It's Just Life

  • Home
  • About
  • Comments for a Cause
  • Tea and Teapots
  • Books
  • Travel
  • Writing
  • Recipes
  • Products
January 23, 2012

Harry With the Hole in His Neck

16 Comments/ 3052/ 0

I have met some interesting folks along the way, trust me!   Working in a church affords someone quite a few interesting experiences and I was definitely not exempt.   One of my tasks in my last position was to help assess and administer our Compassion Fund.  Mainly we gave out gas vouchers because that was something that no other agency in the area did and sometimes having $10 of gas made a difference.

One day I met Harry.  Harry and I had a relationship over the span of several months and I came to look forward to his visits.  Often folks who come seeking help at a church have an interesting story and Harry was no different.  When I first met him his neck was bandaged and he could only whisper.  Seems he was in an altercation where he was robbed and ended up getting shot in the throat.  When he first showed up he still had his hospital bracelet on—evidence that he found us because of our close proximity to the hospital and our beautiful carillon which drew folks in.

Harry was well versed in the Bible.  He put me to shame.  Here I was the “church lady” and he knew way more than me.  Harry and I had many adventures and even though I imagine some of my church friends worried about me when I was helping him I never felt in harm’s way.  I helped him get stuff out of his car and store it safely since he was homeless, I provided cleaning items for him to clean the still blood stained steering wheel and dashboard and yes—I even gave him a few meals.

One of the more memorable experiences was when he let me in on the secret that he was a police informant.  He was staying at a home in the area helping the owner do some renovations in exchange for a place to stay.  He told me he needed a ride to the police station as they were going to pay him for information.  Having no clue how this stuff usually works I went along with that story–after all—I felt he hadn’t lied to me yet.  So I drove and on the way he asked me to stop at the home he was staying at to get something.  I obliged and he returned with a sweatshirt.  We were driving along –destination police station.  I stopped at a stoplight and Harry hopped out of the car and I was perplexed until he hopped back in completely clad in sweatshirt with hoodie up and drawn tight.  It was hot out and I wondered what the heck that was all about and asked him and he told me he had to hide his identity when he went to the station in case someone saw him and recognized him.  Okay…….I admit now that maybe I had not used the best judgment but hey—-we were going to a police station, right?

When we got to the police station he went in the back door and I waited in the car.  I called the secretary at the church and told her if I didn’t come back to come find me in the police parking lot and we had a good laugh about that but she made me promise to call her if anything went weird!!   Harry came back out shortly with no money and I dropped him back off at his place.   He was not forthcoming with what had happened but I guess it wasn’t anything worth paying for.

Harry disappeared after some time and I wondered what had happened.  Every once in a while he would call the church and update us on where he was and how he was doing.  Life was not always easy for Harry but I still think of him today and wonder if he remembers me at all.  He made a difference in my life and I hope and pray that life has gotten easier for him.  Did you ever meet someone like Harry that you couldn’t forget???

Share:
Tags:
big heart compassion gunshot wounds police informant
← Previous Savor the Experience
Next → Teapot Tuesday

Related Articles

  • Ninety Two

  • More of What I Am Loving Now

  • Grief

  • Daily Gratitude

  • Thank You, Veterans

16 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. TBM
    January 23, 2012 at 06:18 am

    Awe poor Harry. I haven’t met one of my own. It breaks my heart that some people just have hard luck and can’t get things going. Obviously I don’t know a lot about him, but I get a sense that he’s pretty decent. I hope for the best for him and I hope you two meet again on happy circumstances.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 23, 2012 at 06:45 am

      He really was a nice guy though I know he made a lot of the older folks “nervous” because they just had not talked to him. He was definitely one of the calmer folks that came in–and I hope that life has gotten easier for him. Thanks for the comments!

      Reply
  2. Simply Diane
    January 23, 2012 at 08:04 am

    What a great story. I hope Harry is somewhere basking in the sunshine, happy and healthy. No doubt you made a difference in his life just as he did in yours and I’ll bet he remembers the nice “church lady” who took him to the police station with his hoodie pulled tight! ♥.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 23, 2012 at 08:06 am

      I still laugh when I think about my reaction when he suddenly hopped out of the car at the stoplight!! He was not that much younger than me but had lived a lot more life than I had at that point. I obviously still think about him years later!

      Reply
  3. Becky Miracle
    January 23, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    Our “Harry” was a young man named John that we met when the cruise ship docked at Roatan Bay. We went on our own for a tour with this guy charging on his own on the dock (a definite NO NO we found out later!). Donald and the boys and I get in this beat up station wagon and he took us all over the island and showed us sites we would not have seen on a regular tour. The true way they live and what they lack. It was the most humbling experience and still our favorite stop of all our cruises and all these years later. The station wagon was without AC, totally beat up and I had to wonder to myself if we would make it back to the ship alive! He was very well educated and had a degree in accounting and had family in Miami and was so into our upcoming Presidential election etc. we so enjoyed our time with him and wonder often what has since happened in his life. Amazing how a brief encounter with someone touches your life and heart forever.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 23, 2012 at 08:12 pm

      Amen, sister!! And too often we rush by and miss those encounters. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  4. bocafrau
    January 23, 2012 at 08:59 pm

    Great story. I don’t think I’ve met anyone that memorable. I think of different people that drifted through my life and wonder what they are up to now. Some people no matter how short they were in your life will have an impact one way or another!!!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 23, 2012 at 09:29 pm

      I totally agree!!! And don’t you wish you could just know where they all are now and how they are doing and what they are doing????

      Reply
  5. pattisj
    January 23, 2012 at 09:25 pm

    I don’t think I’ve met anyone quite like Harry, but I agree with bocafrau, memories of some people will remain with you no matter the length of time they were in your life.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 23, 2012 at 09:30 pm

      Patti–you are right! I think that is why I value friendships so much because people have such an effect on me and I want to maintain those relationships–where real or “imaginary”!!! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Helen Brown
    January 23, 2012 at 10:27 pm

    I think you told me about Harry but never this! You probably did not want to worry me. Being the wife of a minister, I met some interesting people. The one I remember (but not his name) your dad brought home one day for a meal. He was a bum who rode the trains, etc.

    Reply
  7. Brenda
    January 25, 2012 at 07:40 am

    Oh Beth Ann…. I have met so many Harry’s I cannot count them anymore. I want to believe that we touch them as much as they touch us!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 25, 2012 at 07:43 am

      Brenda–I thought of you when I wrote this because I know you have a heart for ministry to the homeless and not everyone understands that, do they?? I thank you for all that you do in that area—not everyone is gifted with the ability to do that–it makes most people uncomfortable and nervous and they just can’t handle it gracefully. It is people like you who get it!!!

      Reply
  8. Debbie J
    January 25, 2012 at 03:36 pm

    Beth Ann, I must say that I do not have Harrys. I’m afraid that shows exactly how sheltered my life is. Good for you to open yourself to someone in need!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 25, 2012 at 03:37 pm

      There is still time!! You might find a Harry someday!!!!

      Reply
  9. Christine Grote
    January 30, 2012 at 07:20 am

    I’m not as brave as you. I glad it was a positive experience for you.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Subscribe To Rss Feed
  • 2,256 Followers
  • 2,272 Fans
  • Followers
  • Subscribers
  • Subscribers
  • Follow It's Just Life

Comments For A Cause

  • It’s May – Time for Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Reece’s Rainbow

  • Comments for a Cause – Help for Ukraine

  • Powering Up with Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Cats, Cats, and More Cats

  • Comments for a Cause – Alzheimer’s Association

  • Comments for a Cause – A Roof Over Their Heads

  • Comments for a Cause – A Celebrity Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Giving Help Where Needed

  • Comments for a Cause – College Loyalty

  • Comments for a Cause – Saving Sight Through Research and Education

  • A Reason for Jubilee – Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – Caring for Others

  • Honoring My Mom with Comments for a Cause

  • Comments for a Cause – The Love of Books

Check Out My Past Posts

May 2022
S M T W T F S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Apr    

Text

Follow

Pinterest

Visit Beth Ann's profile on Pinterest.

Beth's bookshelf: read

The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
5 of 5 stars
The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users
by Guy Kawasaki
As always Guy Kawasaki has a great book with great information about all things social media. I highlighted tons of places in this book and it is definitely one that I will come back to time and time again to help me in all of the socia...
Old Girls in Low Cotton
3 of 5 stars
Old Girls in Low Cotton
by Helen Childress
This short book was one that looked like it would be a fun read. I honestly did not enjoy it all that much---it was a lot of characters bickering and while some of the writing was witty and funny it was not that kind of book that made m...
The Good Girl
5 of 5 stars
The Good Girl
by Mary Kubica
I loved this book! It had my interest from the very first page and was my "airplane" book on a recent trip. Author Mary Kubica created believable and interesting characters that the reader learned to identify with and care about. Mi...
All the Light We Cannot See
4 of 5 stars
All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr
This is quite a book! I had it recommended to me by several people and while I thought it might be a little dark and depressing it made me have a better understanding of what life in this time period was like. The strength of the huma...
An Abundance of Katherines
5 of 5 stars
An Abundance of Katherines
by John Green
Another great book by John Green. I have become a huge fan of John Green since my reading of A Fault in our Stars and this book was another that did not disappoint me at all. It was a story of a child prodigy, a lot of anagrams, and a b...

goodreads.com

Professional Reader
Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright © 2015 It's Just Life, All Rights Reserved.

  • Media Kit, Advertising and Disclosure
 

Loading Comments...