This afternoon my wife and I were just hanging out at the house. I was in my office flipping between football games and I think she was watching a movie or something in the living room when the doorbell rang. When we got to the door there was a black guy standing there, in his late 20’s / mid 30’s, he obviously had been in the rain for a little while because his clothes were wet. He was wearing a clean shirt and a tie, his pants were pressed, etc., looking better than I do most days! He wasn’t standing right in the doorway either, he was about 4 steps away from the door almost standing out in the rain.
He introduced himself as Roy to us and told us that he was working for a company, Freedom Sales, that took young people that come from rough pasts or disadvantaged homes and helped them to have a second chance in life. He went on to tell us he was from Chicago, and that he used to be into drugs and that as of 4 years ago he had given his life to Christ. It was at that point that we shook hands or I gave him a high-five, I can’t remember. He went on to tell us that he was selling magazine subscriptions and also was being graded by the people that he met going door to door based on his appearance and his communication, he had a clipboard that he had us fill out.
He was extremely cordial the whole time. We stood there talking for a few minutes before it dawned on me that he was somewhat timid and hadn’t really gotten very close to the doorway of the house. I invited him inside, I am sure that this company probably trains them to not be all in your face when they are doing door to door sales, and that’s a good practice, but I immediately liked this dude, besides if it went south quick, I could take him. It was at this time that I noticed a white SUV drive by the house really slow and a guy that I haven’t seen before gawking at us, so naturally I sort of gawked back but didn’t think anything about it.
As Roy sat there at the table and Donna was filling out her order for the magazine we got from him, both of us have a soft spot for people in Roy’s situation because we can both sympathize. Well, as we were sitting in our formal dining room as he and I were talking and I noticed the white SUV drive by again really slowly. I got to thinking that they might be with him so I asked if his supervisor was in a white SUV because he had mentioned that he was going to meeting up with his supervisor soon to go to another neighborhood.
He said that no, that wasn’t his supervisor, but that it was one of my neighbors. Apparently someone I haven’t met yet because I had never seen that SUV before. Roy went on to tell me that he had called on that guy the night before but that instead of just telling him he wasn’t interested in buying his products or listening to his sales pitch, he instead went back into his house and got a shotgun! He also called him the “N” word and told him to get lost. Putting two and two together I figured out what was going on, this redneck was stalking Roy.
As Donna had finished up her order form she headed back into the kitchen and asked him if he was hungry, he told her that he had been working but was fixing to take a break for dinner and thanked her anyway. Donna insisted on fixing him a Turkey sandwich, so he left here with a turkey sandwich. He might not know it but I kept my eye on him as he headed down the street.
Roy also doesn’t know that his courage today was a blessing to us. As he left I strongly considered locating the driveway with the White SUV and letting them know what I thought, but I decided I would just let it alone. I did however tell Roy that if he ran into this moron again to be sure to take off running back to our place and I would take care of the situation really quick! The fact that that sort of thing goes on is mindboggling to me, and to know that there is possibly someone in my own neighborhood w/ racial bias like this is troubling. I figured if Roy was okay just to let it go and pray for the guy, then I would be too…
The reason I say Roy was a blessing to us was because what a lot of people don’t understand is that when a person is trying to get their life back together, it doesn’t take a lot to discourage them, and make them just give up. Knowing the fact that he was basically ran off the day before from this rednecks house with a shotgun, and clearly shaken up by the whole ordeal, he managed to have enough courage to get out again today and go door to door in the exact same neighborhood, and in the rain! Not only that, but he knew this moron redneck was more or less stalking him the next day and he still went on with his head held high.
I can remember when the builders finally finished our house and we got moved in, we had all of our friends and family over for a huge house blessing party and cookout. During that party our pastor spoke a prayer that “our house would be a lighthouse for our neighborhood that shows the way to those who are lost” and that has stuck with me all this time.
Well, hopefully today we were able to be a lighthouse for Roy, at the cost of a Turkey sandwich and a few minutes of our time. Not a bad exchange if you think about it. Knowing the neighbors I have on both sides of me, I can say that we aren’t alone either… Be a lighthouse in your neighborhood!!!
I had to post an update to this, I just looked out my office window (9:00pm) and saw Roy walking by again, I walked outside to say hi and invited him in for a glass of tea while he waited on his ride. He informed me that two doors down, one of our other neighbors had called the Police and told them about the guy stalking him in a white SUV and the police came out and did a report on it. I think that our neighborhood, w/ the exception of one redneck has adopted Roy!!
I'm so proud of my son & Daughter-in-law. They are two special people, and their home is a great lighthouse for anyone out there that needs to be led home.