Sometimes fairy tales don't turn out so well.
You'll recall the story of the New York City police officer who saw a homeless man without shoes on a chilly night. The officer bought the man a pair of boots and the scene was photographed by an Arizona woman who posted the picture on the police department's website. It quickly went around the world and the officer was hailed as a good Samaritan.
Now we learn that the man, identified as Jeffrey Hillman, was found by a New York Times reporter, again without shoes. He said he had hidden them because they were valuable. He also said he wants "a piece of the pie" because the photograph was used without his permission.
Hillman may be homeless, but he hasn't lost his sense of entitlement. The man was shoeless, he was given a pair of shoes, and now he wants to profit from a picture. That's America these days. I'm sure he'll find a lawyer to help him. Maybe he can wear the boots to the office.
I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.
Publication date: December 4, 2012
