We need some paper cups and plastic forks. Let's get some extras so you can share some with the others at the park." I got some things for myself, not too much to carry after I get the kids, but enough that John knew I was doing my shopping as well.
It was about half way through, when he started asking if I had enough for this, holding up an item I had thought of, "Yes, of course. Good idea!" I was fine with getting anything he needed as long as we could carry it. Imagine being out of staples at home. That is what we got. I bagged mine in one bag and his in the other four. I think I spend a little over two hundred if I remember right.
When we got back, we sat down in the middle of the park with another homeless woman who had offered to watch John's things for him. We shared sandwiches, soda, and chips together with her, John introduced me as his friend and got my name wrong as usual. There I was in a park among two others and everything they owned. I had heard, "Thank you." over and over as I looked for an opportunity to slip a hundred to John so he could get through the week.
I looked up and saw children rounding the corner across the avenue - mine will be among them if I am not fast. John was looking in the bags and telling the woman some of the things he got, giving some of the duplicates to her. I pulled a hundred out, took an item from my bag and said, "This is yours too." and slipped them both into John's grocery bag.
I explained that my kids were getting out of school and I quickly said good bye. I literally had to run.
I walked my kids home and thought about the struggles confronted by my stuttering friend. The kids had mentioned that Little John was across from the school a few times. They were too young to be embarrassed by him waving to them, naivety at work, they waved back. I later covered that subject with John after I got to know him a bit better. At some point the kids will notice, someone would bring it up. I could not care less as far as parents go. If they want to shun me, yeah, cool too. The kids should not feel uncomfortable.
This was one of many trips to the market that I did with John. The other times were less awkward and the woman who works there was less nervous or annoyed upon repeating this exercise. More to come in part four and onward here on Steemit.
Not @done yet. To be continued...
Thank you @done for posting.
This story is ever so sad and seems impossible to solve....and yet as you say...you wanted your children to have an attitude of caring toward those who find themselves in this situation.
This is very well written in that it communicates so very well much that is unsaid......a clifhanger you have here.
All the best.
Cheers!
Thank you very much for taking the time to read and comment. The kids are older now, both of them in high school. They still carry smaller bills for when the occasion to help arises. I am consulting my journal for accuracy and hope to have something new up every couple of days.
By the way, the 'e' and 'u' are switched in your name. I am not sure if anyone else had the guts to tell you so. I unfollowed the other one, @bluejay, for taking the name you wanted.
Thank you for your kind reply @done.
That sounds a lovely idea for them.....it is thinking of others that helps us not think of self beyond what we ought to think.....for one cannot think of self and others at the same time is the principle.
Hehe....Appreciate your 'guts'.........cannot think of anyone who has said anything. Although there have been times I have regretted it.....who wants to bring confusion.
It is true....you have found me out......the name 'bluejay' was taken when I met Steemit.....thus the name 'bleujay' ....a couple of other reasons as well.
You have given me smiles....very humourous. ^__^
All the best to you and yours.
Cheers!
NB Thank you very much @done........very kind of you.
Humans have the same degree but for most people popularity is more important than the quality of others because the rank is more important than others
It is a good habit to teach the boys to share even if it is breadcrumbs as Christ did, go my greetings to you friend of cause.
really an inspiring story helping a man from nothing is the greatest thing to do on this earth. i was happy for Jhon to meet a person like you done. wish to meet Jhon here on steemit God see's what you had done and God will never let this thing pass.
May God in heaven grant you a thousands fold of blessing to come for the rest of your life..
God Bless both of you sir @done
Excellent story The best part is the education you give your children. This is about values. This you did not forget. You make a difference on this planet. And that is the difference for good through your children. Congratulations. Blessings to you !!!
hello friend, little by little in history you notice you committed yourself to help this person deeply, I think one of the aspects that most bothers the society of the homeless is the bad smell, I imagine that they get used to it and not they perceive it, I will be aware of the next chapter
regards
Hello, I like this story again ... it has all the necessary content to show that good people are needed to do good things! People's indolence is sad in many of these cases, but I'm glad to see that people like you make a difference. It is very important that the message be transmitted even to your children and see how good it is to share with the most needy. Regards!
That's so nice to catch up with the third part of this story good deed never goes wrong for sure :)
Like a few people who feel that they don't care about what happened to the person because they are low people? For me, it's not a problem that all humans are the same, it's just a different way of thinking.
Qué bueno es ayudar, ser instrumento de Dios. Si todos ayudamos en lo más ínfimo a quien realmente lo necesite, el mundo fuese un lugar mejor.
Humans have the same degree but for most people popularity is more important than the quality of others because the rank is more important than others
The story in your post reminds me of the incident 12 years ago when I saw an 8-year-old child sleeping in front of someone else's shop and being kicked out for beggar reasons, seeing that incident I had cried and wanted to help but what was my power at that time was only a small person who struggle with life
Nice your post mr. @done
If there is anything I can help I want to be among generous people
Yes, I have read a few verses that I understand very well, poverty is everywhere and poverty also occurs when most people choose to hang on to the problems at hand. this was a bad impact when some chose it. Regards @done.
I don't want that to happen, I'm afraid of falling into poverty and I don't want that to happen to my life.
It is really wonderful when you help your neighbor, it is so great for yourself that you create an inner peace, without a doubt God ends up rewarding the goodwill of the people, it is also clear that people create many prejudices when they see a person who is in that situation as the girl of the super market that was nervous at first, I like your story is full of bonda and love as well as great love to others thanks for sharing
what a touching story dear friend @ done, if each of us did the same the world would be much better, congratulations for your action, maybe for you it may be something simple, but for one who lives from poverty that is a lot, a few years of my life as a teenager I had to go through the street, it was my own will, since my parents had a house, and someone never gravitated to give us a hand. your story really moves me, you are a great example, all these good actions are rewarded. Congratulations
I wish you a great day
I think it is excellent that there are still people who value human quality and not the superficial presence of a person. God has something good for you friend @done
Sabemos que no es facil tolerar la presencia de personas mal vestidos o con mal olor, nos rehusamos a aceptar esa condición . sin embargo lo has tomado y sobrellevado de la mejor manera, bendiciones para ti.
Sometimes even I myself have taken the behavior of rejecting the presence of indigent people, however little by little I am assimilating the consciousness of accepting the entry of people from that condition in search of help.
People's views on the poor are very different, as if they would demean those who have degrees below them
waiting for the next part you are doing great i felt like im a part from this story
I think that for the first time in a long time our character begins to feel treated like a person, I'm sure that his dealings with him changed his life in many ways, but I guess I'll know in the next issue. greetings!
Oh you are online i just want to ask you something you are a good writer and good reader i write an article today called My philosophy why do i hate these things can you please read and give me your opinion i will appreciate that to develop my skills thank you
Good post mr. @done
What a sad sight when I see it, I want to help by supporting them to be more developed
My opinion about this is very, if I wish I had seen someone lying in front of me like that I would like to give him a decent home for him
The story of your postings touches the hearts of many people including myself, seeing our little friends who are neglected without parents is unnatural
Where there is a sense of humanity when they see events like this happening before their eyes
Regards! @done. Excellent the way you carry the thread of the story and better if you go to the memory. The truth of the case is that with your story you show us that it is never too late to rectify the vision of the other, and that we need to understand and make visible the other.
I realize that you emphasize the smell of little John, and yet you do not get away or leave it because of its deficient or no personal hygiene. Also, in this third part I see that you share not only with a small Jhon but with another person.
It is very pleasant what you propose, the teaching that you transmit to your children: to give without receiving anything in return.
I gave to John in order to receive a platform of sorts so that I could interject advice. Many times people do not want to listen until they realize you are somebody. Coming up, some of those conversations.
The smell was unavoidable and constant. That stated, I am not putting enough emphasis on it. Even mentioning that aspect of my experience feels like an insult toward my friend. Then again, it is reality.
Edit: No offense taken. The above was an answer to your statement "give without receiving". In order to help him, I would need to receive his attention, then get a dialog started. The Odor: I feel bad writing about it at all. I feel like I am somehow insulting John - what you wrote was not offensive.
"I gave to John in order to receive a platform of sorts so that I could interject advice Many times people do not want to listen until they realize you are somebody Coming up, some of those conversations.
Sorry".
Very true, that you express.
"The smell was unavoidable and constant, That stated, I am not putting enough emphasis on it, Even mentioning that aspect of my experience feels like an insult to my friend, Then again, it is reality".
Excuse me if I offended you and your friend. I saw it in your previous writing and I tried to visualize together that person you describe, what she represents for others: their appearance, their smell, their language. I tried to recreate the store scene: what you felt, the cashier and little John. Triangulate those feelings and that vision of the other. Maybe I did not explain myself well. I reiterate my apologies to you and your friend.
Hola, se puede escribir en español?, así se expresa mejor lo que se quiere decir, el traductor me cambia las palabras... John es una persona humilde... y las personas humildes son agradecidas, por eso escuchaste "gracias" una y otra vez.
I found this part of the story very humane about the whole time of sharing in the supermarket with Little Jhon
image source
Through your story, I can say that you are an excellent person, I would like to believe that it is true and be like that with people in need, even with one of them. Congratulations and blessings
Just discovered your touching series by reading part 3 - unemployment and poverty is a serious problem also here and glad people like you exist helping and not being selfish. Reading the start of the series now and waiting for the next parts.
Wow, friend
I had to read the first two parts to not miss anything. I really want to congratulate you for the help you give this "little" man.
I know that Jhon can hardly return the great favor you do for him. But I'm sure God will.
God protect you, bless you and prosper you in everything.
A big hug, and greetings to your children.
PS: I know it is difficult to change the world so that all people live better. But I can help change a person's world. Then the world will begin to change for the better.
Thank you. I do feel protected and the prosperity has already arrived.
It is admirable your behavior before the dispossessed, God will repay you, your good deeds. Here in Venezuela, sadly, the number of people living on the street has increased enormously. By the way, today very early in the morning, while making a long line, waiting for the bank to open, a group of street children passed us by, were about 6 children and none of them were over 12 years old. I felt so sad and helpless, unable to have the economic capacity to help them, here the situation is so terrible, that most of us barely have enough to feed our own children.
Greetings @done, I hope you enjoy a happy and blessed day.
My heart goes out to you and the entire country of Venezuela. Banks cannot be relied upon, and printed currency has been devalued over and over. I am glad to see you here on Steemit making the jump into crypto-currency which is untouchable by the governments of the world. Steem is a coin like bitcoin but better, faster and without fees. Those who know how to manage the instant exchanges with caution are overcoming what the central banks done for ages.
It is difficult to support your people without knowing the language. Translation software is imperfect but I have people who are helping me to choose as many as I am able to support in Venezuela. As I said earlier, Little John is only one person of many that I have gotten to know. There are others off line and many more on line have earned my trust.
The Criptomoney boom will accelerate the financial equilibrium worldwide, it is a matter of each country's society adapting to this new form of investment, the steem is our opportunity to move forward as Venezuelan.
Thank you for such interesting story, I saw that you mentioned that it is a true story and such a problem like homeless and poverty as well as your own experience just caught my attention.
I was looking at that picture of park and you really can see far back on right a bench and that tree that is almost at the level of ground with its branch.
Reading through it is difficult to imagine what kind of thoughts and emotions were raising in Little John, those people sometimes are speechless and do not know how to react to such gesture, they feel themselves not comfortable and embarrassed. It is very satisfying to know how Little John and his friends were enjoying the lunch and I think he is really luck to have such a supporter.
Would be interesting how your story ends, Cheers, @Stef1
Definitely the experience of going with John to the supermarket, meant as much for him as for you, breaking the barriers of prejudice, especially for him to see the kindness that a human being can be capable of, that perhaps did not live with frequency but rather the face dark of that experience. Excellent, now I'm going to read the fourth part, thanks for the story
I was psyched to see you already have two posts up about it since I checked, I'm really getting into this now I think I'll be sad when you finish :) Heading to the next one.... ;)
Man....this makes me think on how everyone should show kindness to the ones less fortunate than ourselves. How great it is that your children are not embarrassed by him interacting with them by waving. I am catching up on your story and I love it.
Very good continuation of this great story that I hope to learn more about her, this story is a lesson of life and struggle and the support you have given her with your friendship selflessly, which has been great of you fills me of happiness that you are a person willing to help the person and leave a clear example of giving and sharing blessings to those most in need supporting him in this cause, which is a blessing that you have earned from our god by opening your great heart for the willingness to help. Thank you for this beautiful story that you give to all of us who are reading you through this wonderful platform.
Greetings and blessings for you Donate.
But who is too negligent for us to keep turning back an obligation for the sake of a satisfaction of this world, this world is broken, if we cannot control it.
Congratulations on your achievements in steemit mr. I have reblogged your @done post that I shared with 1094 my followers in steem hopefully it can motivate many people to give their upvote on your posts.
Always for you @done
Thank you @done for posting
This is very well written.
Good job @done.
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Felicidades! me parece que fue muy humanitario tu gesto, deberian de existir mas personas con esos valores para que no hayan tantos indigentes en el mundo.
Realmente es una historia muy inspiradora. Saludos @done.
Excelente publicación, su actitud con John es muy amable, espero por la continuación. Saludos
I am happy that you help the most needy, that your post reaches everyone and not only for more money, but also to sensitize the most hard-hearted. Your good deeds will be rewarded. Greetings from Venezuela. I will be reading you.
Hi, really an inspiring story. Nice post!
Thanks you @done for you posting, good luck always.
Something we have to meet, and something we have to do, good luck and always.
Your posts teach me to help each other, I am very motivated to continue to do good to others even though they do not respect my efforts completely