I was in line at Tim Horton’s this morning. In line in front of me was a man who must have had serious brain surgery recently. He was wearing a bandage over his head and you could see that a large portion of his skull had been cut open and stapled shut. He was missing at least a half-inch of skin over about a quarter of his head. He’d been shaved bald. He waited with the rest of us and at his turn, ordered coffees for him and a couple of friends, he paid his bill.
After he left, I turned to the woman behind me and asked “God, what on earth happened to his head?”
She said “Jesus, I was just thinking that. And first thing in the morning, too.”
First thing in the morning? I wondered. This just didn’t happen to this man today, I was thinking. It wasn’t until I was in my car and driving away did I realize what the woman meant.
Not for one second did it matter to her that this gentleman had half his head removed. Not for one second did she consider the pain the man must have gone through. Not for one second was she impressed that even though he went through this, he still waited in line for his coffee. Not for one second did she realize that this man’s family could have easily lost him because of this. Not for one second did she spend thinking of something other than how offensive it was to have to look at him first thing in the morning.
Not for one second did she remember it was Christmas.
After he left, I turned to the woman behind me and asked “God, what on earth happened to his head?”
She said “Jesus, I was just thinking that. And first thing in the morning, too.”
First thing in the morning? I wondered. This just didn’t happen to this man today, I was thinking. It wasn’t until I was in my car and driving away did I realize what the woman meant.
Not for one second did it matter to her that this gentleman had half his head removed. Not for one second did she consider the pain the man must have gone through. Not for one second was she impressed that even though he went through this, he still waited in line for his coffee. Not for one second did she realize that this man’s family could have easily lost him because of this. Not for one second did she spend thinking of something other than how offensive it was to have to look at him first thing in the morning.
Not for one second did she remember it was Christmas.