The story of Chuck, the homeless man who collects treasures in his shopping cart, continues. Here is the next part of the story. Each week I will add a new chapter to the story, with the hope that we can become treasure-seekers like him. Please note, this is told as if it is a true story, but it is not!
I saw the homeless man a few days later, and this time I had some time to chat with him.
‘Hey, remember me? We talked about your treasures a few days ago.’
‘I remember’, he said, smiling.
‘My name is Norm’, I said, hoping he would tell me his name.
‘Pleased to meet you, Norm’. For some reason he didn’t seem as eager to talk.
‘I really appreciated what you had to say, you know, about your treasures, and God giving you the time of day…’
‘So… have you?’
‘Have I what?’ I asked, confused?
‘Have you got any treasures?’
I remembered now that this was the question he asked me the last time, before he told me about his treasures.
Yes, yes I do. But I guess what I appreciated about what you said is that it made me realize that they were treasures. My own family I mean. I’ve got lots of things, but what you said made me realize that the greatest treasures I’ve got are not things, but people. My family…’
‘You’re a rich man!’ he said, and he started to push his cart away. I sensed he was done, and I didn’t want to pry. But I wanted to know his name at least.‘Anyway, thanks again… I’m sorry, what was your name?’
He looked at me, and I noticed that his eyes were moist with tears. At first I didn’t think he was going to tell me his name, but then he did.
‘Chuck, just Chuck.’ After a short pause, he continued. ‘Thanks for asking my name. Most people don’t want to know my name. People pretend not to see me, or they just stare at me. Not too many talk to me.’
‘Like I said, you’re a rich man. Never forget it. God puts many people in our lives, but often we don’t appreciate them.’ He grabbed the picture of his family. ‘I wish I did. I wish I had appreciated my real treasures more’. He moved to a nearby bench and sat down, still holding his picture. I sat beside him.
‘I used to be successful, a good job, nice house, lots of things, you know. But I wasn’t happy. I stupidly thought that I needed more. Working the extra hours, extra jobs on the side to make more money. But when that wasn’t enough, I started going to the casino. At first I was careful, and I was good. One time I made almost $6000. Its addictive, you know. After a big win like that, you keep thinking that the next time will be the big one!’
He shook his head. ‘They sure make it easy to get money there’. I blew it all. Savings, line of credit, credit cards to pay off credit cards. Each time I thought I was going to win.’
‘Everything fell apart. She found out. I tried to stop, even went to a Support Group. But when I lost my job, that was it. She left me, took the house, the car, whatever we had left… and the kids.’ He paused, then started repeating the same word over and over again – ‘stupid… stupid… stupid…’
I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to say something, but nothing seemed appropriate.
Then he said, ‘You know what keeps me going? Its God.’
Now I’ve heard people say this before, but it always sounded so cliché. But when he said it, it sounded real. I started to tell him that I knew what he meant, that I was a Christian, and a Pastor, and that I believed in God too.
But he just shook his head slowly, and said, ‘Not really into church – no disrespect.’ After a pause, he went on, ‘When I started reading this book, I kept reading the parts about failures like me. Its as if God wanted me to see all the jerks and morons in the bible. That’s why I have hope. If God can help them, He can certainly help me.’
‘I’ve got one prayer nowadays. Only one prayer. That He will let me have my treasures back, my real treasures. I keep waiting for the day when I will see my kids, and my wife, and they won’t walk away. It’s a long shot – after all I’ve done – but its my only hope.’
I could only imagine what his pain must be like. Once again I felt stupid saying something, but I felt like I needed to say something, something encouraging.
‘I won’t preach a sermon ,’ I said, ‘but I just want to encourage you to keep on hanging onto God. I know I hear God speaking through you, so I am sure He is working for you. I’ll pray for you…’
‘You don’t have to do that,’ he said. ‘I’ll be ok. Just don’t mess up like I did. Figure out what – I mean who – your real treasures are, and love them. Can’t change the past, that’s in God’s hands, but you can do something about today!
‘Well, got to go,’ he said, as if he had pressing business to do, and he stood to leave. ‘I’m going treasure-hunting’ he said with a wink, and shuffled off with his grocery cart.
As he walked away, I sensed deep within me that God was trying to tell me something. I watch him walk away with his worldly possessions – mostly junk – in a grocery cart. That’s when I felt it. Deep inside of me I sensed God assuring me that He was going to help this man. Yes, God’s going to help him… That’s what He does!
As I went on my way, I became aware of God with me, like He was with Chuck. I felt peace, I felt good. I thought about my treasures… and about Chuck’s treasures.
And I said a prayer for him.