Ran around my neighborhood. It was hot and beautiful out! Knee was starting to hurt and stab again. Cortisone must have been wearing off. I ran into a guy that was in a wheelchair and was stopped by a stream. I asked if he was okay or just taking a break. He was the nicest guy with a heartbreaking story! His name was Scott and he's 61. He was in an ice climbing accident 12 yrs ago. By the time was taken to the hospital he had terrible frost bite and had both feet removed. He has terrible neuropathy and is pain all of the time so that he can't walk on what is left of his feet. I think he just has heels. He ended up getting a divorce and living with his brother after the accident. His brother was killed by a drunk driver and since then he has been homeless off and on since he hasn't had any help. He said he only had a mom and a brother and they are both gone so he is all alone in the world and just had some bad luck. He told me that if I came and picked him up at a ditch at the mouth of Big Cottonwood, he would do any yard work I had for $6 dollars an hour. He said he is a really hard worker and didn't take handouts. I asked him about the homeless shelter and said...."Have you ever stayed in a homeless shelter?" He said it was terrible and it smelled and sleeping with 300 men is not fun. You have to be in by 8 and out by 7 and have to stay downtown all day because he can't get around well. I asked if he could afford an apartment with his disability money. He said that he gets 1000 a month, but he said living in a place that he can afford off of 1000 a month is not the kind of place that anyone would want to live. He said it is dirty, evil and an unsafe part of town. He said that he loved it up by the mountains where the people are clean and it is safe and the view is beautiful. I cried all of the way home. I keep looking online and trying to figure out how I could help him. He broke my heart. I was feeling a little sorry for my self that day and after talking to him, I realized how ridiculous and shallow I have become. I am going to try to focus on the things in life that really matter and be grateful for the wonderful things I have. He doesn't have health, family, friends, love, children or a home and he was one of the most happy people I have met in a long time.
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