Dear Mr. Gas station clerk, you are a dick. -Amber

(taps mic) Is this thing on? Boy it has been a while since my last blog entry. How the hell are ya?! I'm just going to jump right in. Last week, Steven was given 5 free tickets to see a Wilmington Sharks baseball game. Last night the Sharks were playing their last home game, and even though it was a school night, we decided to take the kids anyhow. I quickly realized that I needed to get gas, but I knew I would make it to Wilmington and just get gas there. There is a Wilco station just past Legion Stadium and it has the cheapest gas in town. I pulled up t a pump, second to the farthest right, facing the store, and Steven went in to pay for the gas. I am naturally a people watcher, in a borderline stalker-ish fashion. But seriously. I noticed an older gentlemen speaking to an employee of the gas station standing by a car parked on the right side of the building. The old man was tired looking. His face was bronzed by the sun, and his beard was long and white. He was a very thin man and was wearing jeans cut off just above the knee, a brace on his left leg that went from his knee to his ankle, shoes barely held together by some dirty old shoelaces, and he was carrying a backpack. I did not hear the exchange of words between these two gentlemen, but I could clearly tell what was happening. The gas station employee stood forcefully with his right hand out, and gesturing to the car beside them. I noticed someone was in the drivers seat of this car. The old man looked defeated as he tried to walk away and avoid confrontation. The employee kept after the old man with his hand out. I saw the old man reach into his pocket twice, very hesitantly, then the third time he pulled out some cash. He handed the cash to the employee who walked over to the car they had been standing by and handed the money to the drive who immediately left. The old man lowered his shoulders in a shameful sigh and walked away as the employee continued to shoo him off the property. Steven was approaching the car as the old man walked across the street and I rolled my window down and said "You are never going to believe what the fuck I just witnessed!" I kept my eyes on the old man as I told Steven what happened while he pumped the gas. I understand that panhandling is not tolerated at places of business. Asking the old man to please leave the property should have been enough. To completely humiliate this man is unacceptable behavior. It takes a tremendous lack of pride to be able to ask strangers for money, I am sure asking is humiliation enough. But to force someone to give back the money that some one gave freely and generously to a man who has little to call his own?! It infuriated me!! You do not know what events in this man's life have caused him to be where he is now. He could be a war hero, a father. Does it even matter? There is value in life and everyone has a story. Hearing me explain what happened made my children upset. I do not regret talking about it in front of them. My children are very compassionate and expressed how sad they were for the old man. I dug around for my change purse, I knew I had $2 in it. Steven finished pumping gas and I saw the old man digging through a dumpster behind the Salvation Army, one block up. I drove over there, choking back tears. When I pulled up, I don't think the old man even noticed I was there, he wast leaned into the dumpster at the waist. I rolled down my window and said "Excuse me, sir" He stood up and looked at me. I told him that I had seen what that man at the gas station did to him and I was very sorry he was humiliated like that. I could tell from his demeanor and the look in his eyes that he was a gentle, but very broken spirited man. He told me he had never ever heard of someone doing such a thing and continued to hang his head in shame. I handed him $2 and said it was all the cash I had, but I was going to use it to buy a beer at the ballpark anyhow, so I'd rather he have it. He looked and smiled and said "God bless you, and thank you". I told him to go buy himself a beer and he said he would. Sure he could have used that $2 to get a burger from McDonald's right up the road, but if I were in his shoes, I think I would have bought a beer instead too. I drove away in tears. Why are we a society with such little compassion for our own people? Why do we shun those who are different from us, or less fortunate? My children, each one of them, told me how nice it was of me to give that man some money and how sorry they felt for that man and how the gas station clerk treated him. Brie even said "He is so sad, it makes me sad and want to be homeless, too". We went on the the game and truly enjoyed some fun family time together. In the back of my mind, I kept seeing the old mans face as he handed the money to the clerk. He was still on my mind this morning, and this will likely remain a memory that will stay with me forever. There are two organizations that have been brought to my attention this last week through a group on Facebook. Two organizations I did not even know existed, or knew there was even a need for. The Brunswick County Homeless Coalition and Brunswick County Streetreach, Inc.. The two church based organizations work closely together to assist the homeless in my county and are in great need of volunteers and constant donations. I am by no means a religious person and I do not know much else about the organizations, but their strong dedication to this mission speaks volumes to me. The universe has a way of bringing things to my attention and this is one I can't ignore. If anyone would like to help with donations, you know how to get a hold of me.