Bill

This entry originally in July, 2007

I was sitting on the last row of seats at church this morning next to a homeless man named Bill. Here is his picture.

Bill was there because he had met someone from our church in the last week who helped him and Bill had promised to come to church on Sunday. Bill said he looked around but could not find him. I said that maybe God had me there in his place. We sat there talking. Bill was born and raised in Dothan Alabama which is in the southeast corner of Alabama. He was raised there and attended school thru 8th grade. He is now 58 years old born in 1949. I asked him if he needed anything and he paused not answering. I asked him, do you need some money? He said he wanted to stay at the Salavation Army place and it was $9 a day. I said I would help him out. I had left my wallet in my golf bag from yesterday and we walked back to my car. We were talking all the way. He walked with a limp having suffered a stroke a year ago. He showed me his left foot, it was crooked turning to the outside. He said it had been that way since the stroke and caused him to "walk funny." Anyway we got to the car and I opened up the trunk which had my golf clubs. He asked if I was a professional golfer, I smiled and said no. We got my ATM card and proceeded to walk 3 blocks west to the old Church Street Exchange complex me getting to know him a bit and his life. We got to the ATM and I gave him $100 and I asked him if I could take his picture to remember him. He was so thankful. He gave me a big hug and immediately began telling me what he was going to do with the money. "I am going to buy a new pair of shoes from the Salvation Army Thrift Shop, get something to eat and have a place to stay all week. Thank you Jesus." Before we left, I wished him well and went back home.

One more thing, I asked him to tell me his last name again and he said "Feagins" rolling up is right sleeve to show a tatoo with his name. He said "I got this in Cambodia" and I replied: "you were in Vietnam?" and he said yes. With his birth year in 1949, he would have been 18 years old in 1967, that is about right. I did not ask him why he said Cambodia. I wonder what his war life was like and if it contributed to his current life.