I was in
Atlanta, GA, to run a marathon on Thanksgiving in 1998. As I arrived downtown
from the airport at the Mars Transit train station, a young man offered to help
me find my hotel. His appearance was that of a homeless person. I introduced
myself and asked him his name. I agreed to let him walk me to my hotel.
We walked
for 45 minutes and ended up at the wrong hotel. He was proud of himself because
he thought he showed me to the correct hotel. I thanked him and gave him $10.00
for helping me. I did it without telling him it was the wrong hotel. He was
very appreciative and thanked me many times. As he left, I couldn’t help but
wonder if someone or someones in his past would have offered him some time,
compassion and help, if he would have ended up in a better situation.
What a memorable encounter. And any one of us could have ended up like this, but for the support of our family and friends.
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