I had to share this lovely afternoon I had in SF…
He approached me. Tan skin and drunken, he slurred, “Excuse me miss. I’m a nice man and I’m hungry. Can you help me out?”.
Our natural instinct during these moments is to say, “Sorry, can’t help you” but I wanted to help him (in a way that would be meaningful). I replied “Are you hungry? I can buy you something from this Starbucks.”
“Not from here. I like Carls Jrs. It’s on Market and 5th Street. It’s around the corner”, he replied. I thought for a second..turned my head from this homeless man to say to my friend, Jacob, “OK! Let’s go!”. I was ready for this adventure. Then the three of us were on our way to the place ‘home of the 6 dollar burger”.
Along the three-four blocks of busy foot traffic, I gotten to know this gentleman- who went by ‘RED BULL’. A Sioux Indian who walked with an arched back and swurved while he took his steps. People looked at our odd trio. Jacob (nice clean cut Jewish guy), me (outgoing Asian girl) and Red Bull (Native American homeless guy).
As we walked into Carls Jr., I could see the employees look at Red Bull with the hesitation thought of “Oh no, not another bum”. But our trio walked straight up to the counter and ordered 2 combos for Red Bull. We sat down and had a nice conversation.
I bet homeless people just need someone to listen to them and have food in their belly. As we waited for his food, I learned about his past, how his wife is from Novajo and about his daughter. He shared how he left his parol 20 years ago. Came to San Francisco on a bus and was released from prison years ago, and today, he’s 50 years old. “I’m a survivor”. he repeats. After he got his combo meals, munched on some fries…we parted ways.
That was the best $14.62 I’ve ever spent.
Conversation + Human Connection = PRICELESS
Vanae’s tip of the dae: Often times, it’s easy to say ‘no’ or shut people out. If I hadn’t open up and took Red Bull out, I wouldn’t have known an interesting person. So the next time someone approaches you (to strike a conversation or a homeless person), TAKE A CHANCE and share a conversation.
V’stars, share the last time you took a chance with someone…what did you learn?
YOU MUST WATCH THIS VIDEO!…DO GOOD!
Good Post Vanae, put a smile upon my face
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And that video gave me goosebumps and I am sharing it over facebook.
I have heard a lot about this movie, even Hitler saw it (too bad it didn’t do much to him).
I need to see it
hey wissam, ahhh love the photo (cutie).
yes, i absolutely love that video clip. it’s one of my favorite youTube vids
Thanks
, its one of my few pics where I am not pulling a face, obviously because my friend took it before me noticing and without a flash.
Big Up’s for you Vanae.
As I have said before I befriended alot of homeless people in Deowntown Detroit. It is true that homeless poeple (if not more then most) just need someone to talk to every now and again…
Even if its over a 40 of O.E. Gravity!
Don’t be afaid to buy a bum alchohol… it may be that persons one and only muse to improve life (DON’T Judge!!!)
Last time I took a chance with someone…
Obama… let’s hope he lives up to what he sold this country on… Even if I didnt vote for em.
hey locus, yups! keep on rocking it and sharing these memories with the homeless. you’re doing good things.
=D
V
Wow V, this is pretty amazing story… for sure that’s what i needed to hear. Well i would say actually the last time I connected with someone was today:) I just happened to be reading one of my favorite books and this guy came over and started discussing it with me. I found out that he really loves Shakespere which happens to be one of my biggest interests so we started talking about that. Well after the first 10 minutes our convo took off and it turned out that we had all the same exact interests. It was really cool connecting with someone like that. He told me afterwards that he suffers with Bi Polar or something like that and he didn’t think I would want to talk to him cause most people tend to avoid him but you know what that whole time I didn’t notice that he had any sort of condition. He just seemed to be a really cool guy. I know that if we hadn’t started talking I wouldn’t have made such an awesome friend
that’s fantastic camellia! that’s what i love about getting to know people. you find out all the cool things you have in common.
i did get your email and will be replying to it soon!!
V
5 karma stars @ V!
yehaw!! thanks cliboi!
GOOD JOB VANAE!! It is really good to help someone out who is less fortunate than you are. As my Great Aunt used to say, “Except for the grace of God….. There go I”. Life has a way with reciprocity, and we never know what terrible circumstance may befall us that we may end up in that same persons shoes.
i like your aunt’s saying! i like the perspective.
I work at a hospital and I interact with homeless folks all the time. One lunch break I had about…ummmm….3 weeks ago, I was at the cafeteria and this dude was standing by the waste bin picking “decent” left overs from people’s trays. I watched to see if anybody would even care to buy the man a decent meal. All kinds of people (doctors, RN’s, social workers, etc) walk passed the dude and didn’t do a thing. I said to myself, “enough is enough” and I got him the works (chicken, mashed potatoes, salad, pudding and a coke), sat down and ate with the man. I may not have a PhD but that day I felt like I did. I guess everyday we should look for opportunities to help those in need. Keep it up, Vanae!
in my eye, you’re a total SCHOLAR, Marc!
keep rockin’ it!!
Vanae
I once saw a homeless man standing in front of walmart. I rolled down my window and gave him a dollar. I started to talk to him and he told me how he was an ex carnival worker from Minnesota. He said he has been wanting to go home with his family. I felt bad for him so I went home and brought him a gray hound ticket from San Jose to Minnesota. At that time I was on welfare and only have $70 in my bank. I didn’t care though and it felt so good. I went back to his spot and gave his the grey hound ticket. a couple of weeks later, I went to the same spot and saw him there. It was after the date that I brought the ticket for.
sadly some people just exploit others that way, well your intentions are what matter.
something like that happened to me, so now i only buy food, no money no nothing they can sell
hey vanae, i found my way here from youtube qquite nicely don’t ya think? haha…
anyway that was rather kewl of you, i used to do that, allot actually and out of all the people i’ve helped i think maybe 4 of them actually needed help and weren’t just scamming people…
thats mean to say but i gave so much to these people, and some of them did need help and were down on there luck, but it just breaks my heart when people exploit others by pretending to be homeless or down in life.
i’ve learned my lesson, if someone needs something i’ll buy them food from the closet thing but never give them cash anymore. i befriended allot of homeless people and god bless them but allot of scammers are out there and that makes mee really sad knowing they willingly exploit people’s kindness
so some women came into pollo loco lasy week when i was with my family, and she had a sign with a picture of a girl that said she needed money to feed her child so i reached into my pocket and gave her the $20 i pulled out at random, then about 10 minutes later some other women comes by, with a similar sign made from the same cardboard with the same marker and with the same hand writting and said she was sick and needed money to eat because she wasn’t able to work in her condition, and i thought it was funny that she came to our table, and i look at the sign and say i’m sorry i only carry debt. it GET BETTER 5 minutes later 3rd women comes in with the first folded back the picture, then i was like get out of there, that last women came in here with that same sign, you should be ashamed exploiting a little girl to get money from people whats wrong with you…
then as she walked out, i noticed she met up with the first 2 women outside of the pollo loco.
oh well, my $20 were lost and i was aangry because of what they were doing and it upsets me that my heart was in the right place but it was the wrong people asking, exploiting a situation
peace and <3 V
a simply amazing speech