His Story

I too, like Sydney, encounter many homeless people and drug addicts where I live. There isn't a day where you can walk down the street and not see someone begging for money or strung out on drugs. But, there was this one guy who I would never forget. You could tell he was full of rage and very high by the way he staggered in the street and shouted obscenities that no one could make out because he didn't have any teeth. I was kind of frightened because while he was having his fit, he looked at me with anger and a sense of sadness that I couldn't just shake off. So I stopped to watch him. And where I'm from, all you do is just shake your head and occasionally if the person is really making a scene you chuckle and think to yourself what a fool this person is. But, as a was about to comment about the way this guy was acting, my best friend chimed in and said it was sad to see this guy like this. Apparently, he had been a family friend and was a very intelligent and kind man. But, because of his kind heart people took advantage of him and walked all over him. His parents had died, leaving him a really nice house, but because his sister and uncle knew he was a push over they began to charge him a ton to stay in his OWN house. Eventually, the rent became too much and they kicked him out leaving him homeless. Unfortunately as a way to cope, he turned to drugs. This made me stop to think about how many of the people I see on the street might have their own story as to why they are at this point in their life. Now I find myself being less judgmental of the people I see on the street and more inquisitive. This encounter I had with this man, although not talking to him, but seeing him and learning about his story has truly changed my outlook on the way I am so quick to judge people withough knowing their story.