Francis Gay

PERHAPS she didn’t visit the supermarket often. Perhaps she didn’t read the signs.

As we both left she phoned someone and I heard her say: “They’ve moved everything around. I don’t like it – I won’t be back!”

As a more regular visitor, I knew the supermarket was in the midst of a planned renovation and would soon be back to normal.

Of course, if she never came back, she’d never know that.

She was in a hurry and I missed my opportunity to teach her something, so I took it as a lesson for myself – never to judge people on one meeting.

For all I know they might be in the midst of a renovation, or an upheaval, and what I’m seeing isn’t how they normally are. WHAT was I to do? The woman at the bus stop had just told someone: “It’s just terrible when there’s no one to help.”

She looked to be in her early 90s, and frail. Surely she shouldn’t be without help! How could I walk away? So I introduced myself, asked where she lived and suggested she might allow me to be of some assistance to her. I didn’t expect her to laugh. Then she explained her neighbour had just moved into assisted living accommodation. Everyone else she knew was hale and hearty... so she had no one to help.

I apologised profusely, agreeing that it was indeed a terrible thing having no one to help. Thankfully, I knew someone in her area who could do with an occasional visitor. Such spirit!