I entered the Greyhound bus station to get out of the bitter cold. I was shivering and very hungry. I had no money and nowhere to go. For a 19 year old lad, I was in a sorry state.
I took a seat at the end of a row in the passenger waiting area. I began rubbing my hands and arms in an attempt to get warm. As I sat there, someone took the seat next to me. I did not look up, but wondered, with all the available seats why someone would take a seat right next to me.
I kept rubbing gaining a little warmth in my freezing bones.
Then I heard a voice say, "Young man are you okay?"
I looked up and saw sitting next to me a very distinguished looking man, and responded, "Yes sir."
"I don't want to intrude, but you seem to be in some stress," he said.
Without thinking I poured out, "I'm cold and hungry, and came in here to try and get warm."
"It is nice and warm in here, but if your hungry there is a diner right down the street, and I can buy you something to eat there, if you like," he said.
Unable to believe my luck, as I had nothing to eat for two days, I replied, "Oh thank you sir, you cannot believe how hungry I am."
" Come with me then," he said.
He rose and started for the door and I followed like a long lost puppy dog.
It had been almost a year since I had left home to get away from a very abusive father whose ambition seemed to be to beat me when he was drunk. My mother had preceded me a year earlier and I had no idea where she had gone.
I had hitch hiked across our state to a major city, and found some odd jobs staying at the YMCA, when I had money for a room. Often it was a decision to eat or have a room. Lately the odd jobs were far and few between, and I found myself homeless and hungry.
I followed the older man to the diner and he held the door to allow me to enter.
"There is a empty booth down at the end," he said.
I proceeded to the empty booth and sat down, and he followed suit and sat across from me.
"My name is Roger, and what is yours," he asked?
I responded saying, "Tommy."
"Well Tommy I'm glad to meet you. Go ahead a check the menu, and order anything you like," he said.
A waitress arrived and took our orders. I ordered the roast beef blue plate special, and Roger ordered coffee.
"Tommy how do you find yourself cold and hungry," Roger asked?
I poured out my story, thanked him for his generosity, and said, "I don't know how I could ever repay him."
"Don't worry about that," he said as my food arrived. "Just eat and enjoy."
Things got quiet, and I attacked the food. I was so hungry that I definitely was not on my best manners, as I devoured the food. As I was finishing my plate, he asked, "Would you like some desert?"
"Oh my yes," I replied. "I would love some apple pie alamode."
Roger signaled the waitress over, and told her to bring me some pie and ice cream.
While we were waiting, Roger asked, "How would you like to make some money for a room tonight?"