the door to door salesman, and the lady with him

yesterday afternoon, the doorbell rang. i had just spotted a black man and woman walking along in front of my place and assumed the doorbell ring was initiated by them. turns out, i should be a detective. i spoke with the man on the front porch, in the upper 90* heat. for some reason the woman (much younger) remained on the sidewalk, afar.

the man tells me he is trying to become a junior executive. he didn't use these words, but he was selling magazine subscriptions. i believe he said something about "positive periodicals". he needed 3500 more points to reach 20,000. since half the teeth on the upper right of his jaw weren't there, his clothes were outdated and a little grungy, his glasses were old and bent way out of alignment, his speech was below average, and since he was going door to door with this woman selling magazine subscriptions, i wondered (in my mind, humorously) what kind of junior executive he was going to be. i did not think that he couldn't make it as a junior executive. there are managers of gas stations and there are managers of tiffany and company. the level of junior executive was in question.

i told the man that in my place in life, a magazine subscription is a luxury and one that i cannot take part of. he said i should still get the subscriptions anyway because it would be helping him out. i told him that was not what i should do. what i should do, i remarked, is be wise about what i can do to help others. shortchanging myself and causing difficulty for me to help him isn't wise at all. he then asked for some cash at least. my wallet was empty, nothing but spider webs. he began to look defeated and started the whole "thank you i need to be nice i'm going now" routine. i said "wait."

"where ya going? you said you were hungry, right? i've got food upstairs. not much, but it's something." i had actually just finished frying up some sliced potatoes and a few sausage links right before the doorbell rang. actually, the sausage links were still frying and i was worrying the whole time i was talking with the man that they would burn to a crisp. the man asked the woman if she wanted some food. she wasn't really answering. i ran inside and grabbed two plates and put potatoes and a link of sausage on each. then i ran them outside. as i got outside, though, i thought it awkward to sit outside in the sun. it was hot, there was no shade, and no place to sit. instantly, i invited them inside. they both thought about it, the man coming to an affirmative conclusion before the woman. i told them i don't have much to offer in terms of seating. they didn't mind sitting on the chairs i have. the man told me his name again (i had forgotten it). his name, leroy. the woman's name, monica. they asked for ketchup. i also brought them each a glass of water.

leroy asked me if i could change one thing in the world, then what change would i make. i told him that's a pretty big question and an immediate answer would only make me sound foolish. enjoying time off his feet, out of the sun, and having food to eat, i don't think he minded waiting for me to answer. i soon told him that i would want people's hearts to be softened and not so hard. i'm not sure he understood what i was getting at. we chatted for about half an hour. monica wanted some lotion. she was rubbing her leg and giving me, dare i say, a flirty look. she looked to be in a daze, out of it. it was sad. i thought of her age difference with the leroy and her situation. bad things came to mind. poverty, sickness, drugs, sex. i definately wish better for them, that's for sure.

they left heading out to the library. i gave them directions and also suggested doing some sales downtown. lots of people there. they said thanks and leroy said "god bless you". it was good to have them in. leroy only wanted a sale, or some money. he thought that's what he needed. monica stood off in a distance probably thinking the chances of that need being met were slim. she seemed ready to move on before leroy and i even started the conversation. that saddens me. they really needed substance. food not money. an honest and true interaction with a human being, not a sales pitch to a potential buyer. i'm not so sure they even got it while they were in my apartment. but it brought me great happiness to see them happy, safe, and comfortable. man! those potatoes were getting old, fried up in cheap super saver oil and black pepper, and topped off with best yet seasoned salt because lawry's is more expensive. but leroy was so happy eating them. wow! the expression on his face, i don't want to forget. it screams joy.

i'm thankful that i am able to sacrifice like this for others. it reminds me that even when i think things are bad and can't get any worse, that they really can get worse. it reminds me of what i have and what others may not have. also, i am thankful that god chooses to work in my life and through me. situations like this one with leroy and monica show me so much. not just new things, but those things that i "forget" or just don't often enough think about. thank you lord... for you.

have a good day all. cheers . . ..