Another excellent story, Martha. I like it on so many levels--not least because it's good to know I'm not the only one given to slobbishness and domestic messes.

Most of all though, I appreciate the takeaway from this--it would have been so easy to avert your eyes from the guy, slink past him and into the restaurant. Or turn back home for a PB&J instead. Or you could have just given him some money and left him to his own devices.

I'm not sure what I would have done--but I truly admire what you did and look how much more rewarding it was than any of the other options would have been. Terrific, I love it.