This is a sad tale. I don't mean to be judgmental here, but it will probably come off that way.
Earlier, I ventured to Wegmans and the Goodwill next door. I was hungry and grabbed a couple of those tiny bags of chips to eat as I waited for the bus. From the corner of my eye I could see the 20-something dude seated next to me on the bench watching every chip as it rose to my mouth. He was 5'10" and no more than 120lbs.
I offered the second bag to him, he accepted, and ate them with great pleasure. He thanked me at least four times. Unfortunately, there was nothing else in my bag that was ready to eat.
Regardless, of how or why this fellow was that hungry, God bless him.
However, that isn't the main story. When the bus reached the hub downtown, I waited at my stop for the transfer. In front of me were; two barely 40-ish adults, a mixed race black woman and her white husband; a teenager who looked to be their daughter, her 20-something beau, and their 18mo. old twins; in a third stroller was another year old bady which probably belonged to the older couple; a 6' mixed race male who was most likely son to the older couple; and on the ground played two children, 3 and 4 years of age. They were probably the dirtiest family that I have ever seen. The nine of them smelled badly as well. People were subtly turning away and or covering their nose.
It was sad to see. Trying hard not to judge, I surmised that they were obviously impoverished and maybe lived without power or proper running water...
I couldn't get over the filthy children playing on the ground or the three strollers. As well, I couldn't wrap my head around the three little ones. Yeah, I know it's mean, but why are these people making more humans when it's obvious they cannot even groom themselves?
Once on the bus, I was fixated on the 40-ish dad. He looked done, totally dejected. He tried to force smiles as the child screamed and played. He looked as if had he the money he would go out for a pack of smokes and never return.
