Rude Teens Make Fun of a Homeless Man in the Park, Then Understand Who He Is — Today’s Story

Hal Corman was an Army brat. This meant that he spent his childhood moving from one place to another, making it difficult to make friends.

Now that his dad had been promoted to some hush-hush job in Fort Benning, Georgia, Hal knew they’d be staying for at least three or four years. His mom was even purchasing new drapes. He needed friends and had to impress the locals quickly.

At least most of the other kids in town were either the sons of military personnel or worked for the base — but most of them had been friends for years which made Hal the odd man out. He had to find a way to get in and show that he was a friend worth keeping.

The three coolest guys Hal knew — Jerry Kyle, Conroy, and Kyle — were going to the park after school one afternoon and asked Conroy to go with them.

This was exactly what Hal had hoped for. There wasn’t much to do at the park. It was also the middle of the day, so the boys took the swings that were often crowded with mothers and toddlers and lit some cigarettes.

Hal would have been open with himself if he was honest. He hated the taste and smell of tobacco. But he needed to impress the men so he inhaled deeply and tried not to cough.

Conroy suddenly realized what Hal was thinking.

Suddenly, Conroy said what Hal was thinking. “Damn, this is boring! This town is dead, man! When I was in Tokyo…” Conroy sighed, “That was soooo cool!”

“No way!” cried Hal. “You were in Tokyo? I was in Ginowan!”

The boys exchanged jealous glances. “We have plenty of fun right here!” Jerry said.

“Yeah, man,” Kyle said. “As good if not better than any Japs!”

asked Hal.

“So what do you do for fun?” asked Hal.

Kyle and Jerry exchanged a furtive look. “We go hobo hunting!”

“What?” Hal asked. “What’s that?”

“We roust the winos and the homeless, man,” Jerry cried. “Get them to leave our fair town!”

The boys decided to smoke in the park. Kyle smirked.

“It’s a public service,” said Kyle with a nasty grin. “We’re hoping to get us some medals!”

Kyle and Jerry led the way into the park and found a man under one of the bridges. Hal was horrified. The man was wrapped in rags and piled on top of a thick layer of cardboard boxes.

We all see someone fall and think they are weak. However, we don’t know who they were or what caused them to fall.

He smelt bad, was filthy, and looked worse. “Hey dirtbag,” Jerry screamed at the sleeping man and kicked him. “Get out of our park!”

Hal was stunned by the darkened eyes of the man, who raised his head. “Leave me alone,” The man said nothing and turned his head to dig deeper into his rags.

But Kyle stepped forward and kicked him too, scattering some of the miserable bundles gathered around him.

But Kyle stepped forward and kicked him too, scattering some of the miserable bundles gathered around him. Conroy spotted the metallic clank immediately after Hal heard it.

“Hey, this dirtbag’s got something hidden in there!” Conroy broke down and reached for a metal box. The man didn’t react to Conroy’s kicks but the threat of his treasure got him up.

“NO!” He screamed. “That’s MINE – my memories. I need those to remember!”

Conroy, Kyle, and Jerry ganged on the man. Hal was able to see that it was a well-planned attack. Conroy kicked and pushed the homeless man until he fell to the ground.

The boys kicked the homeless man. He fell clutching his box to his chest, his arms wrapped around it, and sobbed.

He fell with his arms wrapped around that box, clutching it to his chest, sobbing. Kyle, Conroy, Jerry, and Hal continued to kick him. But Hal was tired of it. “Stop it!” He screamed. “You don’t hit a man when he’s down!”

In astonishment, the three boys turned their heads and stared at him. “Man, when you’re strongest is when you hit hardest!” Conroy said. “Didn’t your officer fancy-pants dad teach you anything?”

“Yes,” Hal. “He said the strong protect the weak, and that man looks weak, and pretty sick too.”

The other boys looked disgusted at Hal. “We thought you were cool,” Jerry said. “But we can see you’re a coward!”

“Stop it!” He screamed. asked Hal. “You don’t hit a man when he’s down!”

“A coward?” asked Hal. “I’m not the one standing with two other boys kicking a man who’s down!” Hal turned and walked off. He didn’t want to be in that group.

He was not only disappointed with himself but also with them. Did they really believe that? It was believed that being strong meant you could achieve anything you wanted. Hal’s father was concerned that something was wrong and asked him why. “Nothing, dad,” Hal replied and smiled.

“Well, don’t forget the military parade tomorrow, son,” he said, “honoring fallen heroes of the US Military.”

“I’ll be there, dad,” said Hal dutifully, and at 9:00 hours, there he was, watching the veterans march by. His surprise was complete when he noticed a man wearing rags in the parade of Vietnam veterans.

Hal saw the homeless man in the middle of the parade. He was the homeless man from the park.

It was the homeless man from the park! While he may have been wearing rags, his jacket was still dragging from the weight of the medals.

He was respected by the men around him, and Hal realized that he must have been a war hero. He and his friends had harassed a war hero. Hal felt deeply ashamed.

He told his father the entire story that night, including the fact the veteran had slept in the park. “They said he was a wino, dad,” Hal said. “But he didn’t smell like alcohol. I think maybe he’s sick.”

Hal’s dad looked at him sadly. “A lot of our veterans suffer from PTSD, and a lot of Nam veterans were prisoners of war, son. I’ll contact the VA, see what they can do.”

Six months later, Hal’s dad invited him to visit a friend at the VA hospital, and to his surprise, it was the homeless old man from the park!

Six months later, Hal’s dad invited him to visit a friend at the VA hospital, and to his surprise, it was the homeless old man from the park! He was clean-shaven, and his eyes were clear.

He gave a sharp salute and saluted Hal’s father, who retorted back. Hal stared at his dad in astonishment. “Hal,” his dad said, “I want you to meet Captain James Doyle, Special Forces.”

Hal gasped. “Sir!” He laughed. “I’m so sorry about what my friends did, sir! We didn’t know!”

The captain smiled and then shook his head. “I remember that day, son, and I remember what you said. Your dad should be proud of you.”

The VA helped Captain Doyle go home again. Hal blushed and continued. The veteran then told his friends at school about Captain James Doyle, who had fought for his country, and was kicked under a bridge in a dirty tunnel by children of American servicemen.

Hal blushed, and the veteran continued, “I’m better now, and getting help. Thanks to you I’m reunited with my children and maybe going home soon. Thank you.”

The next day, Hal told his friends at school the story of Captain James Doyle who fought for his country and had been kicked in a dirty tunnel under a bridge by the children of American servicemen.

What can we learn about this story?

• We see someone when they fall and we think they’re weak, but we don’t know what they were before or what broke them. Everyone deserves respect.
• It’s not proof of strength to kick someone when they are down — it’s cowardly. This is what Jerry, Conroy, Kyle did to their eternal shame.

Tell your friends about this story. This story might bring joy to their lives and encourage them.