X-Ray

The other day I met a homeless person called Ray, known on the street as "X-Ray". I was walking home from a bar and passed a bus shelter where Ray was sitting with his belongings piled into a shopping cart. As I walked by he said hello. My initial thought was that he would ask for a handout. I said hello back and asked how he was doing? Whether it was his natural way or the sheer surprise that someone had acknowledged him I don’t know, but Ray walked toward me said he was OK and asked how I was doing? For the next fifteen minutes we talked. I discovered that Ray was a California native and had once dreamed of becoming an air pilot. He had a passion for planes, particularly U.S. World War 2 fighters & bombers. He was articulate and interesting to talk with. Ray had found himself on the streets at various stages in his life, most recently following the loss of a dear friend. It was apparent that Ray was not in the best of health and as we talked I wondered what his particular issue was.
The one thing that struck me during our conversation is that Ray loved his country! Here's a man in serious need of social care and medical attention and yet he held no animosity towards his country. Maybe he felt he had no one but himself to blame for his situation.
I understand that some people choose life on the streets, though I doubt they'd choose it in a healthy state of mind over basic housing and medical treatment. It's disgraceful that society can create, be allowed to create, a system with so much wealth and opportunity for some, yet so much poverty and disadvantage to others.
What can society do to eliminate poverty?