I’ve gone back and forth on this a few times. Part of me feels like it’s not my place. And honestly, Tom would probably be a little uncomfortable knowing I’m posting this. But I keep thinking about that conversation, and it’s hard to just move on. I met him a few days ago in a parking lot. Nothing unusual. I almost didn’t notice him. He wasn’t going up to people or asking for money or anything like that. Just kind of standing off to the side. After a bit, he walked over and said, “Hey… if you need help with anything, I can do it.” That was it. He had this old rag in his hand and asked if he could clean my windshield. I said sure. We didn’t really talk at first. But after he finished, I asked his name. Tom. I don’t know why I kept the conversation going, but I did.
I asked how things were going for him. He kind of paused, like he didn’t want to get into it, then just said, we talked a little more after that. Nothing dramatic, just real stuff. He used to have steady construction work. Had a place. Normal life. Then some health issues came up, work slowed down, and things just… unraveled. The part that stuck with me wasn’t even all of that. It was something he said right before I left. He said, “I just don’t want my kid thinking I stopped trying.” I don’t know. That just stayed with me. So, I asked if he’d be okay with me trying to help in some way. He didn’t really say yes. But he didn’t say no either.
That’s why I’m putting this here. Not because he asked me to. Just because sometimes people need help before they’re willing to ask for it.
If you’re reading this
If this doesn’t connect with you, that’s okay. But if it does, even a little—maybe consider helping. Even a few dollars matters more than people think. And if you can’t donate, sharing this honestly helps a lot. I just don’t think someone still trying this hard should be out there alone.
