Helpful Homeless

I was driving down the street late at night on the outskirts of Houston. I got a flat and pulled over to fix it. I was deep in the process when a police officer walked out of the convenience store. He looks at me and says, "Hey this isn't the best part of town you better hurry up." There was no sign of concern in his tone. He sounded rough, demanding, and cold. Then he got in his car and drove off. The irony hit me first. "Thanks pal, I thought." Then a little bit of fear swept over me.

As dreadful imaginative scenarios begin to pass through my head I hear a friendly "How are you doing?" I look up and see a homeless man. He offers to help me change the tire and after I decline we have a short conversation. He stands off to the side by the building as I finish up. His polite demeanor and the presence of another person who is showing concern for me washed all the fear away.

If your having a hard time understanding how a homeless man was comforting imagine that scene in the movie where the main character is walking down the street deep in thought weighing all his obstacles when he bumps into the archetypal dredge of society. This person from the underbelly of society shows such wisdom and compassion and sets our hero on the correct course that they seem to be celestial sent.