Sittin' on the edge of the curb...wasting time

Jack Piatt
Piattology

This past weekend I was leaving the Wal-Mart wonderland parking lot and happened to see a homeless man as I passed. His face stuck in my mind as I continued driving, the weathered face, the unkempt hair and tired eyes. He just sat there in the farthest corner from the store on a curb by some trees, staring off into the distance with only his thoughts and a knapsack with everything he owned in the world tucked away inside.

I couldn't get this image out of my head, so I quickly turned around and headed back to that corner curb where he sat undisturbed by the passing cars. I rolled down my window and motioned him to me. I asked him if everything was all right and if I could help him with anything. He replied that he was looking for work and was having trouble finding it.

We chatted for another minute about his situation, and I told him I had to go. It is that wonderful time of the semester when all the big projects and papers are conveniently due at the same time, so I had to get going. I asked him if I could give him money for a meal, and he accepted. So, I gave him $5, shook his hand, said good luck and drove away.

I couldn't help but feel awkward as I was leaving. When I first saw the man sitting there, all I could think about was going back and helping him. It is the right thing to do, I told myself. Yet as I drove away I couldn't help but think about how insignificant my stopping and helping him really was.

I began to wonder if I really helped him at all. Sure, on the surface it looks good; it feels good. I mean, the guy could buy something to eat, so it was a good and civil thing to do. Even though all of these thoughts made perfect sense, I still couldn't help but think about the bigger picture. Did I do what most people in our busy and closed-off lives normally do? Did I just recognize the problem and show my sympathy by giving him money - money enough for a meal, but not enough to change his lot in life.

Could it be that I was just another character in this man's tragic play, another wheel whipping by in a vicious cycle? What did I really do? Should I feel better because I was the good citizen? Now I can go to bed and sleep easy, content with my good deed for the day while he lays on the cold ground outside wondering what went wrong in his life.

The reality is, he is a fellow human being, with lungs and a heart, a brain and a soul, no matter what his place is in life. I still can't figure out why I should ever feel like throwing some green his way will make it all better for him and me. It is a cop out, a way to turn my head and feel better about it because I don't have the time to really help him. Besides, no one else was stopping. Why do I have to be the one to help this man?

That is exactly why I felt like writing this column. The only way we can ever really help anyone in this world is to make a little time to stop and take a longer look at a much bigger picture. This man I met was only one of so many in this world that need more than a handout; they need friends and family and support, something many of them may have never had. Instead of taking the time to get to know this man and listening to what he had to say, I did what everyone else did that day - I drove away. Yeah, he might have had a green piece of paper in his hand, but his eyes were just as tired and lonely when I pulled away as they were when I pulled up to him.

So that night I didn't sleep well, as I imagine he didn't. I actually haven't cleared this out of my mind since it first hit me as I drove away. All I can think about now is that I could have done more, and I can still do more. We can all do more. The question is, will we? Will I forget this in a couple of days because, hey, I have plenty of food and a place to sleep and it's not my problem? Will I?

Will you?

Piattology appears every Wednesday. Jack is a senior in advertising. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Egyptian.

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