"Harming the Homeless, How Rude."
By
Doug Wall
Copyright 2005
I was not happy.
After doing very well with my post heart attack exercise routine, I was sick for a couple of weeks and was away from exercise for almost another two weeks. My diet must not have helped me to maintain, because I had gained weight.
I looked at the scale with hatred.
I sighed, and resolutely decided to get back on the three times a week exercise that had helped me to lose weight in the first place. Starting to leave, I said to the nurse on duty, "See you Friday."
"You better look at the schedule. It has changed."
The schedule was horrible. Unless I could get to exercise class at 8:00 AM on a Friday morning, and cram an hour and ten minutes of exercise into a fifty minute class, I would only be able to exercise twice a week; maintain weight schedule, not lose weight schedule.
As I said, I was not happy.
Sometimes when life throws you a curve, the resulting mindset is, "I just can't do that. The odds are against me. I might as well do the things that are bad for me. "
That is what I was thinking when I went to K-mart for a pre-popped bag of popcorn; tasty, great smelling popcorn.
I know, Popcorn is slow death for a fat guy. Popcorn; nothing but carbs (carbohydrates) and salt, not good for blood pressure, not good for diet, not good for the arteries, not good at all.
I bought my popcorn and was walking through the parking lot toward my car when a man started to approach me.
"Hey, mister."
I knew I was about to be put upon.
"Could I borrow a couple of bucks?" as I was trying to ignore him. 
He persisted.
"Mister, could I borrow a couple of bucks?"
I couldn't ignore him. I didn't want to give him money. "Borrow" was not an appropriate word. I would never see that money again, and I wasn't in the mood for handouts.
"Hey, mister." My tormentor said again.
I didn't want to be pressured by a homeless guy. I wasn't should he was a homeless guy. I didn't want to be in the K-mart parking lot. Doesn't K-mart keep people from soliciting on their property? Shouldn't this guy be arrested for trespass or nuisance or something?
I didn't want to be heavier than a month ago; I wanted the schedule to be so that I could exercise three times a week, I wanted my popcorn in peace.
"I'm real hungry."
The homeless guy was hungry. The con artist was hungry. The may-be mugger was hungry.
"Here." I said, and extended the bag of popcorn toward him.
He looked shocked.
"I don't want to take you popcorn", he said.
I was thinking, "But you are happy to take my money. Or my car."
"No," I said. "I insist." and I placed the popcorn in his hands.
He was surprised. I think he was disappointed.
I got in my car and shut the door.
"Take that," I said aloud as I drove away. "Take the salt, carbohydrates, butter, oil - high blood pressure, stroke, fat and heart attack; take it all."
Driving away, I felt safe and satisfied.
Later, I felt guilty. Attacking a down and out person with a bag of popcorn was wrong. Wishing bad health on the homeless was wrong. I felt sad, but not sad enough to buy more popcorn. I am striving to do better, and I hope the homeless guy finds whatever it is he is looking for, too.
The end
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