The bus was packed. So, I walked all the way to the back and sat down. One stop later, more people stumble on and an older woman walks back and sits next to me. Seconds later, I realize a 30-somthing-ish man is talking to her. I peer over and realize he is DRUNK... like I-smell-the-alcohol-on-you-a-mile-away-drunk. He's kind of leaning over her, trying to have some sort of conversation with her. I turn the volume of my headphones down so I can listen in... because quite frankly, interactions with the homeless or "stuggling" folk interests me like none other. I often feel like they don't get credit for being humans too... and that people pass them up as failures and unmentionables simply because of their state. I wondered if this old woman would do the same.
She didn't. He was asking her about the stapled stacks of paper she was reading and seemed to want to learn. She was studying about the positive effects of having babies sleep with their parents in bed. The man was confused and didn't seem to understand. But then he surprised us all (because naturally everyone surrounding them is listening in) when he started talking about how maybe sleeping with babies is a bad thing because parents might roll over and accidentally suffocate their child (which is true... it sadly happens). This is when he starts off the wrong path. He begins asking if its ok for "bad men" to sleep with a baby too. I really hope he wasn't suggesting what I think he was.
As conversation slowly dwindled down as the woman realized it was turning for the worse, he seemed to leer toward her even more. At one point he touched her knee... she flinched.
Her husband was sitting across the aisle and their friend (a larger, dont-mess-with-me, black man... who oddly exuded gentleness) was sitting near by as well. At this point the friend got involved, asking the young man why he had to do that and respectfully asked him to leave her alone. The man turned on the friend. Yelled a little and then went on a rant that confuses me... perplexes the deepest parts of my heart and soul...
The young man begins talking about the love of God and his relationship with him. He quotes scripture... informs us all that three is better than one... that we can find our salvation with the Lord... and that he, as well as we, can do everything through Christ who strengthens us.
During this time, the woman gets up and sits next to her husband.
After the man finishes his rant on the love of Christ, he leans over and touches the knee of the woman once more.
Now, the friend starts assertively asking the man to leave her alone. And the young man threatens to hit him... that he can hit him two times, just not three times. Fortunately the friend is a good-sized man and held his own... said that if the man hit him, then he would find himself in jail. You would think that at this point the friend would be ready for the man to get his retribution... but no... he forcefully and genuinely proclaimed that he did not want to see this man go to jail. I thought a brawl was going to break out. But this proclamation was jarring in the deepest sense... unexpected... impactful. The young man left the bus in his drunken state, still proclaiming that that Jesus was his strength.
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I'm left feeling helpless... confused. It angers me to see someone who seems to have so much promise, so much potential, to get left out of it. I know that he needs to take responsibility for his life... but doesn't there have to be a way for someone like me or you to get through to this man on a bus, in his drunken state, that will inspire him to change? I have to think the answer is yes. If its no, then what's the point? I have to think that a small contribution into his life might make a difference.
So, what did I do? I walked off that bus and bought the Real Change newspaper from the first homeless man I saw. I asked what his name was (Wolfgang), told him mine was Dawn... asked if he was having a good day ("No, not really."), bought the Real Change, and told him I hoped his day got better soon.
And why? Because I do believe that buying a dollar newspaper from someone I don't know just might make a difference in his life. It has to impact something for the better. I just has to. If it doesn't, again I ask... what's the point of it all?
So, all of this to say... I just pray that we can all do something today that makes a difference in someone's life. I have to believe that telling someone that you don't want to see him go to jail, or buying a simple dollar newspaper might leave lasting change. I hope you believe that too... and if you do... go do something today that will make a difference.
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