Homeless Woman Goes On Dates With Athlete For Months, Makes A Confession
Weekly Lunches
He could not help but feel a desire to help the homeless woman. From the moment he first met her, she captivated him. He decided to buy her lunch, and the rest is history.
Their one-time lunch soon became a frequent occurrence, and at one point, they saw each other weekly. However, during one of their meals, she confided in him. She told him what she was spending her money on. He was taken aback by her confession, he knew he had to teach her a lesson.
A Country Boy
Small Joys
Greg Smith, a resident in Los Angeles, was a very successful financial consultant. He was born and raised in Alabama, and he still felt like a country boy in the big city. However, he could not see a future for himself in the country and knew if he wanted to be a success, he had to move to the city.
Things were going swimmingly for Greg. He started at a company and soon got a promotion. Even though his job was time-consuming, Greg had a habit that also took up a large portion of his time.
Jack Of All Trades
Daily Mail
Greg was a part-time personal trainer on top of being a financial consultant. He had a lot of high-profile clients, and he also worked with many aspiring movie stars.
Greg felt on top of the world. However, some incidents in his life would cause him to reconsider how fortunate he had been.
He Was Lucky
The Sun
On his way to work, Greg had to walk through the Skid Row sections of town. Walking through the less fortunate areas made Greg realize how lucky he was.
The people who were there had been dealt unfortunate cards in life, and they had no choice but to deal with them. Because of this, Greg would frequently give some money to the less fortunate. However, there was one person in particular who caught his attention.
A Kind Woman
The Guardian
The person who caught his eye was named Amy Joe. One morning as Greg was walking to work, she approached him and asked him if he was having a nice morning.
Greg was captivated by the woman’s kindness and told her that it was going okay, and returned the question. She gave a similar response. Greg was patiently waiting for the woman to ask him for some money, but she never did. Instead, she asked a question that stunned him.
She Did Not Want Money
Public Domain
“Is it okay if I ask for some food? I’m not looking for money; I’m just hungry.” This was surprising to Greg. He had walked through Skid Row many times, and not once did someone approach him for anything else other than change.
He was delighted to comply with Amy’s request. It was his lunchtime, so he asked if she wanted to join him. Never in a million years could Greg have predicted that his lunch invitation was the beginning of a great friendship.
Learning More
Rockin Pets Foundation
Greg got to know Amy very well during that lunch. He learned that she lived in a tent and received money for looking after the animals of other people who lived on Skid Row.
There was something special about Amy. Greg was captivated by her. He thought it was really amazing that despite all that the poor woman went through, she still remained kind and joyful. Their lunch outings quickly became a weekly occurrence.
They Became Friends
ABC News
Greg and Amy had lunch every Thursday afternoon. Greg would meet her at the same alley where they first met. They always went to the same diner and shared a meal together.
This continued for months. The more Greg got to know Amy, the more she became his friend. But one afternoon, during one of their meals together, he was struck by a revelation that caused him to reconsider their friendship.
It Gave Her Away
Spectator Tribune
It came out of nowhere. Prior to this, Amy ordered the same meal as Greg during their weekly lunches. He ordered the same thing every week, so it was not difficult to do so.
However, one afternoon he wanted to order something different and asked if he could have a menu. Their waiter brought them a menu and asked if Amy wanted something off of the menu. What Amy said next gave everything away.
The Truth
Insider
She politely asked if the waiter could read the menu for her. The waiter happily obliged. After he finished reading, Amy could then decide what she wanted for lunch.
She realized that Greg was confused by the whole ordeal. She then confided in him. She never had the opportunity to learn how to read. But her confession didn’t end there.
How She Used Her Money
Today
Amy also told him that she had been trying to get a job, but no one would give her one as soon as they knew that she didn’t know how to read.
“She began to tell me any money that she can collect she uses to check out library books that help with learning to read instead of buying FOOD,” Smith would tell the press later, recounting their story. Greg was moved by this revelation, and he felt like he had to do something.
Greg’s Idea
Public Domain
When they said goodbye to each other after their lunch, Greg was left thinking about Amy’s situation. And after a while of reflecting on it, he came up with an idea.
The following Thursday, she met with Amy at the same place and at the same time as usual. But this time, he brought a bag with him. When he brought out what was inside it, Amy’s face lit up.
A Book
pnj
It was a book! Greg told Amy that from then on, he would give her some reading lessons in each of their lunches together. Amy was moved by this gesture: no one in her life had ever taken the time to do that.
“So now not only do Amy Jo and I sit and have lunch, I’m teaching her to read. I rent one library book a week, and we read it together Tuesday, and she practices on her own throughout the rest of the week,” Greg declared. But their story didn’t end there.
Another Surprise
ABC News 2
One Thursday, after their lunch and reading lesson, Greg told Amy to follow him somewhere. “Where are we going?” asked Amy. Greg said to her that it was a surprise. They walked together across a few streets.
Amy followed the athlete and wondered what he had in mind when they arrived at a hotel. Greg told her it was her new home.
Raising Money
Understanding Compassion
Greg had started a GoFundMe campaign and raised some money for Amy, so she could get off the streets and start living in a decent place!
He raised so much with it that he decided to start his own organization to help other homeless people from Skid Row and make their way to a better life easier. This was just the beginning of his story.
