Part One: Meghan Gets Inspired.
Once upon a time, Little Meghan was in middle school when a teacher told a touching story. See, whenever Meghan went to big cities with her dad and he was solicited by beggars for money, he just walked passed them and Meghan felt a little bad. She felt sorry for the homeless people and scared for them. How did they become homeless? Were they going to be okay? Some even told stories about being parents and needing to take care of their children. But Meghan's dad told her that he didn't know where the money would go. It could quite possibly go to drugs or alcohol and that's why he didn't give them money, so then Little Meghan understood.
But one day, her teacher told a story about living in the big city and running into a beggar. The beggar asked for money. Instead, the teacher went across the street to McDonald's, ordered a meal, and gave the meal the the beggar. The beggar appreciated that move so much that Little Meghan's teacher did this everyday. This way, the teacher was helping the beggar and knew how the money was being spent. Little Meghan dreamed that someday, she would be able to do the same thing.
Part Two: Meghan Makes Her Attempt.
Adult Meghan got a job in downtown Iowa City, where much of the city's beggars hang out. There is one in particular who caught Meghan's attention. On one very cold day, he was standing near her job repeating, "Can you help me? Anything will do." Meghan was in a hurry that day, but she knew she would see him again and she knew... this was the beggar for whom she would buy food... or maybe, because it was so cold, a cup of coffee.
She saw him a few times before her day came. He had actually changed his location on this day. She was in a different part of the downtown area, grabbing lunch, when she saw a beggar on one side of the street, and her regular beggar on the other side saying his line. She didn't really notice the beggar near her, since he wasn't saying anything. She was just planning her big move, the one she had been planning since middle school. She crossed the street to approach him. He said his line, "Can you help me? Anything will do." Meghan's heart swelled. The temperature was only 9 degrees and he wasn't even wearing gloves. Coffee was just what he needed. She smiled and said, "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"
The beggar looked at her and scrunched up his face. It was as if she had asked if he wanted a worm sandwich with extra dirt. With the disgusted look still on his face, he grumbled, "no." Meghan wouldn't even have minded if he said that he didn't like coffee and tried to negotiate hot chocolate or maybe a pair of gloves. But the look on his face. The disgusted no. That's not at all what Meghan had imagined for 15 years! So she shrugged and said, "Okay, sorry." And continued to her car, feeling a little bad that she hadn't asked the other beggar if he wanted coffee.
Part 3: The Beggar Gets His
Seeing as how the beggar usually sets up shop outside of Meghan's job, it was inevitable that she would run into him again. A couple of weeks after their first encounter, Meghan grabbed dinner to go after work, then had to walk past her job to get to her car. There he was. Meghan noticed something different this time. The beggar had changed his lines to, "Can you help me? I'm getting hungry." He repeated this over and over, no matter how far people were. So when Meghan approached him and he asked her, "Can you help me? I'm getting hungry." Meghan responded, "Last time, you turned me down." and kept walking.
Part 4: The Beggar Knows Meghan
Meghan decided to take a walk on her break from work. It was another cold day, the beggar's favorite type to use to stand outside and beg. But Meghan really needed some fresh air and exercise. So she stepped outside of her job and there he was, a quarter of a block away, using his new line. "Can you help? I'm getting hungry. Can you help? I'm getting hungry. Can you help? I'm getting hungry." He continued this and right as Meghan approached he said, "Can y-- *gasp*" He stopped himself for a minute until Meghan had walked several steps away. Then he continued on.
This isn't really what I imagined myself doing. I have a warm heart and saw myself trying to help those in need. Of course, when I look in his face and see his messed up lip, I can see that he has a drug problem that probably got him in this situation in the first place. But I wasn't exactly aiming to make people in need fear me. My goal was to choose a person in need and do a good deed. Help them stay warm, or get nourishment or something. I'm known for being kind. What went wrong??
