It didn’t take me three days to realize he was gone, not standing on the corner, I noticed the first day. Casey is what I called him, stood every day on the corner of a local convenience store driveway. It perplexed me why he stood there. He wasn’t rattling a cup, no “work for food” sign, nothing like a traditional person who stands on the corner.
Casey was a stout man with longish dirty brown hair and a thick unkempt beard. He had the same coat, shoes, and jeans. His shirt was unknown to me I never saw it with his heavy waisted coat.
I always wanted to talk to him, hear his story, ask him if he knew Jesus and if he knew where he would go if he would die. Behind the convenience store is a sports complex where I often go and sit during lunch time. One day I saw him walking over the slight green hill behind the store, struggling to walk. I watched him labor as he carried his sacks of treasures. He made it across the parking lot to sit on a bench overlooking the ball diamonds. I could see him out of my rear view mirror. It was my chance to sit beside him, talk to him, not to be intrusive or make him feel like a freak. I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do for him, if he needed anything, to hear his story, to tell him about Jesus. I didn’t, I just went back to work.
Casey wasn’t there Monday morning which I thought was odd. I thought to myself, I was running late and he was already resting on the bench, he had moved on to another location. Tuesday same situation; he wasn’t there. Today is Wednesday; he wasn’t there either.
I thought while I was at work about Casey, wondered how he had been treated throughout his life. How would people treat him in different situations? Would they be kind or make fun of him?
I know now what happened to Casey, I heard the news. Casey’s body was found near the trees where he had made his home. He had died alone on the ground near a sports complex, near a convenience store, near the corner. I had tears in my eyes, I would never know his story. I would never know what I could have done, but most of all I will never know if he knew Jesus.
I didn’t know Casey beyond the figure I saw on the street. I don’t know about his life, where he was from, or who he was. One thing I do know is that regardless of your station in life, who you have dinner with, whether you are loved or alone, death awaits us all. We all will answer for our lives, all the good and the bad.
I was too busy to stop and tell Casey about Jesus. I don’t know who he was or where he stood in his relationship with Jesus. I should have made time.
Take action. Today. Move in the direction of love, kindness, and peace. Do good for others and take some time!
I am sad tonight…
I am sorry Casey, Rest in Peace.
We all have missed opportunities in our lives. They leave us feeling regret and sadness. The thing is to try and overcome fear and reach out with love and compassion. Thank you for such a poignant post!
I appreciate your insights. We can only act with vigor for that which we know to do in order to not have the regret of inaction. Thanks for the reminder.