Music: Ricky Martin - I kid you not
Book: wall street journal online
Not being a huge fan of football I decided to hit the gym after dinner and skip the superbowl but I made it back home toward the end of the third quarter. Mr. Husband had been enjoying the game while perusing our wedding picture proofs. A knock at the door brought Jon out to the front porch where a woman claimed to have five children at home who were hungry and she had no money to feed them. She said something about an SIS check (?) which was supposed to arrive in the mail on Monday, then the woman asked for $20 to see her through until tomorrow. I had heard bits and pieces of the conversation from inside the house where I was trying to keep the pets from leaping through the crack in the door to go exploring outside at night. Dilemma. We donate to our charities of choice because they are held accountable for how they spend OUR money - and they are legitimate organizations. I do not receive any welfare or subsidation from the government so it's always tough to hand over money that I've earned on my own. A stranger at the door begging for money is a bundle of uncertainty. There is no way to prove a story one way or another. There is no agency checking to make sure no food money goes to cigarettes or liquer which is why I give to my church and the salvation army and other charities. If I were home alone I would not have even opened up the door - because that's not safe or smart. But we did open the door, and we did listen to her request. After quick deliberation, Jon and I opened the cupboards and the fridge and filled an entire bag with food: soups, rice & sauce, pasta and fruit - all fresh from the grocery store this weekend. We handed her the bag which she did not immediately take. Slightly upset, she said, "Is this supposed to feed five kids? I asked you for money!" I bit my tongue as Jon handed over the food and said we would share what we had and wished her luck. What I really wanted to say was "YES! There is enough food to feed a crowd of twenty people. That's exactly what's it's supposed to do - feed your children just like you asked." Her response: "Don't you even have five dollars?". Jon said good night and closed the door. Here's the thing, sad but true, if her story was true...beggars cannot be choosers. If her kids were hungry, then why wasn't she pleased with more food than $20 could buy at any store? In today's socety we are surrounded by scams - credit card fraud, identity theft, get-rich-quick scemes and unethical talent agents. As a result - we are sceptical. As we should be, as we HAVE to be. So it is left up to us, to each of us, when approached to determine the truth - if any - behind the words. Honestly, I think it was a false story, but in the event that there was even one child sitting home alone and hungry we could not in good conscience turn someone away when we have food to share. No one should ever go hungry. But the entire experience left a very bad taste in my mouth. Another sad fact is that there is a homeless shelter for families not even a mile from our house. If she was truly in need that should have been the first stop before knocking on my door. They are ready and able to help. But, as I said before...there was food to share so we did. Now, we are left to wonder.....
