Kindness #1

It’s a cold and rainy day in Sheffield. I’m cycling up Sharrowvale Road, having been to the gym and on my way to the pet shop to buy some new hay for my gerbils. Boston. And Romone.

I get to Hunters Bar, to get a tenner from the cashpoint, for the petshop hay, and there’s a familiar guy sitting, begging. I don’t know his name, but I’m cold, and he must be freezing. Someone walks past and offers him an apple. I hear him decline. I know it’ll be because of his teeth. 

“I’m not keen on apples either mate.” I tell him. He replies it’s his teeth. What would you like… A hot chocolate? I’ll see what I can do.

I head back down the road, go to the pet shop, get the hay, and chat for a while with Mathew, the shop owner, he’s been there 30 years. Then on to a new vegetarian cafe, it’s quite busy, called POM, the food looks amazing. They have a deconstructed hot chocolate for £4, but that’s not going to work for a takeaway. I tell them it’s for the homeless guy up the road. They offer to make a regular one, and when I ask how much the really nice looking biscuit is, they tell me I can have it for free, because it’s for the homeless guy, they know him, and his name. Carl.

I take the drink, and the biscuit, they only charged me £2, and I go and give them to Carl. He says ‘God bless you.’

I cycle off. I’m upset. I’m not even sure why. Maybe a bit of the pain of the World got through to me. Maybe it was Carl, saying God Bless You.

God bless me…? 

Cost of Kindness. £2.