Blog post by Reed from Washington, DC.
When I started the second Year of Giving and invited others who were out of work or underemployed to pick up where I left off after my 365 day journey I didn’t know what to expect. I knew that a year was way too long to find someone who would continue the giving; however, I figured that I could easily find people who would commit to seven days of giving. I was wrong! I’ve had a hard time finding new Kindness Investors. Can you feel me trying to nudge those of you who are on the fence about it?
As a result I am in a situation where we have no Kindness Investor for a few days; however, I figured I would take advantage of this time to give you some updates on some of the amazing people that I met last year.
This is Knox on December 15th, 2009.
The Year of Giving began on the afternoon of December 15th 2009. On that chilly monochromatic day, I got rejected twice before finding Knox who accepted my $10 as he hawked his shoe shining services on the corner of 21st and P Streets in DC.
Fast forward 365 days and Knox made it to the year-end celebration on December 14th 2010. There is a great photo of us from that event.
And then I ran into Knox on February 12th after I was volunteering with Yachad. It was ten minutes shy of midnight when I heard the familiar voice reaching out to the alcohol coated passersby on 7th Street near Chinatown.
We chatted for a while. “Business is good,” he told me. And he said that he has been doing well. He claims to have a handle on his addictions although I am not sure what that means…especially after he produces a bottle of shaojiu, an indiscernible clear white liquor that based purely on the label probably has never made it to any FDA testing lab.
One year after meeting him, I was reunited with Knox, my very first recipient, . (photo: Michael Bonfigli)
Anyway, Knox is Knox. He still thinks that I am some sort of event producer. Ever since I invited him to the year-end party he thinks that I organize regular events. He encourages me to throw another party soon and invite him to shine shoes. I let him in on the secret that I am actually not an event planner…although I guess I could be as it seems that I am collecting professions these days. He seemed disappointed but I promised him that when I throw the year-end celebration in December that he will again get an invite.
I updated his cell number in my phone, handed him the three dollars I had left in my pocket and said goodbye. It was late and I don’t think I was helping his business a bit.
To read my original blog post on Knox that I posted on December 16th, 2009, click here.
Year of Giving 