Great story. John Carroll, a regular columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, has a Christmas season tradition where he encourages everyone to go to their ATM and draw out as much cash as they think that they can afford, and then take that out to the streets and distribute as many $20 bills to the homeless and street beggars as they have twenties to give. No questions or conditions, just pure cash and for someone living on the streets (or just spending their days there) a twenty dollar bill is a big boost.
Maybe you can't do twenties, maybe the same routine with tens or fives would be more suitable to your situation, but it's still a big chunk of kindness for the receivers. Your story from "Metropolitan Diaries" reminded me of that tradition, thanks for that. *** --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <jstein@...> wrote: > > This is from the New York Times' weekly "Metropolitan Diary" > feature, which publishes New York stories sent in by readers: > > > Dear Diary: > > A few days before Christmas a year ago, I was on the F train riding uptown. > At West Fourth Street, a young man boarded with a boombox. He explained, > loudly and enthusiastically, "I'm trying to stay out of trouble tonight, so > I'm offering you a dance, like we do it in the Bronx." > > Only a few of us looked up. Then he plugged his iPhone into the boombox and > proceeded to dance his heart out. This included a few back flips, trapeze > moves with the handrails, and body spins on the ground with just one hand. By > this time all eyes were glued on him. A young boy next to me yelled out in > sheer delight: "Wow that's amazing!" We all shared his sentiment. > > Many passengers gave generously when he walked by with his donation container > afterward. > > Just then, at the other end of the car, a homeless-looking man boarded with a > plea for help. He was disheveled and without any dance routine or music act > to offer. All he had was a wish for kindness and an outstretched hat one > that remained empty among this group of recent donors. > > That was until, just before the doors were to open at the next stop, the > dancer went right up to the homeless-looking man, spilled out all of his > earnings into the outstretched hat and said, "Merry Christmas, man." > > --Christina Daigneault >
