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I don’t like people much, you know. I find people kind of nasty and aggressive. The stupid teenage warriors in Iraq and all that
The people I like, like my wife’s friends who call themselves the cupcakes, with their silver and golden streaks of goodness inside them, are far and few between. And it cuts me off. And I don’t want to write anymore. Why would you want to perform, do anything for “them?”
But in my little town of Half Moon Bay I see James, He’s an elderly black man, homeless, who lives in a tent down by the creek. And I like James, I like his style. He’s always dressed in clean clothes, something special, you see him in matching khaki pants and shirt and a safari hat on his head, or a black sweater with a black beret, as he walks the homeless rounds around the town. I give him five dollars whenever I see him, because I like his style. And I pull up and say, “Hi James, how’s it going?” and I give him the money. And he always gives me a true smiling look, as my grandmother would say, “pleased as punch” and I feel a little freer.
And today for Christmas, I pulled up to James in my new car that I like to drive. And I said, “Happy holidays, James!” as I gave him ten dollars. And he said, “I have a Christmas present for you.” And he went to open the grocery bag he had under his arm. And I said, “That’s okay, James,” Meaning no, because I didn’t want to take something he might really need. And he said, “It’s a Christmas ornament.” And I knew it would be a sin if I didn’t take his gift. And I said, “Okay.” And he reached into his bag and gave me a beautiful trumpeting silver and brass angel. And it was heavy in my hand as the heart I daily carried. And I said thanks. And wished him a happy holidays as I drove away.
And as I drove to work, through the traffic and snarls, I felt the sunlight again. And I thought how I own a million dollar house, and James lives in a tent, And he gave me a gift.
Me, a gift.
And that’s why I cried. Man, I just couldn’t stop crying as I drove. Because a homeless man gave me a gift that put my world back in place.
All glory to James.
Oh that's just beautiful. I've got tears. True spirit of the holiday. Thank you so much for sharing this with us! :)