Restoring My Faith in Humanity

The story I'm about to tell you is true.

In the summer of 2007, I was riding my Valkyrie across America. In the late summer I found myself in Lake Charles, Louisiana. There was a category 5 hurricane just off the coast and it occurred to me that hurricanes and motorcycles might not blend too well. I booked a few nights at the Isle of Capri Casino to sit out the storm.

I've been playing poker most of my life. While I was at the casino, I met a guy named "Smoky" playing cards. We struck up a conversation and we got a long well. Smoky as it turns out, was a Vietnam vet. He was down on his luck and had been living in his car. He was going broke. During the course of that few days, I invited Smoky to stay with me in my room and I sprung for meals. I was running pretty good and before I left town- I spotted Smoky a few hundred bucks. Truth is, I can't remember how much I gave him. I do remember him asking me for my phone number. That was almost four years ago. I never expected to hear from Smoky again.

This morning my phone rang. Some guy named Smoky in Sioux Falls, S.D. was on the other end. He wanted to know where he could send a few hundred bucks. If you think the money matters, you'd be wrong. It's the phone call that made my day. Wow. Guys like Smoky restore my faith in humanity.