Kindness

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends in TBP,

 

The following is a forwarded message from my friend.

 

One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar

sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As

he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks they

clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was - a dirty,

homeless man. However, when she saw him, the woman was moved to

compassion.

 

It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat - more

like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat - wrapped around him.

She stopped and looked down. " Sir? " She asked. " Are you all right? "

 

The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the

finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had

never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted

to make fun of him, as so many others had done before. " Leave me

alone, " he growled.

 

To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling - her

even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. " Are you hungry? " She asked.

 

" No, " he answered sarcastically. " I've just come from dining with the

president. Now go away. "

 

The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle

hand under his arm. " What are you doing, lady? " The man asked angrily.

" I said to leave me alone. "

 

Just then, a police officer came up. " Is there any problem, ma'am? " He

asked.

 

" No problem here, officer, " the woman answered. " I'm just trying to

get this man to his feet. Will you help me? "

 

The officer scratched his head. " That's old jack. He has been a

fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him? "

 

" See that cafeteria over there? " She asked. " I am going to get him

something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile. "

 

" Are you crazy, lady? " The homeless man resisted. " I do not want to go

in there! " Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him

up. " Let me go, officer. I did not do anything. "

 

" This is a good deal for you, jack, " the officer answered. " Do not

blow it. "

 

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer

got jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner.

It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had

already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager

strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. " What is going on

here, officer? " He asked. " What is all this. Is this man in trouble? "

 

" This lady brought this man in here to be fed, " the police officer

answered.

 

" Not in here! " The manager replied angrily. " Having a person like that

here is bad for business. "

 

Old jack smiled a toothless grin. " See, lady. I told you so. Now if

you will let me go. I did not want to come here in the first place. "

 

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. " Sir, are you

familiar with eddy and associates, the banking firm down the street? "

 

" Of course I am, " the manager answered impatiently. " They hold their

weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms. "

 

" And do you make a good profit from providing food at the weekly

meetings? "

 

" What business is that of yours? "

 

" I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the Company. "

 

" Oh. "

 

The woman smiled again. " I thought that might make a difference. " She

glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. " Would you like to

join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer? "

 

" No thanks, ma'am, " the officer replied. " I am on duty. "

 

" Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go? "

 

" Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice. "

 

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. " I will get your coffee for

you right away, officer. "

 

The officer watched him walk away. " You certainly put him in his

place, " he said.

 

" That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all

this. " She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest.

She stared at him intently. " Jack, do you remember me? "

 

Old jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes " I think so; I

mean you do look familiar. "

 

" I am a little older perhaps, " she said. " Maybe I have even filled out

more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through

that very door, cold and hungry. "

 

" Ma'am? " The officer said questioningly. He could not believe that

such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

 

" I was just out of college, " the woman began. " I had come to the city

looking for a job, but I could not find anything. Finally, I was down

to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked

the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly

starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I

could get something to eat. "

 

Jack lit up with a smile. " Now I remember, " he said. " I was behind the

serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for

something to eat. I said that it was against company policy. "

 

" I know, " the woman continued. " Then you made me the biggest roast

beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told

me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you

would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the

price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything

would be all right. "

 

" So you started your own business? " Old jack said.

 

" I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually, I

started my own business that, with the help of god, prospered. "

 

She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. " When you are

finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He is the

Personnel Director of my Company. I will go talk to him now and I am

certain he will find something for you to do around the office. " She

smiled. " I think he might even find the funds to give you a little

advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until

you get on your feet and if you ever need anything, my door is always

opened to you. "

 

There were tears in the old man's eyes. " How can I ever thank you, " he

said.

 

" Do not thank me, " the woman answered. " To God goes the glory. Thank

God. He led me to you. "

 

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the

entrance before going their separate ways. " Thank you for all your

help, officer, " she said.

 

" On the contrary, Ms. Eddy, " he answered. " Thank you. I saw a miracle

today, something that I will never forget. And thank you for the coffee. "

 

She frowned. " I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar.

That is black. "

 

The officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. " Yes, I

do take cream and sugar - perhaps more sugar than is good for me. " He

patted his ample stomach.

 

" I am sorry, " she said.

 

" I do not need it now, " he replied smiling. " I have got the feeling

that this coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar. "