Just a few days before Christmas 2015, I happened to be traveling over the Q bridge heading to the infamous 91/95 interchange in Ct, as I emerged from the underpass that leads to 91, I noticed a line of red tail lights that seemed to go on for miles. Sailing along at 2-4 mph there appeared a man holding a small cardboard sign with just two words:
Homeless Veteran. When parallel to the guy, I lowered the window half way, and on a whim, asked him if he had eaten today. No he replied. I said, its Christmas and I'm on my way to the diner ...... if you'd like to come; it will be my treat. He walked up to the car and placed his forearms on the door frame so he could hear. Asking 'is this for real' - yes I answered BUT he had to agree to two conditions. You can not ask me for more money other than your …show more content…
We pulled in and sat at the counter. He waited for me to give my order and I was sure that he checked the menu to see that his entree was less than mine. He ate quickly and I was only half done....asking if he had a favorite pie, had the waitress bring him a piece. Asking if he wanted to go back to the highway; he thanked me and said that he'd like to stay a little longer and have another coffee. Leaving the counter, I went to the cashier, saying this is for our dinner, that is for the waitress and this is for a large coffee to take when he leaves. She said, ok I got it. Leaving the dinner, I glanced back at the counter and noticed that he was cuddling the cup with both hands, as she refilled it, and reasoned that he must be warming his hands to go back in the cold. One needs to be careful nowadays cause I'll never know if he was really homeless or even a veteran. But I did recognize hungry and cold, and on this day just before Christmas - that was enough. Having lived for nearly 70 years, I embarrassed to say that it took me nearly all that time to finally realize who the who's really are
Homeless Veteran. When parallel to the guy, I lowered the window half way, and on a whim, asked him if he had eaten today. No he replied. I said, its Christmas and I'm on my way to the diner ...... if you'd like to come; it will be my treat. He walked up to the car and placed his forearms on the door frame so he could hear. Asking 'is this for real' - yes I answered BUT he had to agree to two conditions. You can not ask me for more money other than your …show more content…
We pulled in and sat at the counter. He waited for me to give my order and I was sure that he checked the menu to see that his entree was less than mine. He ate quickly and I was only half done....asking if he had a favorite pie, had the waitress bring him a piece. Asking if he wanted to go back to the highway; he thanked me and said that he'd like to stay a little longer and have another coffee. Leaving the counter, I went to the cashier, saying this is for our dinner, that is for the waitress and this is for a large coffee to take when he leaves. She said, ok I got it. Leaving the dinner, I glanced back at the counter and noticed that he was cuddling the cup with both hands, as she refilled it, and reasoned that he must be warming his hands to go back in the cold. One needs to be careful nowadays cause I'll never know if he was really homeless or even a veteran. But I did recognize hungry and cold, and on this day just before Christmas - that was enough. Having lived for nearly 70 years, I embarrassed to say that it took me nearly all that time to finally realize who the who's really are