A Loss On The Sidewalk
The elderly man leaned down toward the concrete and reached his trembling hand out for a half-eaten hamburger resting on the pavement.
His jacket was torn at the seams, and long frayed threads swung from his sleeves as he moved. He pulled the burger close to his face, opened his mouth wide, and sank his teeth into the bun.
Before he could take a second bite, a police officer stepped into the frame, grabbed the burger straight out of the old man’s hands, and tossed it into a metal trash can nearby.
The officer pointed toward the bin and spoke brief words of warning before walking away into the crowd. The old man dropped his hands to his side, his shoulders slumped, and liquid pooled along the rims of his lower eyelids. He crumpled down to sit directly on the sidewalk bricks, pressing the sleeve of his coat against his eyes as tears washed down his weathered face.
A Swift Reaction Across The Street
Across the busy city thoroughfare, a woman dressed in a green grocery apron stood outside her shop display. She watched the officer toss the discard into the bin and observed the old man collapse onto the pavement.
Her hands unclenched at her sides. She turned around on her heels and pushed past the glass doors into the bright interior of the supermarket.
She moved quickly down the wide retail aisles. She grabbed a large brown paper bag from under a shelf and began filling it with food off the displays.
She pulled a loaf of fresh sliced bread from the bakery shelf and dropped it into the bottom of the bag. Next, she picked up a carton of milk and several bright red apples, carefully placing them inside without dropping anything on the floor.
Reaching Out A Helping Hand
She hurried up to the checkout counter and tapped her payment card against the electronic register screen. As soon as the green light flashed on the card reader, she scooped up the heavy paper bag into her arm and sprinted out through the automatic doors.
Her sneakers clicked against the city sidewalk as she crossed the street and headed straight toward the brick wall where the elderly man was still sitting.
He was hunched over with his face tucked into his hands, his ragged jeans stretched tight over his knees. The woman came to a stop in front of him and sank down on one knee.
She extended both arms outward, holding out the brown paper grocery bag filled to the top with fresh food. The old man lifted his head, wiped his cheek with his thumb, and slowly reached out to accept the gift.
A Warm Greeting At Home
The old man stood up and adjusted the bag under his arm, holding it tight against his chest as he walked down the city sidewalk. He climbed a set of wooden stairs inside a worn apartment building and reached into his pocket for a key.
He turned the key in the lock of a faded wooden door and pushed it open into a small hallway. Two young children came running out from an inner room, squealing with excitement and raising their arms toward him.
The old man set the heavy paper bag down on a small wooden table. He reached inside and pulled out the fresh loaf of bread, along with several apples, as the two children reached their small hands into the bag to grab the food.
Know someone who appreciates seeing people look out for one another? Share this story with them.