Ten Minutes at Recycling Center Proves Priceless to Dublin Woman

By AUTUMN JOHNSON

A Dublin woman visiting a local recycling center this week found her trip to cash in recyclables to be far more valuable than she could have ever expected. Karen Szurgot says she has patronized the same recycling center in Pleasanton for eight years, using the cash she collects as “coffee money.”

During her most recent visit on Monday, while she waited in line, she struck up a conversation with a man in his sixties who appeared to be homeless.

She never got his name but she will remember the chance encounter with him on that blazing hot day for a long time to come.

Szurgot said, “I’m as guilty as the next person for not making eye contact with people on the street corner with signs asking for help. But, as the sun beat down on us and I felt uncomfortably hot, our conversation began. I remember thinking, ‘I‘m sweltering in this heat but later today I’ll be relaxing in my tub.’ That was a certainty. He wouldn’t have that luxury.”

According to Szurgot, his boots had recently been stolen and he was self-conscious about his clothes being dirty but he still managed to smile easily, despite some pretty big challenges in his life.

“In those few minutes, I found myself asking him lots of questions,” Szurgot said. “We covered a range of topics from how he would try to cool off in this heat (swimming at Shadow Cliffs) to how he lost the last little job he had (renting boats at Shadow Cliffs) because his disposable cell phone was out of minutes ... to how the best boots he ever had were recently stolen.”

Szurgot said that although the subject matter was sad to hear, the conversation wasn’t actually sad.

“He had a lovely positive spirit and smiled easily,” she recalled. “My plastic was weighed and I passed my ticket to him to cash in. He was shocked ... he started to tear up and asked if he could give me a hug. I delighted in giving him a huge warm hug and wished him well.”

Szurgot says the man made her think of her father, who grew up very poor.

She said, “...What if my dad hadn’t gotten the GI Bill, which afforded college and opportunities? How very different life can turn out. I wondered what brought him to this point in his life. Bad luck? Addiction? Our chat was about 10 minutes. I felt compassion and pity. I also felt a bit ashamed of my own self-pity and complaining in recent weeks as I have been preparing for a move.”

Szurgot, who owned and operated From Karen’s Kitchen and has lived in Tri-Valley for 12 years, will soon be moving out of the area.

“I took note and took stock of my many blessings,” Szurgot commented. “I felt so happy to be able to give him my ticket but it was only for $7 and change. Ultimately, I felt happy I took the time to show him the respect and kindness we all deserve.”

Indeed, sometimes life’s most important lessons happen when people are least expecting them.

“Never hurts to be reminded how damn lucky you are in life,” she said.

Stock photo courtesy Morguefile.