GRIFTER’S TALES · BY COLIN LEE MACLEOD
People say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” I say a book has many pages and chapters. You don’t know someone’s whole story from the page you happen to meet them on.
A conversation in Whistler
I’d just arrived in Whistler. It was such a beautiful little village—clean, with plenty to look at and enjoy. One of the people I met was a friendly man who was living on the street.
He bought a cigarette from me. We got talking, and we hung out for a while. That was how it started: two people having a conversation.
The next day, it was getting cold. I saw him again outside the liquor store. He looked worn out. I stopped, spent some time with him, and had a smoke.
I’ve been there
I thought maybe getting cleaned up a little would help him feel better. When you’re down and out, living on the street, and you don’t feel good about how you look, it fucking sucks. I’ve been there.
Being a little cleaner and feeling more presentable can make a difference to how you feel about yourself. So can having food in you, knowing there’s another meal ahead, or having somewhere to sleep. Those things matter when you’re trying to get through the day.
What I could offer that day was practical: I arranged a haircut and a $50 clothing certificate. Something he could use. We’d already spent time together, and I wanted to help.
Many pages and chapters
I try to pay attention to how someone is feeling when I meet them. A rough day, worn clothes, or a difficult stretch of life doesn’t tell me everything about a person.
That’s what I mean when I say a book has many pages and chapters. There’s more there than what you see at first glance. Rich or poor, clean or dirty, we can still sit together and have a conversation.
Helping him felt good. From what I saw, it made him feel good too. We had a good time together, and it didn’t take some enormous gesture.
In a place where a meal out can eat through your spending money quickly, this felt like a worthwhile way to spend some of mine. Hang out with someone. Do something useful. Help make their day a little better.
Hey, that’s the grifter way.
Grifter’s Takeaway
Look beyond the cover. A person has many pages and chapters, and you’re only seeing one of them. Spend some time together, listen, and help in a practical way when you can.
