ANYTHING WILL HELP

Under the traffic light on the right side of the road there was a homeless man holding up a cardboard sign that read :

"ANYTHING WILL HELP"

Car after car passed him... Oh, did I mentioned it was raining? it was freezing too! There was a bus that passed him like a runaway train; leaving the clouds of fumes that we have gradually began to accept with time. All I could see in his face was confusion, sadness, loss of hope, and water dripping down his long white beard. "nothing will ever change"..Poor old man, surely that must be what he was thinking.

The light turned red and I found myself having to stop behind two other cars. A white rusty old pick-up truck was first (seeing Ive never been good with brands I really couldnt tell you what it was). Then a bright red malibu (Obviously from sometime in the 90's) with a short fat woman scratching her head and doing whatever was possible to avoid eye contact with such a dreadful uncivilized being.

The light had been red for about thirty seconds now; the chance to continue our daily migration home would once again persist. But how could I go? This man is asking for help! how much clearer could it be? I rolled down my window and motioned him to come closer. I looked in my wallet and realized that I had no cash on me. What would I do? I had nothing to offer! (I felt like some rich snob teasing a starving peasant with a piece of bread) The man was slowly walking towards my car (which was when I realized he had some sort of limp)

By now I began to panic."Oh no! I thought to myself, Ive troubled this poor old man to walk all this way and I dont have any money to give him!" what else could I possibly offer him? I looked around my car (wich I had not cleaned in months) I came up with thirty seven cents that were dwelling deep within the back of my glove compartment. The old man stood right next to the passenger window and naturally I began to roll it down with great feelings of remorse.

"I am so sorry sir, I did not realize that I was not carrying any cash on me when I called you over. I am afraid I have nothing but thirty seven cents... I am very sorry" and I really was....

The man looked at me, ours eye met as if they shared a past life long ago. He said, "thirty seven cents get me thirty sevent cents closer to my next meal...anything matters"

I smiled...gave him the thirty seven cents and not knowing what other words we could possibly exchange I rolled the window up just as the cars before me started moving towards the green light.

I heard him yell..."GOD BLESS YOU!" ...

That didnt mean anything to me... Its easy to say "god bless you" as if some magical being would cast positive energy upon your life. True, I believe in the power of thought...however, why do we continue to have poverty and other social problems? Cant we take the role of "god" and change that? Even if it means not to endulge on our everyday emotional and physical addictions. We really could do anything...because anything matters.

I sopose his intentions were "good"...as were mine