unshaved.

I was in the city today. Walking from the Oxfam shop to my car down hay street. I noticed a well dressed lady, presumably on her lunch break awkwardly stepping back from a conversation with a man. The man wasn’t well dressed, unshaved, obviously hadn’t had a shower recently. I was disgusted with my first reaction, to move to the opposite side of the walkway. I caught myself in this mindless reaction and then moved toward to the side closest to the gentleman.

He asked for some money - I only had change, so I stopped, gave him the change and then decided to have a conversation with him. Not long into the conversation he asked if I was Italian, to which I told him about my South African heritage. We talked for a little while about Cape Town, Table mountain and the cable cars. He told me his name please forgive me as I don’t remember it, possibly because it was a Jewish name. I told him my name, and told me he was a poor Jewish man, so he recognised it. We chatted a bit about the Old Testament and he rightfully corrected me and called it the Torah. He told me to remember one thing - that Jesus wasn’t a British man.

We wished each other well and ended the conversation, as I walked away it struck me - that I had just conversed with a poor Jewish man.

He kind of reminded me of another poor Jewish man.

I've never seen 'angels' - maybe i'm being presumptious, but I dont think I need to. My poor jewish friend is enough reality for me.

peace.

nh

peace.

nh