A Fine Line…..

I used to think there was Only One.

”There Can Be Only One!”, is an infamous line I’ve used a million times over in my life since, from ‘Highlander’ – yet another incredible Sean Connery flick from the 70’s….

Only One Line that divided people, in my Life- and that was the Grand Canyon of all lines- The Difference between a ‘Friend’ and an ‘Acquaintance’.  Yet, I was taught  within this last year past, that there are two lines of division, with ‘Those That Care’, in the center, betwixt the two.

Lemme explain:

An ‘Acquaintance’ is the person that has a spare room in their house, with no Purpose in mind for it’s use but just says, “Awe!” when they discover the person that they’ve known for anywhere from 2- 20 years, has become Homeless, by no fault of their own ignorance, and then just turns and walks away.  (The “spare bedroom” is currently home to several commercial grade bags of clothes and other quite useable items, that they’ve been meaning  to drop at the GoodWill, where it will be sold to other people with money, electricity an a Home!)

Whereas, a person That Cares, goes thru the mountains of pack-ratted stuff in that same spare room –right then!- and digs out a flashlight, a tent, a bedroll, a warm coat or sweater, some socks and some mittens and gives them to you, and asks, “Is there anything else that you might need, that I have?  Maybe this pan, coffee pot, bowl & spoon?”  And, while walking you to the door, they do a double-take and make a quick detour to the kitchen’s pantry and begin to over-flow your industrial-sized bag, with good  foods, not just the items that they themselves find less than desirable!

But a Friend– that’s the person that kicks the drunken transient out of the spare HOUSE on his land, and hires a man and a moving truck to bring you, your Animal Companions and your broken down truck, and moves you into aforementioned “Tramp Camp” to live & Call HOME– Rent-Free!  And not once has he ever felt the need to remind you that he did the most awesome thing that any human alive can do for a Homeless Person.

* (This is the place in my writing where I later noticed that my pronouns changed from ‘third person’ to ‘first’….) *

Not ever have I been made to feel obligated to guilt or indebtedness.  Not ever have I seen or felt any slight clue of ulterior motive.  Never have I felt like my role in this place has been to act as Indentured Servant, to Any degree.  Nor has my Space been invaded- matter of fact- knowing all the skills and talents that I possess, not once has he ever asked me for Help!  In fact – I can’t even believe that I’m admitting this- but it actually pisses me off, that he hires other people to do for him, what I can do better, free of charge and out of Love & Friendship!

It turns out, there exists a fine line to my new Badge of Bitterness too….

So, I’ve changed my mind- I think I will Honor the American Tradition of a Day of Thanks– tho’ I still refuse to give credence to the bastardized, mind-numbingly commercial “Thanksgiving Day”.

* (If you knew what happened to me LAST “Thanksgiving”, you just might join me in my new beliefs regarding THAT day….) *

May All the gods Bless ‘the People That Care’ and The Real Friend That was There!