Living On The Streets.(Stephen Pearmine) A very short story


Living On The Streets.


Winter was the worst time of year if you didn't have a home to go to.  Living on the streets where people would pass you with disgusted looks on their faces, not understanding why anyone would choose that life, but tragically, it wasn't as simple as that.  At thirty, I found myself in that terrible predicament, by no fault of my own. A string of bad luck had caused it.  Losing my job after twelve years of loyal service, then my landlord evicting me because I had no money to pay the rent.  Feeling embarrassed about the situation I faced, I kept it a secret from my parents, who lived miles away.  

    Maybe I should have asked for help, but something in the back of my mind stopped me every time I picked up a phone to talk to them, hoping everything would workout in the end?

    If only that were true.

    In December, as happy families went shopping for Christmas, I would watch them from a shop entrance with only a thin blanket to keep me warm.  On over one occasion, I would cry under the blanket so no one could see me.  I was so ashamed.  How could things have got so bad?

A few days later, after the owner of the shop had told me to get lost because I stunk and also the customers had complained about me being there, the most wonderful thing happened.  It's hard to explain, but on a Tuesday I think, while the snow fell heavily and my blanket (with some cardboard which I had collected the day before) was saturated, a man approached me with a kind smile, and he said, "It's freezing, fella.  I can't have you staying out here tonight, especially on the Christmas holidays, as if anything happened to you I couldn't live with myself."

    I looked up at him and a tear came to my eye.  "Why would you help me, I could be anyone?" I replied.

    The man gently placed a hand on my shoulder, then said, "Come home with me, lad.  It'd be nice to have some company again after losing my Betty last year.  And there was me thinking I was going to spend Christmas on my own."  He laughed.

    There was something about him I trusted, so I took his hand.  At that moment a warmth was felt from deep down inside, and looking up at the heavens, I believed in angels again.


The End.

   

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