Ms. Holly O’Hearn’s letter to the Acorn (Dec. 31, “Pranks by teenagers can be dangerous”) reminded me of the Sunday morning I found a mysterious box in our driveway when I appeared to retrieve our Sunday paper. Unlike Ms. O’Hearn’s experience, we didn’t receive a doorbell ring to alert me about the box. Since we had a neighbor at the time who was always plying us with gifts, I assumed the box contained a gift. Thinking to open the box later I began returning to our house when curiosity got the better of me. I decided to return to the box and take a peek. As I lifted the box I was startled to discover a homeless man. My action woke the man from his sleep, and we faced each other. Why he chose our driveway I’ll never know, unless he sought the shelter of the motor home parked in the driveway. I explained to the poor soul I sympathized with his plight. Why should there be homelessness in the richest nation in the world? I prepared a bag lunch for the poor man and a cup of hot Yuban coffee in a paper cup. I invited the transient to remain on the driveway, but I cautioned him the neighbors would soon awake and might not be so tolerant. I directed him to the 101 and the coast highway. The choice was his.

When I returned an hour later, the transient was gone, but the box remained. To this day I wonder if he took the 101 or the coast highway.
Samuel M. Rosen
Newbury Park