Oscar is a rather typical resident of a somewhat lower income neighborhood in the city of Cartago Colombia in that he struggles with the rent, sometimes can’t afford a meal and stresses over the cost of a new used shirt even though still a working man deep into his 70’s . And for all that he seems a happy guy and laughs a lot and is always quick with a joke or story. There are things about him than’t aren’t so typical as well. At over 6 ft. tall Oscar towers over everyone as he walks the barrio and one evening years ago when he came to join us at the corner for a beer and stories I discovered that he and I have something in common apart from beer and stories.
On that evening we noticed that the condition of Oscars shoes were so poor it was doubtful they’d survive the walk home and my wife discreetly asked his shoe size. Poor Oscar takes a size 9 1/2 shoe and that is a problem in most areas of Colombia as it seems so few native Colombian men have feet larger than size 8. I know this as I’m a 9 1/2 and find it a difficult size to locate in Colombia. So the wife slipped back to the house to return with a bag containing a pair of my twice worn rather quality slip on loafers and with straight face explained to Oscar that I can’t wear them as they hurt my feet. And so that’s how it started
Once or twice a year ever since Oscar receives a pair of 9 1/2s from the United States because they hurt someone’s feet. That small expenditure that makes such a big difference to someone doesn’t change a thing in our lives one bit and the wife and I go with out nothing because of it. Recently someone “involved” in our government stated that empathy is a weakness of western civilization and even Christian leadership has been stating empathy is the work of the devil …. wow. Meanwhile as we cut off all aid to other country’s and sent no assistance to Myanmar’s disaster our leadership has us all worked up about the need to bring the wealth back to America. We’re getting ripped off he says …
Last weekend a number of people who believe in the need to return the wealth to America and put an end to our getting ripped off attended a fund raising candle light dinner with the President of the United States with a minimum donation of One Million Dollars per plate . I’m betting that no couples who attended that candle light dinner at One Million Dollars a plate were seen sharing one of those plates either as they are expecting something. And I’m betting again they are expecting something more than 
just a feel good moment for doing something worthwhile
