Dear Anonymous,
A topsy turvy world. Reason and logic don't necessarily live out here.
'They won't give me anything for my pain!' one man moans. He's angry. The hospital says it's from his drinking.
Would you like a coffee card?
Yes. Lovely.
For the young man who I apparently gave an unactivated gift card to last week,I was pleased to discover you walking in the snow. Able to give you an activated one. Were you surprised? Maybe. Doesn't matter. There will be hot coffee. And I heard your gratitude.
Would you like a pair of socks? Sometimes the question is too much. They struggle to answer. Unable to reach through slurs and thick voices, foggy brains. Doesn't matter. There are socks. Nice, long thermal socks, thank you Dear Anonymous.
They certainly notice the great quality.
'Hey, do you have any garbage bags?' someone asks.
Yes. They use them like ponchos over their backpacks. Crafting plastic capes to prevent the heavy wet snow from penetrating their coats.
I leave Mike with a backpack filled with terrific winter coats for kids, some hats too. Another bag filled with coloring books, crayons and legos all donated.
Maybe in the exchanges that will take place someones day will be made just a bit more bearable.