When I moved to where I am staying now, I started seeing this black man, I call him the Homeless Talk Guy as he sells a newspaper called "Homeless Talk" for donations, stand at one of the robots near me. Every time I saw he was always neat and tidy, well dressed and ALWAYS used to say "Hello" and smile. He was always smiling whenever I saw him, even if I didn't give him any money.
Eventually, even though I didn't have a job at the time, after seeing him for a while whenever I drove somewhere, I one day had some coins on me and I gave them to him. He came up to my car, smiling of course, greeted me and said "Thank You" for the money I gave him.
I then started keeping money aside for him on the occasions I had some cash, and bought some Sour Worms of something, so that I could give him a little more than I did the first time. Sometimes I didn't see him for a while and I managed to get like R30 together for him and when I gave it to him, the Homeless Talk Guy would come up to my car, as always smiling, greeted me and said "Thank You" for the money I gave him.
Sometimes I would only have a few Rand and cents to give him. Other times I had R30 or R40 or so, and every time he would be smiling and say "Thank You" no matter how much or how little I gave him. He was always very grateful for anything that I gave him.
Eventually after I started going to that specific intersect intentionally to give the Homeless Talk Guy the money I managed to scrounge together for him, even if I had to go out of my way and make a u-turn to go to where ever I was going, we started to chat a little during our brief encounters when the robot was red or I was on my motorcycle and he told me he is saving money together so he can get his Learner's License. I thought that that was pretty cool, so I always tried to give him as much as I could.
After a couple months when we had one of our little chats, the Homeless Talk Guy told me that he is now saving up so he can make his Code 14 Driver's License so that he can get a job. I then knew that he had passed his Learner's License and was truly trying to make a better life for himself, and maybe even a family. I am a white male and I was also trying get work but had been unsuccessful, but I still always gave him as much money as I could.
It has been quite some time since I have seen the Homeless Talk Guy, partly because I have had a different schedule and wasn't able to go to the robot at the times he normally was there and partly because he just hasn't been there.
I hope that he is no longer standing at the robot because has been able to get his Code 14 Driver's License and managed to get work because out of anyone he sure deserved to get a break and improve his life!?
If I have played a small part in having helped him to get that driver's license and get a job, I would be super happy! Being able to be there for someone that you hardly know, I mean I never even asked for his name, is one of the reasons why I enjoy making music and working with music because with music you can be a part of people's lives even though you don't know them.
I have also been fortunate and have been able to open Groove Inc. Productions, which will allow me to make music and also work with other people/artists/musicians who make music.
I also hope to be able to use Groove Inc. Productions to help other people like me, no matter who they are, black, white etc. who "just need that little bit" in order to have a better life, the opportunity to do so.
I only wish that I had asked the Homeless Talk Guy for his name and phone number so that I could phone him and find out the good news about him getting a job!!
groovemasta
www.grooveinc.co.za
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