The Red Plaid Blanket

( Last year I wrote this true story and then lost it in cyberspace somewhere never to be found again....along with the computer it was written on. I am going to attempt to re-write it once again hopefully with the same passion.)




The Red Plaid Blanket

It was a freezing beyond cold winter evening around Christmas time last year, something like this below zero night in the North Plains of America. I was making some deliveries that took me around the Capital Square in the heart of our city, when I noticed a man sitting inside one of the Plexiglas bus waiting areas. He was half sitting and half lying down. In our city the homeless can go to a large church close by, but they may not go there for warmth and shelter if they have been drinking. I am sure this gentle-man had been drinking. Either way he was also freezing. There was a lady sitting on the other side that seemed to know him but she didn't say anything, she just starred at him. As I was doing momentarily. Without any forethought whatsoever I turned and walked to my illegally parked car, opened the back passenger side door, grabbed my emergency Red Plaid Blanket, ran back to the bus stop and covered the cold, uncared for older gentle-man. He reached for me with tears streaming down his face and these words coming from his heart to mine, "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you....and more tears, as I held his hand in mine. I tell you I got in my car and cried so hard I couldn't see. I started out driving around the square again and couldn't seem to get away from the previous scene. A sad man with an addition that was killing him, but in between killing him it was torturing him. I had only covered up the pain with some kindness and not enough to take care of the problem, or so I thought. I continued driving around hoping to see him stand up and be alright, or be gone, but as I passed the same bus stop he was still laying on the bench covered with the emergency Red Plaid Blanket. I continued to pray and talk to God about this man who needed help. I went around the square one more time still praying...... it was this time that I saw the lights flashing from the ambulance and police cars. Someone had called 911. Why didn't I? I didn't because I thought he was not allowed into the shelter and this was the best anyone would do for him.....but I did keep praying! The last thing I saw was the gentle-man on the stretcher with the Red Plaid Blanket draped over his body like an Angel of warmth and love. For all I knew he had passed on. I tell you I drove off that square that night knowing I was a small part of God's plan to help that old fellow. God loved him sober or not sober. He helped him in his true time of need.
The next day I called the EMT's and inquired as to the gentle-man they picked up at the Capital Bus Stop.....the man with the Red Plaid Blanket. They told me he was taken to detox and was warm and getting some help. Of course he was.......... When God is involved to the degree I experienced that previous evening, I know ALSWELL. (my trademark word spelled just like you see it!) And last week I purchased a new emergency blanket...........