The Devil Inside

I was stopped earlier tonight at a red light, waiting to get onto the highway and head home.  Near my car was a man holding a sign.  Thinking of other things, I really didn't pay much attention until I realized that the man was pointing at me, at my car, and talking ... to himself, I guess. 

    Now ... this is the part of the story in which you probably think

I'll hear something that makes me pull out my wallet, right? 

 

Wrong.

My window was part way down.  As I directed my attention to the man to hear what he was saying, pointing at me, at my car, I hear - quite distinctly - that I am going to hell, that I have evil in my heart, that I am filled ... filled with the devil.  Over and over, the man was informing me that I am evil.  I have an evil heart.  So many variations but all essentially stating the same thing.  Evil-doer in our midst!

My reaction?  Well, friends and stalkers, my instant and spontaneous reaction probably earned me that direct connect downward. 

I laughed.  Loudly and heartily.  Hearing someone who knows nothing about me but that I drive a small blue toaster and listen to J.R.R. Tolkien during my commute - [oh, FINE, that probably earns me purgatory or something] - proclaim that I have the devil inside me made me guffaw. 

Cackle, even. 

And then I drove on. 

 

I don't know, perhaps the man says such things whenever someone comes to the light and doesn't look at him. It can't possibly make for a good business practice.  Does that ever convince someone to hand over $1, $5, $10?  Now, I know there are homeless people out there who need help but I also know there are people out there scamming others using that ruse and/or people simply looking for their next fix.  I can't tell the difference, therefore, I choose to help in other ways, in other places, instead of wondering if it was my $5 that covered the last pint or last rock that put someone in the ground or in a violent rage. 

 

So if you're reading this and judging me ...

 

 ....well, whatever, start mumbling that I'm evil and headed to hell.

 

And I'll keep chuckling.  Deal?