The right thing

I gave a homeless person £20 today. I was waiting for my bus and saw him kneeling in a grubby little alley way with a saucer in front of him. He was looking so embarrassed to be doing so. Head down, unable to met your eyes, even those that were generous to him. He was obviously unwell too, which was apparent to even a simple observer. Most people walked on by but a few good souls took pity on him.

He repeatedly asked me if I was sure about the money and then repeatedly thanked me. A ll I could mumble was “just take care of yourself”, as I felt like crying. I just couldn’t speak more without fear of losing it.

I know what some of you on here will say, that he will only spend it on booze, as somebody said to me after giving it to him but while I carried on waiting for my bus he came over to me and asked me again if I was sure. Then he told me that at least he could eat today and proceeded to walk very slowly, shuffling, over the road to a fast food place and brought himself something. He may well piss the rest of the money up the wall but so what? I’m guessing that you need some barriers between yourself and the streets, the cold, the people who think themselves better, your own dignity.

I looked in to his eyes and saw true gratitude in them. Something you rarely see off people today. I looked in his eyes and saw what I could be. Sometimes you have to sod the world and what it thinks and do what feels right to you at that moment in time.

I’m glad I gave him the money. I just wish I didn’t have to. Good luck to you. Just wish I had asked you your name.