I admit it. I can be pretty slow sometimes. This is why the powers that be frequently have to teach me something and THEN teach me again so that I may apply it to many areas of my life, thus eventually retaining it's full meaning and influence. This was one of those times and for that reason, this post is a two-parter. First, the 2 1/2 inches....
One of the many things I have done in life is to teach people how to find, buy and sell foreclosure properties. I only tell you this to explain why I was in Downtown Kansas City one day at my "regular" parking lot. Parking is no small task in downtown KC (or downtown anywhere for that matter). In my many trips to teach the "newbies" at the courthouse, I had found a relatively safe, inexpensive parking lot about 4 blocks away. This particular lot was next to an abandoned fabric factory and a very small neighborhood bar aptly named the "high time".
I had finished my "lesson" early that day and had just entered said parking lot when I noticed a man in a car slumped over his steering wheel, apparently unconscious.
With every fiber of my kindhearted, brotherly love, lean on me conviction, I said to myself "Look at this loser. I guess he's had his "high time". It's only one o'clock in the afternoon and he's already had so much to drink he's passed out in his car. What a waste of his life".
Just moments later, as I continued down the aisle to my car, mentally patting myself on the back for being so hardworking and responsible, I noticed another man, this one homeless and "bum" like, digging through the dumpster behind the "high time" bar looking for food. Once again, oozing compassion and understanding, I said to myself "and here's another one! Boy it takes all kinds. If he put half as much effort into cleaning himself up and finding a job as he is in digging through that dumpster, he wouldn't be in this condition. Just plain lazy I guess".
Yes, I know. Some people just need to be smacked, and on that day in that very moment, the hand of God was pulling back and aiming right for me.
I pulled out my keys and the "bum" turned around, noticed me and waved. I nodded at him and hurriedly tried to locate the one that would unlock the door (this was before those handy little fob things we have now). As I put the key in the lock I noticed that the "bum" was running...but not towards me. He was running to the car that had the "drunk" in it. I watched in amazement as he tried to open the door and
banged on the window.
"Hey, buddy! You okay? Are you sick? Do you need help? Hey, buddy. Can you hear me? Are you okay?"
Over and over, frantically trying to help, while I just stood there, frozen in my complete and utter shame.
I had been so busy judging, or rather pre-judging, this man's condition that it never occurred to me that he might need help. It was not a proud moment. Or maybe, more to the point, it was the result of an "I'm too proud" moment.
Finally, the man in the car replied and said he was fine, that he was just thinking. He said he didn't need any help and that he would be leaving in just a moment. The "bum" asked him if he was sure, did he want him to stay with him until he was ready to leave, but the man said no. So the "bum" says "have a good day" and waves as he walks back to resume his dumpster search.
I can honestly tell you that when you are smacked by the powers that be, it flattens you completely. I was feeling so small and petty, I doubted if I was any taller than 2 1/2 inches. Even if I could lift my shame filled eyes from the dirt, I wasn't sure I could reach the door handle on my car and slink inside for the trip home.
This was one potent lesson, but even so, about two years later, I would need to learn it again.
Next week......what happened when I took a pillow into the bathroom.
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