It was a hot day in Georgia, so I guess it was just another day. Air heavy, kinda hard to breathe, sweat, and yes more thirsty than hungry. I was with Jerome, dental appointment, as usual went longer than it should have, so I asked him if he would like to eat out. Of course it would be in the car, for while he is getting stronger, he still needs a walker, or on some days, a wheelchair to get around.
“Wendy’s” he said, “a hamburger”.
So I drove up to Wendy’s, left the air on. He told me that he did not need the air, he like it warm. I laughed and said; well I think 92 degrees might be a tad too much in the car. As I was walking toward the entrance, a man came out, he was average looking, between 45 and 55, he looked at me and said:
“wow man ZZ top”
I smiled, my beard is a little longer than average, not quite to my belly button, have had it for 37 years, so it is sort of a article of clothing. People give me all kinds of reason for my wearing it. I agree with all of them, that always shuts them up. So he started telling about a ZZ concert he went to the other night here in Atlanta, dancing and singing at the same time. I could tell he was different, perhaps some mental difficulties, not deserving pity but perhaps a little more attention than I would normally give to someone else. So we talked, I told him of my love of the duo, their music, though I did not say that my beard was way better than theirs; much too humble for that or not.
“Legs, she’s got legs”
He again started to sing, the above. So I said, well I need to go in and get some food for me and my friend. So then he told me he was a veteran and was wondering
“if I could let him have 10 dollars for gas money?”
Well I said:
“ let me go in and get my food and when I get some change I will give it to you.”
So I was getting my food, thinking about him, ashamed a little that I did not quite trust what he told me. However I did believe he was a veteran, he had the look and the way he treated me a fellow veteran, allowed me to believe him. He reminded me of one of my brothers, a loving man, easy to be with, but carried some baggage from the Viet Nam war, this guy was probably from the Gulf War, and the baggage seemed the same, I felt right at home with him.
So as I was leaving, I gave me more than what he asked for. He looked at it and said he did not need that much, but I told him it was ok to keep it all. He smiled, started to sing and dance again. I think I loved the guy, or got to in the short time I met him. Was he a con, I don’t know, I doubt it. No he was Christ, he is everywhere on our streets, in our homes, and within our won hearts. For we all need compassion from those around us from time to time and we also need to show it. It makes us human, expands our hearts, and yes though it is not the reason for, happiness also flows abundantly.
Br. Mark Dohle, OCSO
Holy Spirit Monastery
