“You’re right; I’m hungry and hurry up.”
Today I saw a strange combination of two items rarely seen in today’s society.
I had just walked into a fast food place on the eastside of Nashville. The church where my wife and I attend has somewhat “adopted” this man and his children. He is on dialysis three days a week. He is the sole person responsible for five children, all under the age of twelve: a good man and he is my friend. . I was there to meet him for lunch, something I try to do on a regular basis.
Immediately upon stepping inside the door, I stopped cold as I could tell something was going on. There was a man at the counter, upset and demanding food. It was evident he had issues and he also had little or no money. The young lady at the counter was doing her best in the situation. The manager quickly came to the counter and began trying to speak to the man. “I’m hungry; I want a sandwich and a drink right now.” He had pointed at a picture ad on the counter and said that was what he wanted. The manager explained the money matter. “I told you, I am hungry, and I don’t have any money, and I want it right now.” The situation was quickly escalating and no one was sure what would happen next. I was about to start to the counter to offer to pay for the man's food when a man who had been sitting at a table close by got up, walked to the counter and said to the man, “You hungry, are you?” “You are ____ right I’m hungry,” was his reply. The man turned to the manager, “Go ahead and take this man’s order, I’m buying.” Wow.
The food was handed to the man, and we all watched as he walked out and started across the busy highway. The ‘buyer’ never received a thank you or an acknowledgement of any kind from the man.
As my friend and I got our food, I passed the Good Samaritan’s table, “Thank you, that was a nice gesture you did there.” “Oh thanks, he was about to cause a real problem, wasn’t he?”
Later as I drove from the fast food location, I thought how a man had diffused what could have been a very bad situation. I remember the man who bought his food as he was in Dickey work clothes. I had seen my “blue collar” dad in that outfit all through my teen years. Just a common blue collar guy, not rich by any means, who was paying attention to what was happening around him and responded with help.
He used two of the best combinations in life… kindness and wisdom. A great combination!
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April 24, 2012
Keep on,
Larry Adamson