Homeless, Hungry, Cold and Alone on Thanksgiving

 

It’s Thanksgiving Day, 2021.

My morning ritual is to drive to Dunkin Donuts for an iced coffee, then drive around a bit. Today, I was stopped at the traffic light at the intersection of Brookpark and State Roads, someone limped through the cross walk. They were small built, dirty and disheveled. I guess them to be a girl, by the size of their boots.  I watched them enter the parking and fueling area of the 7-Eleven, they were unsteady, possibly high on something, or maybe they were just tired.

The light turned green, and I started east on Brookpark, again.  After another block or two, I turned around and drove back from the way I had come.  I glanced at the 7-Eleven and saw the small person now sitting on the concrete walkway in front of it.  I drove on. A short time later, I turned around again, drove to the 7-Eleven, and parked.  Walking up to the little bundle of dirty clothing, I said, “Hi. Are you okay?”

She looked up through her decaying teeth and stringy hair and told me she was trying to get back to 73^rd and Clark, in Cleveland. Someone had dropped her off in Parma, and she needed a ride back. I asked if there was someone I could call to come and get her? She said no, no one. She had been homeless for five years. She was picking at her skin, I said, “Meth?” She said, “Yeah, Meth and Heroin.”

I thought about calling an Uber or Lyft for her, but then decided that they would likely not pick her up.

I went into the store and talked to the girl working the register, explaining there was a homeless person, pretty sure it’s a girl, sitting outside in the rain.  Is there anyone locally we can call? A church group? A homeless shelter? She said she did not know of any.  I said I did not want to have her arrested, just someone to help her - sitting outside on a cold rainy Thanksgiving Day.

I went back to my truck, and sat it in. What was the right thing to do? Not seeing any other options, other than me taking her “home,” which I believed could be dangerous, as I was unarmed, among other reasons. I decided to call the Parma Police. I called that number, which gave me another number, and spoke to the dispatcher, explaining that I was trying to find some way to help this girl. The dispatcher was not unsympathetic, but not sympathetic either. It was just another call about another homeless person. They would send a car.

I walked back to the girl on the sidewalk, and she was eating a breakfast sandwich. I said, “You have food, great!” She said someone gave it to her. I said, “There are good people in the world.” She shook her head and took another bite. I told her that I was still trying to find someone to help her.

Walking back to my truck, I saw the girl working the cash register walked back our with more food and some orange juice for her.  I walked back to her and told her that was a nice thing to do, and handed her some money to buy her more food, or pay for what she just gave her. She said I didn’t have to do that, I said, please, take it. She said thank you.

I got in my truck and drove back to my warm, safe home.

If you are reading this, you have much to be thankful for.

Today, the God was a homeless girl, addicted to meth and heroin, sitting outside a 7-Eleven on Thanksgiving.

³⁵ for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: ³⁶ naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. ³⁷ Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? ³⁸ When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? ³⁹ Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? ⁴⁰ And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Matthew 25:35-40