When I was out of town, I stopped at a mall that had a homeless man and his dog outside a side entrance. Instead of just giving money to him, I sat down next to them and pet his dog while the guy and I talked about all kinds of stuff. He seemed like he was a good man caught up in dire circumstances, but my empathy for the dog was paramount. I told him I would go into the mall and buy him and his dog anything they needed. He said he desired a warmer coat. Done. And for the dog? The man said he needed food. The dog hadn’t eaten in a while. I went into the mall and went shopping at the grocery for all kinds of dog food and treats, dog bowls and water and then bought the guy a nice, warm jacket. I rolled the shopping cart of stuff outside to them. We talked again for a few minutes; I pet the dog one last time and left. Good Samaritan? Not really. I was drawn to them by my empathy for the dog. Simple as that.
