Just Walk Across The Street (and pay attention)
I had to share this one with you. I was at the church and was making a run across the street to 7 Eleven to pick up some gum real quick. I ‘noticed’ the clerk who recognized me because I come in all the time and I will sometimes exchange a few words. Anyways, just noticing the clerk caused my brain to start thinking about ordinary attempts and as I was walking back to church I had a chance to go a little further. A man came up behind me and asked me for two dollars which he told me was for some bus fare. I felt that was an easy request to grant so I gave him some money and then asked him where he was headed. Little did I expect what came next…
The man’s name Daniel (last name witheld). He is Shoshone Indian and he said his last name means ‘white man.’ He told me that he works in construction, and about his family. He has twin daughters with beautiful names that I could never hope to spell correctly and he proceeded to tell me about the lack of respect they had, which he pointed out to me is society’s fault. I was just there to listen.
He then told me about how his grandfather who was 108 years old had taught him respect and wisdom. He shared a story of how he took care of his grandparents until their last days. He began to cry as he told me their last words to him, “It’s time for me to go home,” they both had told him. He mentioned that he was sorry for crying and I told him that it is society’s fault for making him feel that it is bad to cry. He laughed. He told me I was very smart and asked me if I knew why I was smart. His grandfather told him that someone who is smart is someone that you can look at you in the eye and not care what they look like and show them respect. I said his grandfather seemed like a wise man.
He told me stories of his childhood as an Indian and how rough it was for him. He was 14 years old when he was forced into a special school for him and when he tried to run they caught him and pulled out all his fingernails with pliers. He showed me his right hand where is fingernails have never recovered from the experience. He told me how he was forced to go to church and when he resisted he was given a tattoo of a cross on his chest and a tattoo on his arm. He showed me the tattoos which were badly done. He showed me where he had teeth pulled out. I told him how evil I thought it was that these things had happened. He told me that it’s in the past and he’s moved on. I agreed and explained that I thought he had a strong spirit. He told me how he thought I had a good spirit.
He told me “you gotta tell it how it is!” and then detailed his thoughts on integrity. Then he told me how he was sorry for lying to me, but that he was using the money I gave him to buy beer. I told him I forgave him and then told him what beers I enjoyed.
We talked for a good two hours in which I was treated to a ton of Indian heritage and heard a song that he wrote for his wife. As I departed from him I told him how he had inspired me with his stories and he told me he had many more. I believed him.
So, this is what can occur from a simple walk across the street for some gum. I learned how powerful a conversation can be and how addicting it can be for a person who doesn’t usually get to talk to get a little attention. I know Daniel could have talked for hours. I felt a compassion for him and the hurt and pain that came out during our conversation. As I walked back to the church I prayed a quick prayer for him.
Just wanted to share…
Dan Pike
March 19th, 2008 · 4 Comments
Categories: OA Stories
Randy said
am March 20 2008 @ 5:36 pm
Dan,
I have to admire your willingness to listen to this guy. I’m afraid I would have blown him off, honestly. Even in reading your story I felt myself thinking, “This guy is full of crap…he’s telling Dan whatever he thinks Dan wants to hear so he can get more money.” Yeah, I know…not much like Jesus.
You spent a lot of time with this guy. Enough for him to feel a little guilty about lying to you, which is really cool. He probably has to lie a lot to get a beer now and then. Bummer.
Thanks for taking the time to notice, listen to and pray for this guy. Not only did you get to learn a little about the Shoshone traditions, you got to see a little of what God is up to in one man’s life.
And I think you may have nudged him just a little closer to Jesus. Way to go, friend. Way to go.
Dan said
am March 20 2008 @ 6:02 pm
I thought that Daniel probably did say a lot of things that were made up, but then again you never know sometimes. I figure he could have wasted his time by telling me lies or could have telling me what he wanted to share. I have a strong feeling that Daniel desires that sense of belonging.
The story continues…
Today Daniel came into my office at church and brought me a gift in honor of my marriage to my wife I had told him about. He gave me two sets of ceramic Indian portraits of a man and a woman that appear to look at each other. He made these ceramics by himself a long time ago. Daniel tells me the gift is to remind me to look at my wife every day and when the day comes when one of us dies to put one above the other as if they were looking up to see the other in heaven. I told Daniel I was very thankful. I have since hung them up in my office.
Daniel asked for bus money (AKA beer money I have now discovered) and I told him to come with me to 7 eleven so I could get him some money. As we walked to the store he told me how he had come to the church before and how he really admired Scott Parker.
I was a little disappointed that he pretty much had me buy him beer, but I obliged(I figure I wont let this become a habit). We again became caught up in conversation. This time we talked about music ministry and how much it is like a gang in his eyes. I assumed that by music he literally meant the church. The church is like a gang, he told me, in that we promote a sense of belonging and community much in the same aspects of a gang he believed, but I pointed out that I see the truth in both containing a sense of family and community a difference could be seen in their objectives. He began to discuss what he believed to be most important in this world to be human relationships. I agreed with him saying that I believed that is what God had created us for. This sparked something in him because he became very excited. He again brought up his thoughts on integrity and then we discussed thoughts on sexuality.
It is funny that I normally feel invaded in a situation like this, but at that point in our conversation I felt a compassion for Daniel and now I notice the beauty of his Shoshone heritage, and his language and see their value in the Kingdom of God. He has a lot of wisdom and he inspires me in a way I don’t even think he means to. I prayed for God’s love to give him a new sense of satisfaction.
He told me he wants to come to hear the music at church on Sunday. I told him that I will be excited to see him there.
April Terry said
am March 24 2008 @ 3:29 pm
I am just so wowed by this whole story! It shows how much people really need each other, and it shows how much God works to get us to pay attention to one another. Thanks so much for sharing this story!
Kate said
am March 25 2008 @ 1:04 am
WOW… Dan, that’s amazing. I somehow find myself inspired to go stand at the gas station waiting to find “my own Daniel” to minister to! LOL Thanks for inspiring me to keep helping people and renewing my interest in people. Haha I know all of the cashiers and stockers at my local store and there problems, but somehow I don’t affect them the way you did Daniel. WAY TO GO!!!! It sounds like Daniel really just needed someone to open up to and you are helping him. In 2 visits he wants to come to you church?
That’s Amazing!