There's no shame

Last Summer, Dan (my little brother) and I were both unemployed and enjoying ourselves on our respective boats. We didn't have any extra money, but we were getting by on unemployment and the occasional fishing charter.

One day, we were heading into the local food jobber (Johnnies Foodmaster). There was a table set up in front of the store with some hippies collecting food for the local food pantry.

Our exchange went something like this:

Hippie #1: Hey brothers can you help us out?

Charlie: How did you know we were brothers?

Dan: We'll get you on the way out.

Inside the store, I bought a big thing of jelly, and Dan bought a big thing of peanut butter. Dan was sure to buy creamy peanut butter, because poor people have bad teeth, or so he told me.

The exchange on the way out went like this:

Dan: Here, all I can afford is peanut butter (it's been a tough week)

Hippie #1: Hey brother...we appreciate it.

Hippie #2: If you need to, come down to the food pantry. There's no shame. All you want. There's no shame.

On the way back to the yacht club, Dan and I had a good laugh.

Sometimes one must change perspective to appreciate how good you have it.

There's no shame...