I saw him leave the place, “surrounded” by two excited boys. I said “Hello”, walking in as he walked out.

I heard him shout after them as they jumped a small wall: “If you two don’t behave, you won’t be allowed back tomorrow!” They immediately fell in beside him, then walked, soberly, out of sight. How long their good behaviour lasted was anybody’s guess. Youthful high spirits, it seemed to me.

So, what was this place that was to inspire them to behave just so they could return the next day? The local warm-bank, a place for those who needed help with heating, food, company, etc. It breaks my heart that such places are needed, but I offer all my thanks and appreciation to the staff and volunteers who make them places devoid of shame and stigma, places children would feel it was worth curbing their excitement just to get back to.

They’d been friends, but a series of resentments had created a lot of distance between them.

Nate decided he needed to take this other fellow on. Today was the day he’d have his say, and there would be no going back from it!

Then he logged into social media and saw the other man’s wife wish him a happy birthday. “It reminded me of two things,” he told me. “This man I was working towards hating, was loved by his family. And... everyone deserves a nice day on their birthday!”

So, Nate bought a card and delivered a gift. This led to an invite to have coffee together. “One chat let to another, we got a lot sorted out...and we are still friends, which I wouldn’t have thought possible!”

It’s a levelling, humanising, thought, isn’t it, that even our “enemies” still want to feel loved on their birthdays?