How fortunate we are

I got back to Lochgilphead mid afternoon after an enjoyable trip to Oban on West Coast Motors’ bus service 23 on Thursday June 18.

At the Red Cross shop on Lochnell Street, I came across a young man lying on the pavement. He was in a state of distress and said he was homeless. He said he had lost his benefits card which was vital to get him his benefits paid in cash from any bank next pay day.

I know what you are thinking, he was having me on. I played a small part in getting coffee and a pair of cheap canvas shoes and the owner of the Taj Mahal restaurant gave him a good meal.

We seniors have enjoyed free bus travel for many years and can access another four nonmeans tested benefits, but not for much longer. Together with the building trades and builders’ merchants, senior citizens have had it far too good for far too long.

Change is on the way. The destitute and rough sleepers among us are also fortunate when compared with the poor people in Dallas, Texas, and with the under classes in Washington DC and in the favellas in Rio de Janeiro, to name but three cities currently being devastated by the deadly coronavirus.

Here in north Britain we are where we are in the long battle against Covid-19. We continue to adopt, adapt and improve our coping strategy and for the most part we continue to act responsibly.

We all have our personal degrees of physical and mental wellness but no one in north Britain need be shoeless, homeless, hungry or lonely. How very, very fortunate we all are.

Duncan Iain MacDougall, Tarbert.