Deal

I have met a man my age at in the outdoor shelter I commonly frequent. He is a really fun guy with a kind heart and helpful personality. He is married, from Georgia, and has a wife who stays in the indoor shelter next door while they both seek aid and assistance from the program. Actually, they searched many cities across the nation and chose San Antonio based on the success of this program.

A few nights ago “Georgia” and I were hungry and we wanted to grab a bite to eat before curfew. So I told him that I would buy us some food if he walked with me to the local corner store because I had 6 dollars left for the day (and you always need to walk in pairs at night). He agreed….and said he could get me a deal on food. So I agreed.

Food can be hit or miss when you are homeless. It’s not a guarantee. You have to be real organized to make all the shelters that provide food to the needy. You need a bus pass, a ride, etc. So a good deal on food is too good to pass up.

We walked down to the local corner store and it was about to close…so he convinced the clerk to sell us all the fried food under the heat lamp for just 5 dollars. The clerk looked at his watch, looked at the dried up food, paused, and struck the deal. I started to laugh out loud. It was a lot of food.

We had a blast that night talking about life, our problems, (his past, my past) and our dreams…all while eating fried burritos, jalapenos, chicken, and fries by the train track near our shelter. It was the best meal yet…even though I might regret it later.

Luckily we made it back before our curfew. What a great night. And I have an extra dollar and a new friend.

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