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"During my college days I was employed by the college as a paid math tutor for disadvantaged students. There was this big black man in his twenties having difficulty with algebra, I had to start with basic math and slowly teach him higher skills. At first I thought he was a dirt poor kid trying to improve his employability. Nope, he was rich and trying to better himself. Started working parking cars at a lot, saved enough to buy his own parking lot, and later expanded and hired others. I learned a thing or two from him.

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I hear you ............. I was somewhat of a well to do kid in a suburban community just outside of Pittsburgh.

The greatest and most meaningful direction that came into my life was from a wonderful workingman. He was the "cleaning man" who came to many of the houses in our neighborhood. He was a "Negro", as was said then. He was a great worker ........... but more than that ......... to me ..... he was a close friend.

He taught me how to work, he taught me how to see the world.... and he taught me how to survive when my father jumped off a bridge to his death.

I was 13 years old when that happened.

Let's call this man, Kenneth........ that was his name.

When my father did his thing, Kenneths's words were the most meaningful to me. He said. "Keep your chin up."

Your story, roadcat, is powerful.

When my father did his thing, Kenneths's words were the most meaningful to me. He said. "Keep your chin up."

Your's is also a strong message. What I learned, besides don't judge a book by its cover, is not to think you're better than someone else and they have little to offer just based on appearance. Because of my experience with that black man in college, I helped others later as an IT guru.

One guy was a rough gangsta looking black guy from the ghetto working as a technician for me. Upper management wanted me to fire him. Guy couldn't write well, poor speech, and people were put off by his looks and manerisms. But he was a hard worker and dedicated, and curious. I taught him about routers and programming in exchange for his troubleshooting skills with multiplexers and wiring. He watched my back when we went to ghetto areas, me a white guy in a suit apreciated his street smarts. He worked his way up to a high-paid router administrator for a complex.