I basically resented encountering down and out loser types wandering the streets along with feeling angry when seeing some black kid with an unusual or strange haircut. That along with being uncomfortable around disabled or old people basically kept me avoiding "those kind of people" much of my life. Moving to the city forced me into many of those encounters.

Then by a twist of fate, I discovered how to let "those kind of people" out of my life.

I got to know them…

I found that the little old black lady, who sat down the pew from me Sundays and prayed so loudly, actually cared about me. When I did not come to church for several Sundays she called to see if I was sick.

Then there was this Mexican couple with the little kid that moved in across the alley from me. I decided to break the ice and called Francisco over one Saturday for a beer. He turns out to be a pretty nice guy and working two jobs like the rest of us.

As far as that black kid with the funny haircut goes, the first time I saw him gently pick up his little brother and wrestle around with him caused me to rethink my view of him.

Then there is William. When I was renting a room in my home this strange street guy came and wanted to rent the room. He told me a sad story and how he had to be out of the basement he was living in by noon the next day. I gave in and was really thinking I had made a mistake when the next day he moved in with a couple garbage bags of clothes, and a bag of potatoes. It took about three weeks for the barriers to start coming down. Then I found a forty-four year old guy that was really a sweetheart and had a hell of a hard life and row to hoe.

I discovered the easiest way to get "those kinds of people" out of your mind, and into your heart, is by inviting them into your life. They cease being "those kind of people" and become Nita and Francisco and Joseph or William. As near as I can tell people worth calling friends.