Paul's Comments

There is a play called "We Open in New Haven" about the trails and travails of an attempt to open an off-off-broadway play which, because of some problem, has to open in New Haven, Connecticut.

Well, the city - or town, I don't know which - of New Haven has a small "problem" with something they keep opening. Every year around this time they get a package containing several thousand dollars in cash. When it first started it was something like a couple thousand, and I think this year it was reported to be over four thousand dollars.

And they have no idea why. Nor whom the city's anonymous benefactor is. Somehow, the City Manager suspects it's someone who feels guilty over something, as the amount is in the range of the property taxes on a house, but they do not know the reason, and are curious as to what drives someone to send them thousands of dollars every year.

My thought was, "Hey, shut up and keep the money!" With almost every jurisdiction complaining about inadequate funds, my thought is, just take it and say thank you, or wait until someone decides to 'fess up and say why.

I was sitting in my wheelchair at Union Station in Washington, D.C. one day. I'm not sure if I had my hand out or I was adjusting something, but I was probably stopped for a moment while I figured out what to do. And, as with the City of New Haven, I have no idea why, but some man, whom I never even saw his face, came up from behind me, said "here", put two $5 bills in my hand, and walked off. I think you could have flown a 747 through my mouth at the time.

I wasn't begging; I never asked anyone for anything. But some guy walked up to me and gave me money. I have no idea why.

But I kept it. (Err, no, I don't have it; I spent it at some point.)