Steel Rat Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 (edited) I have to confide in you guys, the strangest thing happened to me at work today. I work at a gas station, and when I clocked in today, there was a man sleeping in a chair at one of the tables. He had a large sack of stuff, so I figured he was a homeless man trying to escape the cold. Since it was Saturday, my manager wasn't there, and I was the most senior employee in the store. Eventually, he woke up, and asked me if I knew anything about Alcoholics Anonymous. I looked up the number in the telephone book, handed him a phone, he called them, and arranged with them to be picked up to go to a meeting. In the mean time, he chatted me up. He told me he was 60 years old, a sergeant in the Vietnam war, and homeless. Then he began to sob as he told me his wife had just past away. He looked extremely depressed and was somewhat incoherent. He rambled sometimes and repeated things frequently. He spent any time he wasn't talking to someone else by talking to himself. He didn't say anything nonsensical or fantastic, but rather he had a great sense of humor. He pointed to my long hair and said, "believe it or not, I had hair all the way down to my ass back in the seventies. I was a hippie." He started conversations with most people, told them his life story, but never asked anyone for anything, and rejected whenever anyone tried to give him money or food. It just seemed like he was very cold and lonely. He greatly appreciated when people listened to him, and he'd say "God bless you, you saved my life," then he'd salute them. I called my boss and let him know that there was a homeless man who had been there for at least four hours, and he didn't see anything wrong with letting him stay. Eventually his ride came and took him to his AA meeting. He was gone for about 2 hours, and then he came back. Then things got weird. He said he was going to the McDonalds next door, and he gave me a walkie talkie. He said "if anyone gives you any trouble, let me know and I'll be there right away." He was gone for an hour or two, but he checked in on the walkie talkie every five minutes, and would get upset if I didn't respond. Eventually he came back at the end of my shift. My coworkers offered to book him a hotel for two days, and he was very grateful. He referred to us as his family. They gave him a ride and, as far as I know, he was given a "hospital discount." So I need to ask you guys, what the hell are you supposed to do in this situation? Edited January 17, 2016 by Steel Rat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Just carry on as normal, he probably won't be back. And if he does come back just be cool and carry on with your job. Placate him if you need to but don't agree to anything if he asks you, tell him you're busy right now. Like I said you probably won't see him again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
That One Guy Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Just carry on as normal, he probably won't be back. And if he does come back just be cool and carry on with your job. Placate him if you need to but don't agree to anything if he asks you, tell him you're busy right now. Like I said you probably won't see him again.Agreed. Interesting story. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HemiBeers Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 So did he resemble any TRF members? Just a hunch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babycat Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Just carry on as normal, he probably won't be back. And if he does come back just be cool and carry on with your job. Placate him if you need to but don't agree to anything if he asks you, tell him you're busy right now. Like I said you probably won't see him again.Agreed. Interesting story. This too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 So did he resemble any TRF members? Just a hunch.Apparently he looked very like a man called Hatchet Pete who also likes to hang around gas stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueschica Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 Just carry on as normal, he probably won't be back. And if he does come back just be cool and carry on with your job. Placate him if you need to but don't agree to anything if he asks you, tell him you're busy right now. Like I said you probably won't see him again.Most likely this. But ((hugs)) to you for caring about another person, who sounds like they just experienced or are remembering a huge loss. Good idea to check with your boss, a lot of people would have just asked him to leave. You sound like a great guy. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
x1yyz Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 I'm not sure what you should do next, but what you've done so far has been so kind and wonderful. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mystic Rythm Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 There are a lot of organizations out there for veterans. Hope this helps. http://www.vva.org/map/IA.html https://www.combatvet.org/ 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMCXII Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside. Them?? You mean war veterans? ..stray dogs? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside. Them?? You mean war veterans? ..stray dogs? Actually, Most are not vets if any at all. But regardless, if I walk outside for a break I will talk with most of them. I will know within seconds if the person is a threat or just resting. Now if the person is seriously hurt then of course you have to help them out and get them inside. But in general they are not allowed inside the building. Stray dogs? Funny you should mention that. A couple of weeks ago as I was walking home from work. There was a dog running right down the middle of the road. I was able to persuade him to follow me. He had the jitters and was I hoping he wouldn't bolt out in to traffic. I finally decided to go through someone's yard. Which I did not want to do. But he followed me home and I left him from there. Hope he made it home. :D 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside.Where do they hang around, outside your house?? What are they after, biscuits and gravy? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside.Where do they hang around, outside your house?? What are they after, biscuits and gravy? No but they do dig through the trash for old pastries ect.. We all let them have there way in most cases. We are nice folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside.Where do they hang around, outside your house?? What are they after, biscuits and gravy? No but they do dig through the trash for old pastries ect.. We all let them have there way in most cases. We are nice folks. So do you live close to town or way out in the boonies? Although Alaska IS kind of the boonies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMCXII Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside. Them?? You mean war veterans? ..stray dogs? Actually, Most are not vets if any at all. But regardless, if I walk outside for a break I will talk with most of them. I will know within seconds if the person is a threat or just resting. Now if the person is seriously hurt then of course you have to help them out and get them inside. But in general they are not allowed inside the building. Stray dogs? Funny you should mention that. A couple of weeks ago as I was walking home from work. There was a dog running right down the middle of the road. I was able to persuade him to follow me. He had the jitters and was I hoping he wouldn't bolt out in to traffic. I finally decided to go through someone's yard. Which I did not want to do. But he followed me home and I left him from there. Hope he made it home. :D Thats right ya I forgot about the problem you guys in the states have with people posing as vets to get handouts. I remember hearing about that now.. sad, it is! As for "street people", you never know what a person's story is. Because of my nature I tend to be drawn to misfits and underdogs of society.. and I talk to people on the streets quite a bit and once you get to know someone it's amazing how a person's story changes from how you first judged them Oh and Kudos for the puppy love. I'm sure you made a friend that day ! :) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside.Where do they hang around, outside your house?? What are they after, biscuits and gravy? No but they do dig through the trash for old pastries ect.. We all let them have there way in most cases. We are nice folks. So do you live close to town or way out in the boonies? Although Alaska IS kind of the boonies. You silly Brit!! No, I live near Big Ben. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWB1Sqsx1jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troutman Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside. Them?? You mean war veterans? ..stray dogs? Actually, Most are not vets if any at all. But regardless, if I walk outside for a break I will talk with most of them. I will know within seconds if the person is a threat or just resting. Now if the person is seriously hurt then of course you have to help them out and get them inside. But in general they are not allowed inside the building. Stray dogs? Funny you should mention that. A couple of weeks ago as I was walking home from work. There was a dog running right down the middle of the road. I was able to persuade him to follow me. He had the jitters and was I hoping he wouldn't bolt out in to traffic. I finally decided to go through someone's yard. Which I did not want to do. But he followed me home and I left him from there. Hope he made it home. :D Thats right ya I forgot about the problem you guys in the states have with people posing as vets to get handouts. I remember hearing about that now.. sad, it is! As for "street people", you never know what a person's story is. Because of my nature I tend to be drawn to misfits and underdogs of society.. and I talk to people on the streets quite a bit and once you get to know someone it's amazing how a person's story changes from how you first judged them Oh and Kudos for the puppy love. I'm sure you made a friend that day ! :) Well, I help vets the best I can. In fact, I met one in Florida while on vacation in October. I posted the story when I arrived back home. I always go out of my way to help folks that I know are down and out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted January 19, 2016 Share Posted January 19, 2016 We have them, Hanging around all the time. No way we could get away with letting them come inside.Where do they hang around, outside your house?? What are they after, biscuits and gravy? No but they do dig through the trash for old pastries ect.. We all let them have there way in most cases. We are nice folks. So do you live close to town or way out in the boonies? Although Alaska IS kind of the boonies. You silly Brit!! No, I live near Big Ben. https://www.youtube....h?v=UWB1Sqsx1jo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldRUSHfan Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Tea, Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grep Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Agree with everyone else here. You did great with him, and showed him kindness and respect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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