Guest guest Posted December 2, 1999 Report Share Posted December 2, 1999 Guys, I got this from a motivational internet newsletter: > " Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it family. >Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. " ~ Jane >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >The following is a true story. >~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > " A while ago, when I was a young twenty-five year old, I trekked across the >United States via Greyhound bus on an uncharted photo journey. During this >trip, I ended up in Seattle where I met Laddie McCrea. > >Laddie, you see, was a hobo. He was about 60 - 70 years old and looked 100. >Laddie had shoulder length scraggly white hair entangled with weeds from the >previous nights bedding. His clothes were a living journal of evenings in the >shrubs and days in the sun. Laddie smelled of alcohol and urine. > >When I first met Laddie, he was standing on a busy downtown Seattle sidewalk >greeting every passerby with a smile, a pleasant greeting and an extended >palm. Each day, society was rushing past Laddie -- either unaware of his >existence or avoiding him -- a smelly, begging bum. > >I found Laddie to be an excellent character for my photo excursion, so I paid >him to allow me to stand in the background and film him. I spent three days, >hidden in the masses, photographing Laddie. Most of the time he was unaware >of my existence. Each day he stood in a busy section of town greeting the >world with a smile an uplifting phrase and an extended palm -- just earning >enough change for the evening's nightcap. > >One special day, as I observed from a bench off in the distance, a young >girl, around six or seven, prim and >proper with a pretty dress and hair in a tail. She approached Laddie from >behind and tugged on his shirt. > >Laddie turned to the girl who then reached up and handed him something. At >that, Laddie, in animated fashion, showed his happiness and reached in his >pocket and gave her something, and the girl ran back to her parents excited ly >showing them what she had received. > >I was so curious about the exchange that I was dying to go immediately to >Laddie and ask him what took place, but in order to get candid photos, I knew >I couldn't make my presence known. Later that afternoon when I finished my >shoot, I spent some time with Laddie and brought up the event. > >Here's what Laddie said: " The little girl came to me and gave me a quarter, >so I gave her two quarters in return because I wanted to show her that when >you are generous, you will receive more than you give. " " > All I can say is, " Laddie " must have been Bill in disguise! Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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