Stories of Kindness from Around the World

I know that the title is little curious. But the scary homeless man is even more curious.

I have lived in Mayport Florida for about three years. Every day, leaving work, coming home and running errands, I pass this homeless man with two shopping baskets full of his treasures.  Except for about 2-3 months of the year (and I'm not sure where he goes during that time), he is always around, never to be missed.

Anyhow, the reason I call him a scary man is because my son and I are often together when we see this man and he's always talkin to him self and staring at people with an awkward look. He talks loud and much of what he says does not make sense. With his two carts filled to the top, he's there just talking away.  It's intimidating.

My wife and I are always talking about his misfortune and how we would like to help but we were kind of scared to because we did not know how he would react.  Would he yell more, throw things, come after us?

Well, after getting my smile cards and having so much fun doing kind things, my 10 year old son and I gathered enough nerve one day and stopped our car where this scary man was.

I told my son to stay in the car, as I was going to take this homeless man a soda and a smile card, and tell him to have a wonderful day.

He had his back turned to me as I was walking towards him; as usual, he was talking to himself very loud and I was getting nervous as I was getting closer to him. I was about 5 feet from him he still had his back turned and I said, "Excuse me, Sir. May I talk to you for a minute?"

Now this man had not seen me pull up nor did he know that I had a soda in my hand.   As he turned around, I did not even have to wait to see that he had a grin on his face that went from ear to ear. I was amazed and wondering why this man would be so happy to see me. I had not even given him the soda, the card, or even told him to have wonderful day yet.

But he was so happy. I have never seen this man smile in 3 years.

Well I gave him the soda, the smile card and told him to have a wonderful day. He just kept smiling and said thank you. He smiled the whole time until I left. He even waived good-bye ... something that I have never seen him do before.

I think it made me feel better than it made him feel. God bless that man.

He was not a scary. man  He was an amazing man.