The man in the suit

So there he was, the man in the suit.  As ironed as ironed could be.  Neat, business like, ironed, straight, upright.  And then from across the road, came a man wearing crumpled clothes, messy hair, looking as if he needed a wash.  In his arms he carried a pile of "The Big Issue" magazines - sold by homeless people to make a few pence, a scheme started to give them power back in their lives, some dignity.  He walked up to the man in the suit and spoke a few words.  The man in the suit stopped walking, listened, hesitated a while and then shook his head and walked away.

The woman looked on.  I wonder what he said, she wondered.  As she looked at the man in the crumpled clothes, he caught her eye and began to make his way across to her.  Her heart felt nothing but compassion for him.  She would not judge him.  Underneath those clothes, the dirt on his face he was another human being just like her.

"Excuse miss, can I exchange a magazine for an egg and bacon sandwich please.  I'm so hungry."  The woman had no interest in the magazine but she felt his hunger.  She knew what it felt like to be hungry.  To walk around feeling weak with an empty stomach.  She had no choice but to say yes.  How could she walk away and leave this man hungry?  Even though she had precious little money herself, it felt right to buy him a sandwich.

The cafe was just there, right behind them and so they walked in and she ordered an egg and bacon sandwich for the man.  He looked so grateful.  "Thank you miss," he offered, "Have a good day."  She smiled, her heart warm with kindness for him.  "You too," she said, "Enjoy the sandwich," and she walked out of the cafe knowing that he would enjoy it, every single bite of it.  Hunger breeds appreciation.  She knew that.

And although she had little money, she felt rich.  Richer than the man in the suit who had more than enough money to spare.  Because she was living with her heart and the man in the suit, was living with money.  She doubted that he would enjoy his business lunch half as much as her friend in the crumpled clothes would enjoy his breakfast.