I like everybody else, have a bad day now and then, but this day was particularly bad, so I decided to just go home and start over the next day. On my way home I spotted a homeless individual begging for money and something to eat. I continued on my way home, and thought, “There is someone who has it worse than I do, I should take him to coffee and lunch.” But then convinced myself that I was too busy and continued on my way home.

I got home and sat in my chair, but couldn’t shake the feeling that I should have taken the gentleman out for coffee and lunch. So, I jumped in my car and started driving back. The whole way, I was thinking and dare I say somewhat hoping, that he wouldn’t be there any longer. However, as I rounded the corner there he was. So, I pulled into a parking space and walked over to him and asked “Would you like to go for coffee and lunch with me?” He replied, “Yes sir I would as long as you don’t hurt me.” I nervously laughed and said, “I won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt me.” I then introduced myself and he said his name was Michael.

We proceeded to a nearby restaurant and sat down. The waitress came up and I advised her that “Michael and I would like a cup of coffee.” She gave us a menu and left to get our coffee. As she was walking away I couldn’t help but notice the look of total lack of empathy on the waitresses face as she looked at Michael. I myself was thinking how could a person get into a position like this and how is it that they can’t get themselves out unless, they don’t want to. As the conversation proceeded I
learned that Michael once had a wife, a house, kids, and was living the “American Dream” so-to-speak, but had fallen on hard times after his position at the company he worked for was eliminated. He says that his life just spiraled out of control after that. I then began to see Michael as a person instead of just a “homeless person”.

I don’t know for sure if his entire story was true, but he did seem genuinely down on his luck and couldn’t find a way out. I then asked him if he noticed the way the waitress looked at him when we first got to the table, and he replied, “Yes I did, you get used to it after awhile.” I then asked him if he had any friends who could help him and he replied, “Mister sometimes all a guy needs is a true friend.” Suddenly it hit me, it’s not the house, the car, or the job that really matters, it’s if a person is actually lucky enough to have a true friend or not. We finished our lunch and went on our marry way, but over the years I continued to talk to Michael and our friendship grew, I helped him get some housing and find a part time job. He never asked for help and seemed happy with where he was in life, which to me was barely surviving, but surviving on his own. Michael died not too long ago and I was there when he took his last breath. The last thing he said to me was, “Thank You for being my friend, I really needed one that day. And no matter what, you were always my friend.” I guess he was right, no matter what, having a true friend is what most of us want, but very few have.

David ~ Pennsylvania

Source: The Coffee Table Gazette Issue 2. Published 11-05-20. Reprinted with permission.

AI video version is located here.