I bet you thought of “Something About Mary” didn’t you? Well, that’s not where I’m going with this.

You see them in all urban areas, people with their signs who need help. Harmless, but it makes you wonder how people up this way.

So today as I walked by a young guy with his head down, reading his sign. I appreciated the fact that he would work for food. I walked a couple blocks and stopped at a food cart. Not just the hot dog cart, but the kebab cart. I actually took into consideration this guy’s need for appropriate food. What if he was allergic to the nitrites in the hot dog? Yes, I seriously think of these things.  So I went the kebab cart next to the hot dog cart, asked the cross-eyed gentleman for a chicken kebab and a water.

After the chicken was ready, I walked back the couple of blocks and said hello to the boy who is down on his luck.  He looked like he hadn’t eaten for a couple of days, or was coming off something, not sure. But regardless, he needed to eat.

When he looked up, his dreary eyes lit up as much as they could. He was happy in that moment. I saw gratitude. Definitely not like the time I bought a coffee for a lady and then she had the nerve to ask if I stirred it. He accepted the meat on the stick (and in a bun) with the water very graciously and carefully unwrapped it to eat. That meat on a stick made someone’s day today.

I crossed the street and watched him enjoy his chicken. That made me smile.