The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly very wealthy. ‘Leave me alone,’ he growled. The woman continued standing. ‘Are you hungry?’ she asked. ‘No,’ he answered sarcastically. ‘I’ve just come from dining with the President. Now go away.’ The woman smiled. Suddenly the man felt a hand under his arm. ‘What are you doing, lady?’ the man asked. ‘Leave me alone’. Just then a garda came up. ‘Is there any problem, ma’am?’ he asked. ‘No problem here,’ the woman answered. ‘I’m just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?’
The garda said, ‘That’s old Jack. He’s been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?’ ‘See that cafe over there?’ she asked. ‘I’m going to get him something to eat.’ ‘Are you crazy?’ Jack resisted. ‘I don’t want to go in there!’ Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. ‘Let me go.’ ‘This is a good deal for you, Jack,’ the garda answered. ‘Don’t blow it.’ Finally, the woman and the garda got Jack into the cafe and sat him at a table. The manager strode across the cafe and stood by his table.
‘What’s going on here?’ he asked. ‘Is this man in trouble?’ ‘This lady brought this man in here to be fed,’ the garda answered. ‘Not in here!’ the manager replied angrily. ‘Having a person like that here is bad for business.’ Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. ‘I told you so. Now let me go.’ The woman turned to the manager. ‘Sir, are you familiar with Scully and Associates, the Philanthropies company?’ ‘Of course I am,’ the manager answered. ‘They hold their weekly meetings here.’ ‘And do you make a large amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?’ ‘What business is that of yours?’ ‘I, sir, am Yeabsira Scully, CEO of the company.’ ‘Oh’, the manager said. ‘I thought that might make a difference’ She glanced at the garda who was busy stifling a giggle. ‘Would you like to join us in a cup of tea?’ ‘No thanks, ma’am,’ the garda replied. ‘I’m on duty.’ ‘Maybe a tea to go?’ ‘Yes, ma’am. That would be nice.’ The cafe manager said, ‘I’ll get your tea right away.’ ‘You put him in his place,’ the garda said. ‘That was not my intent. I have a reason for all this.’ She sat down with Jack. ‘Jack, do you remember me?’ Old Jack said, ‘I think so—you look familiar.’
‘I’m a little older perhaps,’ she said. ‘I came through that very door, cold and hungry.’ ‘Ma’am?’ the garda said questioningly. He couldn’t believe that such a woman could ever have been hungry. ‘I was just out of college,’ the woman began. ‘I had come to Galway city looking for a job, but found nothing. Finally I was down to my last few euros. I walked the streets for days. It was January and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat.’ Jack lit up with a smile. ‘Now I remember,’ he said. ‘I was serving. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy.’ ‘I know,’ the woman continued. ‘Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of tea, and told me to enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble.
Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right.’ ‘So you started your own business?’ Old Jack said. ‘I got a job that very day. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that prospered.’ She gave Jack her business card. ‘When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He’s my personnel director. I’ll go talk to him now and I’m certain he’ll find something for you to do.’ She smiled. ‘I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live. ‘If you ever need anything, my door is always open.’ There were tears in the old man’s eyes. ‘How can I ever thank you?’ he said. ‘Don’t thank me,’ the woman answered. ‘To God goes the glory. He led me to you.’ Outside the cafe, the garda and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. ‘Thank you for all your help,’ she said. ‘On the contrary, Ms. Scully,’ he answered. ‘Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And thank you for the tea.’
Thought for the Week
As your thought for the week, never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person’s life and remember what goes around, comes around!
