Looking Down

I would like to start out by saying I'm not bragging - I'm challenging you to Look Down.
Gary and I went to Walmart Thursday evening - it was a later than usual shopping adventure - to look for a shirt for me - now I know why............it was for my birthday surprise trip (more about that later).  I had casually mentioned that I liked a pink shirt I had and wished I had bought the blue one - he says well where did you get it- I said Walmart - he's like lets go.  So for those that don't know - at 7:30 in the evening - Gary does not jump up and say let's go 'anywhere' LOL - I should've been suspicious - but instead I was thankful for his willingness to go with me.  No shirts that I really liked, but we wandered around to get a few other things. At one point we passed the shoe department- and had to pass a man in his 30's trying on shoes - he was dirty and smelly, but was trying on work boots and politely let us pass him in the aisle.  We headed for one more department then headed to checkout - and there was the shoe stranger again - ahead of us in line.  It was at this point that I looked down - to a man with one shoe and one foot with only a sock and the cheapest pair of sneakers in the store in his hand.  The lady ahead of him was in a courtesy wheelchair cart - and he unloaded her cart for her when he saw her struggling to do so herself - gently placing her bananas and other fruit on the checkout counter.  As he was doing that - I whispered to my husband to look down - afterwards our eyes met and he pulled his money out of his pocket and I silently agreed.  He started talking to this man about the weather and rain and such - and the guy says yes that is why I'm here, the glue on my other shoe could not hold it together anymore - so I had to throw it out and come her for a pair.  Gary asked if he believed in God, he did , Gary asked would you like this (and handed over his little pocket bible).  He got a little teary eyed and said are you sure you want to give me your little bible - Gary says yes, I'll get another. ..........but along with the bible he passed him $10, not a lot of money, but a lot to someone without any.  The guy said thank you sir - it has been a rough month, my girlfriend had to go into hospital with food poisoning from eating a 2 day old hamburger - I begged her not to eat it but she was hungry. With this I can get her something that won't be spoiled.  OH MY GOSH  We take so much for granted - just as the lady in the wheelchair was finishing off her transaction, Gary whispered can we buy his shoes too.  WELL OF COURSE.   So he offered and you know what the guy did?????  He said that would be so nice of you and pulled out the $10 that Gary had given him just 5 mins prior and said here sir you can have this back, I'll use the shoe money I was going to use for the shoes to get some food.
This is not the 1st time we have had the opportunity to share shoes with someone- there have been other times, the one that sticks out the most is years ago at McDonalds. It was around Christmas, so cold out (Florida cold) the manager was telling a homeless man he had to leave because he didn't have shoes on. My husband says hey can you wear size 9 - the homeless man says sure - right there in McDonalds he took his shoes off and gave them to the homeless man - then says what did you want to eat - I'll buy it for you.  The manager was speechless, but the sad thing is - he didn't tell my husband he had to leave because of no shoes.
So my friends, I challenge you to LOOK DOWN - does the person have shoes?