The Shopping Cart Man
Subtitle: A Yuletide Journey
Contributors: Ken Corbett (Illustrator)
Edition: First edition
Publisher: Peepsock Press
Published: November 1, 2006
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 200
ISBN-13: 9780979984006
Subjects: Literature & Fiction / Contemporary
First sentence: The load on top of their station wagon was a thing to behold.
Description: A family of five, traveling across country by station wagon in the 1970’s to visit their paternal grandmother, hears the story of the Good Samaritan and then encounters a homeless man whom the 10-year-old daughter insists should be treated the way the Good Samaritan would have treated him.  This results in the family taking the man with them on their journey and learning more about him –and themselves – along the way.  Meanwhile, as the man settles in for the ride, he begins having disturbing flashbacks hinting at his forgotten past, which drive him on a quest to discover who he really is, and how he came to be homeless.
Notes: This fictional story was inspired by actual events.  While entering a fastfood restaurant with his family, the author was approached by a homeless man who asked for money.  Not wanting to give him "beer money," the family entered.  While eating, they saw the old man enter with a homeless lady, order a kid's meal and sit down to share it.  As the man tore the tiny burger in half and gave it to the lady, the author saw her eyes light up with anticipation and gratitude.  This story resulted from musing over how that situation could have been handled better and the what tremendous impact little acts of kindness can do for others - as well as ourselves.
Table of contents: label: 1
title: The Journey Begins
pagenum: 1; label: 2
title: A Parable for Our Time
pagenum: 7; label: 3
title: Food for the Soul
pagenum: 12; label: 4
title: After Thoughts
pagenum: 18; label: 5
title: A Kind Offer
pagenum: 23; label: 6
title: New Duds
pagenum: 31; label: 7
title: The Drive
pagenum: 37; label: 8
title: Dinner
pagenum: 43; label: 9
title: A Night’s Stay
pagenum: 50; label: 10
title: On the Road Again
pagenum: 56; label: 11
title: Another Night
pagenum: 64; label: 12
title: Contemplation in the Car
pagenum: 69; label: 13
title: Something Happened
pagenum: 77; label: 14
title: Another Episode
pagenum: 83; label: 15
title: The Last Leg
pagenum: 87; label: 16
title: The End of the Line
pagenum: 97; label: 17
title: Parting
pagenum: 104; label: 18
title: Homecoming
pagenum: 111; label: 19
title: New Surroundings
pagenum: 117; label: 20
title: Crèche
pagenum: 123; label: 21
title: An Evening at Grandma's
pagenum: 130; label: 22
title: Back at the Rail Yard
pagenum: 139; label: 23
title: In the Backyard
pagenum: 146; label: 24
title: Discoveries
pagenum: 152; label: 25
title: A Story Worth Telling
pagenum: 160; label: 26
title: A New Neighbor
pagenum: 169; label: 27
title: The Truth Unfolds
pagenum: 176; label: 28
title: Dinner With Louis
pagenum: 183; label: 29
title: Old Friends
pagenum: 188; label: 30
title: It Happened at Night
pagenum: 192