Zebra wrote:
It's easy to make a rush to judgement. Last October I met a girl at Key Largo. She said she was not a working girl and had come there with a couple of friends of hers for the dancing. We really hit it off. As they say, the chemistry was right. Yes, I was a little suspect of all this, but I played along. After Key Largo we went to the El Pueblo disco. We had a great time. She never left my side and made sure that I was comfortable with everything. We then went to my hotel where she spent the night. We had breakfast together in the morning. I asked her about her life and got the typical hard luck story that they all have. She told me she had two daughters, one 3 years old and one 7. She said she had to leave to get home to her daughters. She never asked me for money, but I insisted, and gave her some. We agreed to meet later in the week. Several days later we met at the Mariscar [sp?] roast chicken restaurant on Central Avenida. She had brought her two daughters. They were so beautiful and had smiles that would melt the coldest heart. Now, I'm 51 years old and never had a daughter, so I was really enjoying this. We stopped at a toy store on Central Avenida, where normally, these girls could only look in the window. I told them to pick out whatever they wanted. Decisions, decisions......finally, after some time, they made their choices. They were so appreciative.
Over the next few weeks of spending time with them, I realized what kind of poverty they were living in. During that period of time we were together, I bought toys, clothes, shoes, food, school uniforms and paid to have two teeth repaired that were bothering the 7 year old.
Together, we all went to The Ch*ldren's Museum, the amusement park, the zoo and lots of other places, and yes we ate quite a few Happy Meals at McDonalds. I felt like I was 31 instead of 51.
I'm grateful for the time I got to spend with them and that I had the financial resources to help them. The time I spent with them was without a doubt, the highlight of my trip.
We still stay in contact with each other, and yes, call me a sucker if you want, but I have used Western Union to send them money sometimes and was happy to do it.
Would I do it all over again?........you bet. In fact, we're planning to meet up again on my trip next month.
Zebra
Under the right circumstances I could see myself doing just about the same thing when we're talking about K*ds. You did it because you believed it was the right thing to do. No one can fault you for that! Here's a story I rarely tell. I once paid for a young couples dinner in a Joe's Crab Shack in Houston. I didn't know them and they sure in the hell didn't know me. Wrote a note on a napkin slipped in 2 $20 bills and had the waiter take it over to the as I was walking out the door. Why did I do it you ask? Because it was the right thing to do. Otherwise, I can't explain it.
I know this chica I was talking about in my inital post has a 7 yr old g*rl. I have seen her picture. I am sure their standard of living doesn't come close to mine most likely. I have no problem making a trip to the toy store simply because when you're 7 "toys" and "play" are everything!
Berk......