This morning
waiting outside my house at about 7.15 this morning, I was standing there in the cool morning air waiting for me sister to turn up and give us a lift to work. As I was standing there an aging man jumped out of a taxi and come over to have a chat to me.

I recognised him as a brother to one of my neighbours; a few doors up is a 57 year old man called Lawrence. Now Lawrence is completely homebound after years ago he had a gaul bladder op, which after a bizarre blood clot complication resulted in him suffering a massive stroke and being in a coma for months on end. After waking up again and going through all of rehab, he's now a shadow of his former self and relies upon the support of others every day. I haven't been living there long and didn't really know him myself, but I knew he was constantly being supervized. A few weeks back I saw his water overflow for his house pouring out of the front of his house one morning and you automatically fear the worst, so I went to investigate. He did answer but didn't realize that the water was pouring out of his house, so as he was unable to I organized the local council plumbers to come out and have a look for him. The next day his brother called around to my house and thanked me for checking, which was nice.

Anyhows, the brother had called over to see Lawrence this morning and we ended up yapping about what he's doing now, which is helping to maintain a care home for the council. He's handing in his retirement notice early (aiming for next January) as due to the new "Tag-team Government" they have decided to cut the already over-stretched department's budget and effectively stop funding to programs for recoving drug addicts and alcoholics. This coupled with the block on police expansion in the UK is just one of the many powder-kegs waiting to explode upon us, and he doesn't want to be a part of it when it happens.

So with that, he solemly says "Oh well, I've got to go, it's Lawrence's birthday today and I got him a cake" and whips out a small sponge cubcake with a single smartie and a candle sitting on top. "He can't have much as he's diabetic, but it'll cheer him up" and with that he said his goodbye and walked to Lawrence's door. After a quick light of the candle and a knock of the door Lawrence answered and was greeted with his brother singing "Happy Birthday" to him, and Lawrence was beaming.

Can't beat moments like that.
( Jeccius Steam Borderlands 2 junkie, Mon 9 Aug 2010, 8:35, Reply)