Nathan Chitty Weblog

Google Search and remembering Bill

I did a Google search on my web log this morning and saw something I had not seen before. it was a reference to web log entry I did three years ago about a homeless man named Bill. I had done that entry and an entry of a youtube video (3,800 hits) mindmap of Bill's telling me about his life. Bill had AIDS and has passed away but he was bright soul and I appreciated knowing him.

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.

Bill and a Mind Map

This entry originally in July, 2007

I went to early church this morning, parked my car about a block west of church and was walking across the street. Bill came riding up quickly and stopped his bike with his shoes (the brakes don't work). He was glad to see me and I was glad to see him. I spent about an hour with him taking him to breakfast and listening about the last two weeks since I last saw him in church. I men Bill almost a month ago.

When I got home there was so much that we talked about, I did not know how I could efficiently and effectively write about it so I decided to use the Inspiration Software I downloaded last night to create a Mind Map of the conversation as much as I could remember. This mind map on the left below is made using the "rapid fire" feature and the thoughts are not connected. The mind map on the right has the thoughts connected to themes and is not in chronological order (click each image to read detail):

 

I don't see a clear path to how I can help Bill but I want to find a way. He is a gifted human being and a kind person who should be helped. Let me end with entry with a "youtube" video of my conversation with Bill this morning by narrating the mind map. If you want to follow along the youtube video with the topics, click the image above on the right and print that mind map.

Bill recites the Lord's Prayer

This entry originally in July, 2007

I went to early church this week and sat with Bill, a homeless guy I met last week at church (see picture and entry from June 29th).

Bill is a gentle soul, 58 years old, a vietnam veteran and disabled from a stroke. I spent about 30 minutes after the service talking with him, asking about his week. It was very touching, he said he appreciated me talking with him and listening to him.

He had on the "new" shoes on that he bought from last week and a clean shirt. He was able to stay in the Salvation Army shelter during the week until last night when he slept under a bridge. I gave him the cash I had, about $75, which mainly came from the "Trunkslammers" winnings. An approporiate use for it.

During the service, there was a time for the Lord's Prayer. He recited it by heart using the "trespasses" wording instead of the more current "forgive our debts" which I thought was interesting. Bill is a very spiritual person, he expresses a lot of faith in Jesus and faith that his life will improve.

Bill says he wants to start a lawn business and wants to save up for a lawn mower and weed eater. I really don't think that is practical with his stoke injury but I am going to find out how to help someone like this. He is a good person.

We talked about how he got to Orlando, he has been here for 9 years. He moved here with his wife but she died a few years ago from leukemia.

We walked down the street and he asked me if I would like to have a soda, I said sure. He pulled out the cash that I gave him and handed me $2. I did not refuse. He wanted to buy me something so I let him. I thought he wanted to go to a coffee shop.

I gave him a ride to the homeless shelter on Central. It is a scary looking place. I will see him next week at church.

Dad was a "polymath"

I was preparing for my day focusing on elements of a business model to help homeowners facing foreclosure make the best of their situation. I have been using the http://ted.org site to pick up my day by listening to short inspiring videos. Here is a list of the videos I have seen from that program so far.

Today, I viewed a talk by "Wofford College president Ben Dunlap (who) tells the story of Sandor Teszler, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor who taught him about passionate living and lifelong learning."

Ben Dunlap is described as a true "polymath" (see definition below). The term reminded me of Dad with the bonus of Mr. Dunlap's focus on Hungarians also reminding me of Dad. Dad spent a lot of time with and loved a community of Hungarian artists in New York.

A polymath (Greek πολυμαθής, polymathēs, "having learned much")^[1] is a person whose expertise spans a significant number of different subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath (or polymathic person) may simply be someone who is very knowledgeable. Most ancient scientists were polymaths by today's standards.^[2]

Dad was a polymath. A picture into his world came when I was helping, with my sibs, to clear out the folks home of over 50 years and turned over a business card that had Dad's handwritten notes from the mid 1930's. He had written "look up these......"