A Humble Gesture: How One Elderly Man’s Encounter with a Homeless Man Taught a Lesson in Generosity

It was an ordinary day when an elderly man found himself walking down the street, only to be approached by a homeless man who looked worn out and disheveled. The homeless man politely asked for a few dollars, hoping to get some money for a meal. The elderly man paused for a moment, reaching into his pocket to pull out his wallet. As he thumbed through the bills, he had a thought. Instead of simply handing over the cash, he decided to ask the homeless man a few questions.

The elderly man held up a ten-dollar bill and asked, “If I give you this money, will you spend it on beer instead of food?”

The homeless man looked at him, shaking his head, and responded, “No, sir. I gave up drinking years ago.”

The elderly man then asked, “Will you use this money to go fishing instead of buying a meal?”

The homeless man smiled faintly and replied, “No, I don’t have time to fish. Every day, I’m just trying to survive.”

Still curious, the elderly man pressed further, “Will you spend this money on green fees at a golf course instead of eating?”

The homeless man chuckled and said, “Are you crazy? I haven’t played golf in 20 years!”

Finally, the elderly man asked one last question: “Will you use this money to spend on a woman in the red-light district instead of buying food?”

The homeless man laughed out loud and said, “What kind of disease could I get for just ten bucks?”

The elderly man smiled, pleased with the honesty of the answers he had received. “Well,” he said, “I’m not going to give you this money after all. But instead, I’m going to take you home for a nice meal that my wife will prepare.”

Surprised and taken aback, the homeless man hesitated. “Are you sure? Won’t your wife be upset? I’m dirty, and I probably smell pretty bad.”

The elderly man just smiled and said, “That’s okay. My wife needs to see what a man looks like when he’s given up drinking, fishing, golfing, and dating.”