I was picking up some dinner through a drive through tonight, when a man walked up to the car in front of me in line. As she placed her order, he handed her a card. She took it and handed it back to him and drove to pick up her food.

It was my turn. As I ordered the food for my family and I ordered him some as well. He handed me a card. The card was ancient. The print was not new. Being in the printing industry for close to 20 years in my past, I could see it was not something new, but probably found in a dumpster and passed around for some time.

On the card: “Hello! I am a deaf mute and I am trying to make a living. If you can help me, thank you.”

I began to look through my purse, knowing I didn’t have anything but some change and I pulled out my hand full of lose change. Mixed in with the change, was a small Crucifix that I had intended to place on a rosary in back in May that I had designed for someone.

I reached my hand out the window, handed the man his card back, placing the change in his hand, and then placing the Crucifix on top of it all. At that very moment, I wanted this mans face perk up, his shoulders drop and looked me square in the face and said, “Oh MY! Its beautiful! I love it!

I asked him his name and he told me.  I  told him that I had ordered him food. I had noticed he was very nervous. I pulled forward to pay and as I was speaking to the women in the window, he made sure to tell her, no guacamole. She looked at me, a little disgusted, as one could tell, she was not thrilled to have him bothering her customers.

A line of cars began to form behind me, as I spent time with Tyrone at the drive through window, waiting for his food, and mine. He had told me, someone else had bought him a sandwich also, and he was very happy. The woman in the window handed me the food, and I handed him his. He thanked me again, and I told Tyrone that I would pray for him as he continued to look at the Crucifix. As I placed my food to the side in my car, Tyrone walked away from the restaurant, and crossed the street.

I knew this man was homeless, as I had seen him for the past two days, sleeping on the ground, behind a strip mall in an alley, that runs adjacent to my Parish. He had been bothering my thoughts for the past two days. No, he wasn’t mute. No he wasn’t deaf. But he sure is starving for our Lord. He was all I could give to him.