Were The Boys Right?
It was my last night in Los Angeles after having had surgery there three weeks earlier. My young cousins, Ian and Grant, were with me that final week, and on that last day they wanted to go to the Santa Monica Pier. We had dinner at a popular restaurant on the pier and I bought a large blanket with the restaurant’s name on it for the boys to use back home. The blanket was in an unmarked brown bag and hidden by wrapping paper, so no one could have possibly known what was in the bag. We came up these steps (the pier is in the background) and a man sitting on the top step asked if we could give him a blanket. He said he slept outside and that it was getting cold, and could we please give him a blanket. I was stunned, it was as if he knew there was a blanket in the bag, but the bag was unmarked and its contents were not visible. I politely told him that we could not help, and took the two boys and walked away. But as I walked away the man looked at the bag, and Ian and Grant looked up at me as if I had done something terribly wrong. I walked up to the roadway without looking back, but when we got there I could not stand having the boys looking at me as they were any longer. “Look,” I said to them, “I just spent fifty dollars on this blanket. What do you think we should do with it?” And they both said, “Give it to the man who needs it.” So I took the blanket from the bag and asked them to go give it to him, I wanted the blanket to be from them, not me.
Thank you to the groups “Bits and Pieces” and “ImageWriting” for featuring this photograph.
Were The Boys Right? belongs to the following groups:
Complex Simplicity of Art, ! 100% !, After Dark, Artists with Disabilities, Everyday Life, Images & Ideas, ImageWriting (2/24), Live, Love, Dream: , Mature Woman, Mysteries of the Common(2 per day), Old farts of redbubble, Solo Exhibition, Something To Say, Street Photography and Photojournalism, The Human Condition and United States Available for sale asGreeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints and Framed Prints
fatchickengirl
Radom acts of happiness are not always so random.
Serendipity!
HanLoosschilder
What a great story! Those boys must have big hearts.
I’m sure that man will remember you forever.
Shelby Stalnaker
cudos, my son was homeless at one time, and I know how he needed the blankets…..it will come back to you Cora
Daniel Fitzgerald
great scene! love it!
michael byerley
very good !! and the story i appreciate !!
Virginia N. Fred
Hi Cora you know my thoughts on this one, kinda like the movie pay it forward, nice capture…gina
Len Bomba
A great shot and what an inspiring story Cora. I think you did the right thing. You bought the blanket for Ian and Grant so it was right to give it to them and then let it be their choice whether or not to give it up to the man on the stairs. They sound like a couple of very compasionate young men. You should be very proud! Len
Wendi Donaldson
What a beautiful story!! I hope your surgery went well too. Cheers! Wendi
Kerri Gallagher
I remember this from PC I loved it then and now with the story that goes with it, it is even more wonderful you are a truly beautiful woman Cora.
riverotter
Fantastic image … and wonderful writing. Your image gives such a feel to the story, the late night city “feel” ... the boys are astounding, caring individuals! Kudos to them, and to you! I hope your surgery went well. Many blessings, Emily
Karen Checca
Cora, as I’ve told you before, “You can write, girl”! This story touched my heart. What a wonderful teaching opportunity was presented to you for your younger cousins and how wonderfully you handled it. I looked at the picture and took it in. Then I read your story and went back to the picture. I saw it so differently than when I first looked at it. Sometimes words DO make you look at things in a different light. Wonderful! :) karen
Cora Wandel replied
Karen, a belated thank you for your kind words on this photo.
Jawaher
Awesome shot Cora. Now I have to go there at night to check it out. Val
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Val! I got your message about May, I’ll get back to you about that. – Cora
marianne troia
cora – you know i like this photo and story. thanks for submitting it here
Steve Buffington
Haunting picture Cora. And the others are right. Good acts always come back to one. Well done on all accounts.
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Steve!
Braedene
Of course you were right and the boys did the right thing – amazing the way things work out. You’ll remember this pic. Liz
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Liz!
kathy s gillen...
great shot and story, you are such a kind person
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Kathy!
Lois Bryan
OOOOOO Beautiful, beautiful story … those cross-roads moments in life … don’t they just define us??? That you hesitated … sooo human … you had one good deed in mind … but The Universe had another!!!!! I love the image … the night’s haze illustrates to a “T” the confusion and uncertainty you must have been feeling!!!!
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Lois, it is hard to believe it was only a year ago for it seems so long ago. Thank you for appreciating this one. – Cora
amarica
Your sons have the hearts of love and giving, what a blessing…
Cora Wandel replied
Yes, this is a special story and I am proud of the boys. Thank you!
eelsblueEllen
I remember this photo and story from PC and it’s so wonderful still. :) You did the right thing. It’ll be a memory with you always. I heard the secret to being happy is to invest in experiences, not in things. :)
syd baker
Someone raised those boys right! Having been on both ends of random acts of kindness, that couldn’t have turned out better!
Cora Wandel replied
Syd, this one is very special to me, thank you for appreciating this one.
Danzo
Cora that was a tough call, lets hope you get a executive suite in that cloudy soft music playing place that waits for us all. You did good.
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you very much
Anne-Marie Bok...
I remember this one from PC too Cora. Great story and wonderful picture. And yes, they did the right thing and I’m sure you and Scott (2x) are very proud of them!
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Anne-Marie!
Anne-Marie Bok...
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Anne-Marie!
Crowmanic
I love the naturalness of this shot.
Cora Wandel replied
Thank you Crow!