Meet Kenny
When this guy approached me on my way down Auburn Ave to the King Center I thought he was going to ask for a handout. I've got this a lot while in Atlanta last week. I had a tight schedule my last day in there, but wanted to walk to the MLK Center to see the city and "richest
Negro street in the world." (Dobbs) With my time short and things to do many, I had my usual quick pace--reading Wikipedia via my phone while looking for historic buildings and cars every few seconds.
Then Kenny stopped me. He said, "Hey man, slow down! Do you know where you are and what happened here? Some big things happened in this neighborhood not too long ago and you're passing right by them!" He then began to tell me the intricate history of the different buildings nearby with regard to the civil rights movement. After a 30 minute personal tour he left me at the Martin Luther King Jr Center, shook my hand and turned to leave. What??!! No request for some money? The law of reciprocity is in effect here...you can ask for something! I found out that he was homeless and in need from some of the questions I asked him. We talked for a bit more, and I suggested he advertise for free tours somehow...like the free tours in s
ome European cities. I was very satisfied with my tour so I gave him a few bucks and we both left feeling good about the experience because it wasn't focused on money. It was a fair exchange.
MLK Center
"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. Life's most persistent and urgent question is what are you doing for others?" -MLK
"When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.
Where evil men would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good men must seek to bring into being a real order of justice." -MLK
3 comments:
That is really cool that you got your own "personal tour". You probably learned alot more from him than from Wikipedia too.
I love that you took the time to listen to Kenny when he stopped you. "Good men" listen when others rush by. Thanks for the great post!
Hey, Friendjamin! Glad I found your blog, and so glad you met Kenny, and so excited you're joining our family. It would appear that you have been devoting your blogging energy elsewhere right now?
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