Warren's Story

I met a guy named Warren tonight, rather unexpectedly. I went to Waterfront to play ultimate with some friends, and I had to park a block away since the Average White Band was playing at the Chow Wagon tonight. He approached me as I was walking to my car and I pretty much knew what to expect. He was a ragged looking African-American man (or mixed so he told me) with an old corduroy jacket and pants. It was evident that he was homeless. He asked me with his liquor tainted breath if I could spare a dollar or two. I told him I didn't have any money on me. While this was partially true, it was only because I had left my wallet in my car for such a situation (wrongly I might add). He asked me several times in disbelief, and I finally told him I had some in my car. So he walked with me to my car with his arm around me, reassuring me that he wasn't going to rob me, and telling me his story.

It turns out he was a 39 year old veteran. He served in the military for 11 years and became homeless when his mom passed away because she had accumulated a pretty big debt. He said he never expected it would have happened to him. From talking to him he was obviously well educated. He was a graduate of Male High School where he was class president and played on a basketball team. He definitely had a passion for politics. He repeatedly explained to me how no one could understand why a homeless African American man would still be a republican. It is because they are pro military, he said.

We talked at my car for about a half an hour. He told me about his struggles on the street and how no one was willing to help out, how Louisville was racist and backward, how there were hundreds of homeless vets out there. He repeatedly apologized for venting, but I told him it was ok. He obviously had no one else to listen to him. I gave him five dollars (which probably wasn't even a quarter of what I had in my wallet), and he acted like it was a million. It was very humbling. I asked if I could say a prayer for him, and he agreed. As I was praying, he stopped me and asked if I could pray for the other homeless who were not as lucky as him to be able to take care of themselves. I was even more humbled.

He ended up asking me for a ride to Market Street which was only two blocks south. I didn't really like the idea, but I had talked to him long enough to know he didn't mean any harm, so I took him. We talked a little more, I dropped him off, and that was it.

I had been struggling the past few weeks with this very issue. I don't understand why there are homeless in America when we are as wealthy as we are. I have talked to several others like Warren in the past couple of weeks (Ali, Little Bill, Mike) and I always leave feeling like giving them a few dollars or a meal isn't really going to help them. I have more than I could ever need, but I don't feel like I have the physical means to help them out of their situation. I always ask myself, what can I really physically give them? Warren gave me an answer...

As he was getting out of my car, he asked me if I knew why he was still a republican. I told him (as he had told me at least three times) that it was because the republicans supported the military. At that he smiled and said "You're a good listener... You may have given me five dollars, but to get to tell someone my story is so much more valuable to me."

Warren, you wanted to share your story, this one is for you.