[August 2003 journal entry]
Walking quickly along the edge of the Vanderbilt Medical Center campus on my way to participate in an orientation session for the new class of medical students, I passed a poorly-dressed unkempt man – perhaps in his late 30s – who was walking in the direction opposite mine slowly and with a noticeable limp. Our eyes met for an instant as we passed, his hand outstretched as he asked for money. I walked by him without responding and cut diagonally toward the Medical Center. I immediately questioned myself re the obvious gap between my ideas/profession and this concrete moment. Though with only a slight margin for error re arriving on time for the orientation session, I turned around to discover the man was no longer in sight. I walked back to the point where we passed and saw him about a half-block away. I ran to him, gave him a few dollars, said “Have a better day”, and hurried away. I heard him say “Thank you”. I still felt disappointment over my response to this encounter.
