I had a similar experience earlier this morning. I was going to a meeting, but it wasn't open. So I was walking around the corner, and ran into another guy I knew from AA and the streets. I yelled over to him, and as soon as I did, I realized he was drunk. Right away I was like, "Uh-oh."
He proceeds to tell me how he spent the night in the drunk tank. He then asked that I bring him to detox or a local rehab facility. I said, "Sure, the cars right around the corner." He then gave me $5 (for whatever reason, but crud I wasn't complainin'.) and told me he was heading to a bar down the street.
All I could think to myself was, "Man, nobody is going to give you a drink. You look like you slept in a dumpster, you have a goose-egg the size of a golf ball on your forehead, and you look like you've been in a motorcycle accident."
I felt so bad for him. And powerless, because there was nothing more I could do for him at that point. It was heart-wrenching man. I really wish I didn't have to see him like that, but I'm glad I did, because it opened up my eyes, BIG TIME.