I remember a few years back being in a coffee shop and a man with a ‘crazed look’ in his eyes ( I don’t know how else to explain it) was going from person to person asking for money. The owner of the shop asked him to leave but he did not leave right away.
When he came to me, I thought I would try something different. I thought I was helping but as the owner of the shop told me afterwards – all I did was help to feed his addiction.
I thought that I would ask him to take some money in exchange for leaving and not coming back – again I thought I was helping the owner but she became very upset with me.
She said, “he is only going to use that money to buy alcohol or drugs”. At the time, I thought, “who cares what he does?” Now I view it very differently.
I think I only saw that guy one other time. It appeared to me that he had become worse. He looked liked a mad man that was bent on one purpose only – to get money for drugs.
I realize that there isn’t much I could have done for that man. I do not think he lasted very long. He looked like someone that was a walking ghost. I feel sad now. But I’m not sure what else I could have done for him?
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