This brought tears to my eyes: "A hotdog for your thoughts"

[Snoutport]

I was driving home from work yesterday and saw something that brought tears to my eyes. Now, mind you, I was already a little emotional. My Assistants and I host a pro m for kids in special ed and I was coming home from a long day where several hundred teens and staff and parents got to have a fun time dancing. good stuff. Very emotional to see so many people having a good time. but hectic. So I'm driving home from all that and I pull up to the light at what is one of the poorer corners in town. There are always people with signs there asking for help. One time we pulled up and there was a teen holding a sign "Will pose for food". We have seen worse. It is a corner that is a barometer that shows how much the people in a city are hurting.

And people in the city must be hurting. I've seen more and more people there and it is never empty of someone asking for help. I try to not be moved but every once in a while I'll give away my parking change. Usually I have to have a steel heart. We just can't afford to give away too much money right now.

So, yesterday, I stop at the light --look over and on the corner there are two guys who have set up a barbecue and are handing out free hot dogs to some pretty scruffy peeps. On the front of the table with all the mustard and ketchup is a sign "A hot dog for your thoughts". And it really hit me that these two guys had driven this same corner and decided they had to do something. They weren't giving free food, they were trading it for a thought so nobody was begging. Nobody was taking charity. But they were getting something to eat for dinner.

This big tall bald guy with a bike leaning on his leg grabbed a hot dog and he was just grinning and shaking the hot dog guy's hands. He was so full of joy to get a free hot dog. He pushed his bike a few feet down the sidewalk and, seriously, ate that hot dog in three bites. The guy must have been so hungry.

And I started to cry. I drive this street all the time and I look away from most of the people because I can't help them and these two guys couldn't just drive by anymore. The light changed and I made it a couple of blocks then flipped a U-turn and drove back to the corner. I walked up and said, "Y'all just decided to feed some hungry people?" and the hot dog guys looked up at me and I was taken back for a moment. They both had the most beautiful smiling eyes and one one nodded and grinned and the other said "yes". And, you know, for a moment I felt like I was looking at a pair of (very handsome) angels. And I told them thanks, gave them the money I had in my pocket and asked them to feed some more then I beat a hasty retreat.

I had to pass again as I turned around to drive home and there were three guys getting hot dogs and the hot dog guys were talking to them and just beaming with big smiles.

It reminds me that good always wins...but you gotta take that stand of when you aren't going to look the other way anymore.

Cheers to you hot dog guys! If anyone got raptured today, it was them.

[quinnox]

1. Good always wins?

Not in this world.

[Cheap_Trick]

58. Maybe not

but it makes the times that it DOES win all the sweeter.

[mia]

2. I love your story.

Thank you!

[Snoutport]

3. Thanks Mia! I prefer your reaction to it :o)

Some people are crankier, it seems.

[LiberalLoner]

6. Thank you for this story, I loved it too! K&R n/t

[PatSeg]

72. We can't make everything better, all the time

for everyone, but that doesn't mean we should do nothing. One small act of kindness can have a profound effect on a person. Its good for the giver as well.

Very touching story, thanks for sharing it.

[yankeepants]

4. What a wonderful story

The idea of feeding folks. So fundamental. So spititual.

[Snoutport]

14. I put in some raised beds this year just to grow extra food for the teen

shelter. I figured it would be easy and they could use it. Lol...they'll be sick of squash by the time summer is over.

[renate]

5. that's beautiful!

Sniffles here too. Thank you for sharing that! And :loveya: those guys.

[Snoutport]

17. yeah

they are the ones deserving of praise!

[daleanime]

7. And cheers to you!!

Rough week, thanks for the smile!O8)

[Snoutport]

19. It has been a rough week...i think I needed it too!

happy weekend.

[RedSpartan]

8. Two birds with one stone.

Since not only do these folks need something to eat, but I'll bet they appreciate having a willing ear to talk to. Hot dog for your thoughts.

[Snoutport]

20. So simple too...anyone with a gas camp stove could do it!

[bobbolink]

29. Exactly. Being poor is lonely, and most don't want to hear. Ingenious!

:applause:

[Snoutport]

82. This intersection is one of the busiest in the city and a lot of working poor

probably transfer buses on this very corner all day long. I wonder how many of them weren't going to eat much of a dinner.

[bobbolink]

92. My point was that a lot of poor people are also hungry to be heard and acknowledged.

But, nobody "has the time".

[Snoutport]

94. oh, i know...

just pointing out these guys picked probably the best place in town to reach the some of the worst off. :0)

[lunatica]

9. thanks for sharing that story

Any of us could be on either side of that hot dog barbecue stand.

[seabeyond]

10. what spirit. what soul

and i am talking about yours. i am enjoying your stories. thank you.

i have looked into peoples eyes and felt the same you did with these men. yea, them.

[Snoutport]

24. It doesn't happen very often but when it does...wow.

and thank you for the kind words. I worry it sounds like I am bragging but I am not. I'm hoping to inspire some random acts of kindness. :0)

Have a great weekend!

[seabeyond]

32. nah...

i have found that communication is about always successful when talking from the heart.

[WillyT]

11. HUGE K & R !!!

:kick:

[Fumesucker]

12. Wow, great story.. Recced..

[spooked911]

13. that's pretty awesome

though I hope they had veggie options. :P

[pipi_k]

15. That's a heartwarming story, and you're a peach

for giving those hotdog guys your money so they can feed more people.

One little corner of the world is happier today.

:)

[Snoutport]

34. :0) good for them to be willing to do the actual work. :0)

They are the heroes.

[Bozita]

16. Great story well told.

[Snoutport]

35. cheers and thank you :0)

[Vinnie From Indy]

18. Cheers to the hot dog guys!

We are all in it together!

[TheBigotBasher]

21. Well done hot dog guys.

[Taverner]

22. That's a great idea! While I am in between jobs I should do that!

Not in SF - won't work there

Oakland, however...

Anyone want to join me?

[Snoutport]

37. Good for you!

It takes a good man to give when times are good...it takes a REALLY REALLY good man to give when times are lean. :0)

[1awake]

23. Those hot dog guys are great!

and so are you Snoutport, beyond a doubt.

[WinkyDink]

25. I have always tried to remember this passage from "Of Mice and Men":

George undid his bindle and brought out three cans of beans. He stood them about the fire, close in against the blaze, but not quite touching the flame. "There's enough beans for four men," George said.

Lennie watched him from over the fire. He said patiently, "I like 'em with ketchup."
"Well, we ain't got any," George exploded. "Whatever we ain't got, that's what you want. God a'mighty, if I was alone I could live so easy. I could go get a job an' work, an' no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want. Why, I could stay in a cat house all night. I could eat any place I want, hotel or any place, and order any damn thing I could think of. An' I could do all that every damn month. Get a gallon of whisky, or set in a pool room and play cards or shoot pool."

Lennie knelt and looked over the fire at the angry George. And Lennie's face was drawn with terror.

"An' whatta I got," George went on furiously. "I got you! You can't keep a job and you lose me ever' job I get. Jus' keep me shovin' all over the country all the time. An' that ain't the worst. You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out." His voice rose nearly to a shout. "You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You keep me in hot water all the time." He took on the elaborate manner of little girls when they are mimicking one another. "Jus' wanted to feel that girl's dress- jus' wanted to pet it like it was a mouse- Well, how the hell did she know you jus' wanted to feel her dress? She jerks back and you hold on like it was a mouse. She yells and we got to hide in a irrigation ditch all day with guys lookin' for us, and we got to sneak out in the dark and get outa the country. All the time somethin' like that- all the time. I wisht I could put you in a cage with about a million mice an' let you have fun."

His anger left him suddenly. He looked across the fire at Lennie's anguished face, and then he looked ashamedly at the flames. It was quite dark now, but the fire lighted the trunks of the trees and the curving branches overhead.

Lennie crawled slowly and cautiously around the fire until he was close to George. He sat back on his heels. George turned the bean cans so that another side faced the fire. He pretended to be unaware of Lennie so close beside him.

"George," very softly. No answer. "George!"
"Whatta you want?"
"I was only foolin', George. I don't want no ketchup. I wouldn't eat no ketchup if it was right here beside me."
"If it was here, you could have some."
"But I wouldn't eat none, George. I'd leave it all for you. You could cover your beans with it and I wouldn't touch none of it."

~~~~~~~~
The humbleness of what these two men would consider a luxury: KETCHUP with their can of beans.

[Snoutport]

28. You know, it has been a long time since I've read that book. Maybe it is time again.

I sure did feel bad for those mouses though!

[WinkyDink]

33. Lennie was only petting them! :-)

[classof56]

26. "Will pose for food". Good god, that brings tears to my eyes.

Blessings to you for all you do to make Portland a better place to live. And blessings to the two angels who traded hot dogs for thoughts. Heart-warming to see such compassion and caring put into action.

Okay, now words fail me.

:fistbump:

[Snoutport]

38. DO something kind :0) then tell us

and your words will come back to you!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

27. K & R

[russspeakeasy]

30. Thanks for sharing a great experience.

[Snoutport]

47. I'm turning into the Garrison Keiler of DU :0)

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. touching story

[Snoutport]

48. I hope it inspires some copy catting!

[bobbolink]

36. Thanks to people who can feed and listen at the same time! I just hope this isn't a city with

"Don't feed poor and homeless people" laws!

[eyeofdelphi]

40. is that sign real??!!!

god please tell me it's not. i'm never going to stop crying now.

[bobbolink]

44. It absolutely is. :( The criminalization of homelessness is Rampant in this country.

That is why I keep trying to sound the alarm. I don't want that elderly woman or me or ANYONE subjected to this kind of ugliness.

I had a picture of a guy who was arrested with his church group for feeding homeless people, but I can't find it now.

Here is a poster, tho, of another city:












Here is one organization that is trying to END this prejudice and criminalization:

[Snoutport]

53. :0( i thought it was a bad joke

[bobbolink]

74. I don't joke about hunger and homelessness. I think you know that.

Several of us have tried to bring this to the attention of DU.. it is really sad that so many still don't know the reality.

How can we make people more aware?

[Snoutport]

99. I'm aware...I just thought it was a horrible sign

[Snoutport]

50. i worried the health inspector would shut them down.... :0(

[justabob]

52. I had that thought too

Years ago, restaurants used to be able to give away their left-overs to shelters, soup kitchens and whatnot. The health dept shut that down. I understand that there is risk involved, and it only takes someone getting sick one time (whether because of the food donated or not) and suing and/or busybodies not wanting anyone to benefit from anything, and so complaining, but really....

[Snoutport]

54. high morals to have when people are starving

[tblue37]

60. Our town is slightly kinder to homeless people than some others

in this part of the country, so there are always some people--usually businessmen--complaining that if we are too good to them, then word will get around and we will be inundated with all the homeless people who would relocate just so they could come here.

[Snoutport]

80. I tried to get the schools to donate leftover food to the teen shelters and was told NO

Can't give away federally funded food. It HAS to be thrown away. :0(

[AnneD]

64. And forcing them....

to eat out of trash cans is saferl. Now that is just plain fucked up.

[Snoutport]

84. yes, but no one is responsible if they eat garbage.

[bobbolink]

75. It also has to do with people not speaking up.

There is a quote about all it takes for evil to triumph is for good people to say nothing.

[Snoutport]

86. or to do nothing.

[bobbolink]

91. Well, a lot of people think posting incessant stuff about Sarah, et al is "doing something".

:eyes:

[Snoutport]

101. Undermining the right wing is important

because as long as they stay in power, as long as business gives them millions and millions, we cannot stop showing how awful they are.

[Le Taz Hot]

70. Somebody just made a post

putting down the San Joaquin Valley (again!) and bragging about how he/she lives in San Diego and it has such great restaurants, blah blah blah. You know what? I've never seen anything as abhorrent as that sign anywhere in the Valley.

[bobbolink]

81. Its not one region against another. This is NATIONWIDE.

Please watch the promo for this video, narrated by Martin Sheen:

http://www.richardcohenfilms.com./taylor's.htm

"I believe homeless people should be put to sleep."

Really. This is what we live with.

[Snoutport]

98. wow

[Snoutport]

87. i thought the sign was an evil hoax

shocking to think a city can be hateful like that.

[stockholmer]

89. that sign both breaks my heart and enrages me, WTF demon has spread its black wings there?

:argh:

[Snoutport]

96. not much kindness for our fellow man, eh?

[SDuderstadt]

39. Hot dog!

Inspiring!

[jillan]

41. What a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing it and warming my heart, and yes

you brought tears to my eyes.

[Snoutport]

55. then we are both crybabies :=0(

[bertman]

42. That's an inspiring story. Thanks for posting it. If good always wins

why are so many people starving on our streets? Not trying to be a smartass. Just noting that because people try to do good for others does not mean good always wins.

REC.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

43. What a beautiful, beautiful story, my dear snoutport...

And as so many others are in your thread, I have tears as well.

You did a great thing today, and so did those hot dog guys.

How good all of you could no longer look the other way!

Recommended.

:loveya:

[Snoutport]

85. Thank you kindly my dear miss peggy :0)

I do my best to take that step from thinking to action. :0)

[Duct Tape]

45. That's a very nice story,

thanks for sharing. I wonder how many interesting conversations those people had; I bet there were at least a few people who truly had something to say.

[Brigid]

46. Dear hot dog guys:

You are O8)

K&R, of course. :)

[emilyg]

49. Thank you for sharing.

[mmonk]

51. Thanks for sharing. Great story.

[AuntPatsy]

56. Inspiring, perhaps sharing this story will give ideas to others for something similar

[Snoutport]

90. i hope so :0)

[freshwest]

57. Aw thanks. Those wings lifted me up.

[Snoutport]

97. me too...that's why i shared it :0)

[kag]

59. Great story. n/t

[DesertDiamond]

61. Dang, you really made me cry here! This is so beautiful!!!

[Snoutport]

105. The hot dog guys made a lot of people cry this week!

[Prometheus Bound]

62. I really, really love that story.

[BeliQueen]

63. Wonderful story

I hope these guys stay around a very long time--God needs them here!

[Vinca]

65. Great story . . . it made my day.

[myrna minx]

66. K&R n/t

[Highway61]

67. Thank you for sharing that

It could be anyone of us on that corner.

[Le Taz Hot]

68. This is what makes me crazy

when I hear people say there are no heroes anymore. They're all around us, we just have to open our eyes.

We've had such a tragic increase of homeless in my area (I live in a very working class neighborhood). The other day I saw an elderly couple who were obviously homeless (not real clean, struggling to push a very full shopping cart). I'm guessing they were probably in their 70's. I went down the road a little ways and had to pull over I was sobbing so hard. What the hell has happened to my country?

Good for these young men! Maybe they will inspire others.

[Harriety]

69. Beautiful story. It brought tears to my eyes too.

[hwmnbn]

71. wow, K&R

[Angry Dragon]

73. K&R

[Bryn]

76. K&R

O8)

[tilsammans]

77. Beautiful story, and . . .

. . . thank you for all you do with special ed kids. :applause:

[BrklynLiberal]

78. Beautiful story...the kind the media does not usually pick up.

[driver8]

79. Excuse me for a moment...I've got something in my eye.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story...

[timtom]

83. Your experience has just brought tears to MY eyes.

But, then, I've been very emotional myself lately.

Thanks for sharing.

[totodeinhere]

88. Are people hungry because food stamps don't pay enough and they run out before

the end of the month? Or is it because some needy people don't qualify for food stamps because of red tape? Or is there some other explanation for it? There is no excuse for hunger in this country. If we need to increase food stamp benefits then so be it.

[bobbolink]

95. All. Of. The. Above.

But, the underlying cause is because this country has become so fat and happy that many just no longer care. :cry:

[Snoutport]

100. When I lost my teaching job

I was poor...then, before I could get a new job I got hit by a car and spent a year healing....no income because I wasn't workign when I got hit. I qualified for food stamps the whole time but never took them. I figured there were more desperate people. But I was hungry a lot of the time. A LOT of the time!

[totodeinhere]

104. I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune. But to me your logic doesn't make any sense.

If you had applied for food stamps that would not have caused more desperate people to lose benefits. The program is set up so that anyone who qualifies can get it. It is not set up so that if too many apply for it the program maxes out and others can't apply.

[RagAss]

93. Wow !...You met two human beings ! I'm jealous.

[Plucketeer]

102. Wow!

What a cool story. Made me think of the local park that's a gathering point for our town's homeless. Makes me wanna get some dogs 'n fixin's and go have a ball there. Thanx for the inspiration. ;)

[ThomasE]

103. Being Human

I'm not a big poster here yet, back as I read the piece yesterday I was moved to the point of tears. How dare these MF's spend $2BN. a week on some bullshit wars, tax cuts for ppl don't need it, slash funding for social programs etc. I live in NW IN., & we have our fair share of ills here too. I'm in the Chicago & MI media area, & often here what the GOV. of MI. is trying to pull.
I read the piece again this morning, (thru tears again)& wondered just how many "Church" folks were able to just walk by. Maybe I'm just venting, but WTF has happened to my country???