This just occurred yesterday, Thursday, December 5th.
The Eyes of Christ
Copyright: 12/06/07 - Tom Hyland
A TRUE STORY
I was working, on my way back to the pharmacy, to pick up more scrip’s for more deliveries, when I decided to make a quick side trip. Within minutes, there I was, in line at WEISS DELI in Jew town. Four corned beef sandwiches, on rye with mustard - that was my order. I had been dreaming and drooling over this idea for about two days now. In fact, I might have been drooling as I watched Joe at the slicing machine.
Grabbed a bag of Utz’s chips, paid the tab, and off I went.
As I reached the outside sidewalk, I heard a voice behind me, but ignored it. I was in a hurry! Two young black men were saying no to a young black woman, who was asking for a handout. I jumped into my car, and then heard the words - “Sir - Sir - SIR” She was now emphatic, determined to get my attention.
“Could you please help me out? I need three dollars…” She was thin, not well dressed, and her eyes looked like she was already HIGH on something! I was uncomfortable; but could not just say no, for some reason.
As I shoved my bag of goodies onto the seat, I quickly looked in the slots on the console for spare coins. All I had was a quarter, and a nickel. So I put them in her hand and sped off, in a somewhat callous manner. Something prevented me from reaching into my right pocket, and peeling off three ONES!
As I drove along, it hit me like a ton of bricks! Just the day before, in making a comment on one of Mr. Ed’s posts, I had committed myself to NOT IGNORE BEGGARS! They could be Veterans! What a hypocrite I was! As I drove, I gobbled down a half of sandwich - oh God, it was good!
On the way back to the store, there was a terrible backup of traffic, on Route 40, heading east. So when I was able to maneuver to the left lane, I turned on Chesaco Avenue, in order to move over to Philadelphia Road. As luck would have it, there is a Royal Farm store right there, on the Northwest corner, and I wanted coffee!
He was standing quietly outside the store. A tall, thin young white man, probably in his early twenties, at most. He wore a soiled grey sweatshirt with the hood up, covering a baseball cap, along with blue jeans, which were smeared with mud stains. On his feet there were construction boots, similar to my own. His dark beard was unkempt, and as I passed by him quickly, he just nodded sheepishly. I nodded back.
After fixing my coffee, and getting in line to pay, I overheard the guy in front of me say to the clerk at the register “Who is that guy out front? He just stared at me. Those eyes looked weird!”
I missed the ensuing reply, because my mind was racing. The eyes were weird - somewhat glassy-eyed, bewildered, almost like a scared little animal. I’ll bet that he wants to ask for money, but is afraid to do so. This is not a normal circumstance for him. If I were in his shoes, would I have the courage to beg?
My small coffee was $1.21 - I knew it well, as I get them at least three times a week, always at a Royal Farm, so my seventy-nine cents change was held in my right-gloved hand, which also held the java cup.
As I started past him, he meekly spoke, very softly, almost stammering -
“Excuse me Sir, could you spare some change?” I immediately smiled, said “sure!” and plopped the coins in his hand. He tried to manage a smile, and thanked me - quite sincerely.
As soon as I got in the car, I saw a large young black man come out of the store, and I assume got the same request - but I was too far away to hear. That man opened the door to his truck, and was about to get in, when I reacted.
I reached into the brown paper bag, removed the other half of sandwich, wrapped in aluminum foil, grabbed a zip-lock baggie with two sugar cookies in it, slapped three one dollar bills on top, and got back out of the car. When I handed him the extra stuff, I said: “I thought you could use this. I just ate the other half, and it is really good. May God Bless you!” He seemed taken aback, smiled, and thanked me again.
I went back to my car nearby, and started the engine. As I took a sip of hot coffee, laced with Hazelnut creamer, I saw two amazing things. The young lad was gulping down that sandwich, like he had not eaten for some time. As he was gorging himself, the other man got out of his truck, walked over, and handed the lad something. Maybe he overheard what I had said, and perhaps reacted also?
Next, I poured half the hot coffee into an empty Styrofoam cup, and pulled over to the young man. As the power window was lowered on the passenger side, he gave me a quizzical look as I said: “Here’s something to wash it down.” After his third smile and pleasant thank you, I said: “I got to go - hope your luck changes!”
As I tooled along on Route 7, with Christmas tunes blaring away, an afterthought hit me - it was a cold day, why in the hell didn’t I think to give him a pair of extra gloves, and an old coat I had lying on the floor? After a quick U-turn and going back, the young man was nowhere to be seen. Did he hitch a ride? I only wished I had been more thoughtful.
There was a warm fuzzy feeling inside me, though, because I did do a nice thing - expecting nothing in return. That, Dear Friends, warmed the cockles of my heart!
It was several hours later, as I drove along, delivering more prescriptions to sick people, that I remembered it --- some of the lyrics from an old anthem we used to sing in the choir ---
“Whatsoever you do, to the least of my brothers - that you do unto me!”
And, the old Bible teachings: “When I was hungry, you gave me to eat. When I was thirsty, you gave me to drink…”
That’s what I saw in those eyes of that young man - The Eyes of Christ!
The Agony in the Garden - The Scourging at the Pillar - The Desperation on the Cross -
“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”
I do not know the young man’s name. I do not know his story. I do not know whether or not he was a veteran. I do not know why he was there - all alone and afraid - and none of that matters.
What matters truly, is maybe, just maybe he received a Ray of Hope!
May the Spirit of Christmas rekindle the Light of Love and Mercy within each and every of God’s Creatures - but especially, you and me!
I'm a little late in commenting on this, Tom, but any day of the year it's a noteworthy story to read! This is the third time I've read your piece, and it has brought me to tears each time I read it. It confirms what I was taught as a child: Share everything, whatever and whenever you can. And aren't WE the ones better off when we do share!!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful story.
When we know we've made a major error, such as ignoring the need of the woman, we can still admit it to God, and pray for her.
And learn from it as you did.
I love stories like this that show raw-gut humanity in action. I think when we reach out like that, something almost dead ignites in us, and warms us with its hearty blaze. Thank you. --Charlie
For the reasons I describe in this book, the world-wide suffering, death and extinction of humanity is very likely to occur, unless nonviolent and democratically determined radical and revolutionary personal and societal actions and changes are taken
Black white (well sort of pinkish) etcetera, Christian Muslim etcetera, Hetero-Homo-Metro Sexual, Physical, Mental, Ow! Includes all human rights violations I could think of.
A detailed study of the origins of the New Alienation. The author labels it normative or postmodern ennui and traces its rise to cultural power over the last two centuries.
