[P-Marlowe]

When I was growing up the poorest person we knew was the assistant priest at our Episcopalian church. Looked underfed, lived in a cheezy apartment over a beauty salon, threadbare clerical collar and sold handmade Christmas ornaments to get enough money for smokes.

Did you ever consider sending him an anonymous gift? Perhaps a case of cigarettes or a lease on an upscale apartment or a gift certificate to a Clothing store or a restaurant?

[billorites]

"Did you ever consider sending him an anonymous gift?"

Yeah, my Dad would sometimes toss a pack of Benson and Hedges into the collection plate on Sunday

but he'd get this blowback that they weren't appreciated because they were menthols.

Dad's response was vulgar.

It became a vicious circle.