Saturday, November 23, 2013

The Unknown Generousity of an Officer

Yesterday, I witnessed this and felt compelled to share the story.


After I got out of work Friday, I went to Panda Express on Shields and Blackstone. I walked in and to the left was sitting a police officer enjoying a meal. I smiled at him and he smiled back. He had a kind face with dark hair parted to the side. On the booth down from him sat a black man, wearing a white t-shirt and shorts. He looked worn by life and disheveled. He looked straight ahead. He was not eating or drinking anything.

While in line, I overheard the police officer ask him if he was hungry and that he would buy him something if he was. The man replied no that it was okay and that he was just sitting here minding his business. The man and the police officer struck up a conversation. While I continued to wait with a short line of people for the noodles to cook so we could order, I caught pieces of the man and the police officers  conversation.

The man was telling him that he lived on the west side of Fresno and went on about things in life; the officer listened attentively while eating.  I looked at the man when he said the west side and thought how far he was from home. He seemed happy and had a very jovial way about him. He was smiling and just carrying on with small talk.

Eventually the noodles were cooked, I ordered my food and proceeded to walk out. The officer and the man were still small talking, and again I heard the officer say, you sure you don't want something to eat and the man said, no, it was okay and that he didn't really like Chinese food and again he said, I'm just sitting here.

When I got into my car where my husband and three year old were waiting, I told my husband the story as we drove across the street to McDonalds to get our son a Happy Meal. While in the drive-thru of McDonalds, I see a police car pull up. and out comes the police officer and the man. I said to my husband look, there they are.

They walk into the McDonalds, the closer we get the window to pick up my sons food, I see the police officer ordering the man food and the man in his white shirt and dark skin with an endless grin on his face.

I really was taken back. What a kind unselfish act. Thumbs way up to this officer! A true image of a public service.  I don't know necessary what the man was doing there, whether he was homeless or not. What I do know is that this police officer extended the greatest hand of friendship and kindness to a stranger far from home with no money to buy food of his own.

This police officer did not do this generous act for anyone to see, he didn't know that I was a blog writer and that I had left my phone in the car and because of this, instead of  focusing on my mobile phone while I waited, I listened and took in my surroundings, which meant their conversation. He did this act because it is probably just in his character to help others, to serve. This made me think of something Pastor Franklin often says, that what we do when no one is looking, is who we really are. It is ones true character.

When I told my mom this story she said it made her feel good inside knowing that good people still exist and especially because it was a police officer because most of the time all we hear is negative about them. Well, clearly, there is good that abounds behind the badge and their good deeds and helpful hands are not witnessed by us everyday, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.


Francine