my friend john

i had a fantastic experience today! i bumped into an old friend on northcote road. his name is john and i met him about 5 years ago when he was begging outside sainsbury's on queenstown road. i am always deeply suspicious of beggars and tramps, and usually scurry past without giving them anything. i try to at least acknowledge their presence, but i don't give them any money. i don't know why john was different, but he was. i bought him some food at sainsbury's, and sat on the street chatting with him for quite a while. for about a year i saw him every couple of months. he was intelligent and articulate - although he had obviously had a rough time. he said he had run away from glasgow because he was the main witness in a murder trial, and the family of the convicted man had threatened to kill him. i think i am a pretty good judge of character (this is something i have inherited from my mum), and i instinctively liked him and wanted to trust him. he was open and honest about his lifestyle and why he was on the streets. the last time i saw him (about 4 years ago in brixton) he had very bad infected sores on his legs (caused by circulatory problems - a side effect of drink and drug abuse). it had been so long since i saw him that i began to think he had probably died (he had been mugged several times and stabbed a couple of times). i still thought of him often and said a prayer now and again.

anyway, today i was buying myself some lunch in starbucks and as i took it outside i saw a trampy guy begging at the tables. of course i thought "oh no, i wonder how i can avoid giving him some money" when he looked at me and we recognised each other. what was so fantastic was that he immediately said "hi suzy" and gave me a big (smelly) hug. i was so bowled over that he remembered my name after all these years. i gave him half my lunch and we chatted for about an hour. he said he has been thinking of me often these past few months, and he remembers all the things i did for him all those years ago (most notably i bought him a book that i thought he'd enjoy, although it pretty much immediately got stolen in the hostel).

his leg is pretty much healed - he narrowly escaped having an amputation. unfortunately he has been diagnosed with hiv, and doctors have refused to prescribe the medication he needs until he is more stable. it seems unlikely he will ever be more stable, as he has been in and out of hostels for years.

i asked him if he needed anything and ended up giving him a reasonable amount of money. i don't know if he will spend it on what he said he would (he needs to pick up some prescription glasses for reading), but i guess i have to allow him the dignity to spend it as he wants or needs.

if you are the praying kind, i would be so grateful if you could say a prayer for him. my prayer would be that he gets off methedone, as last time he did his overall health improved loads. obviously i hope his hiv does not develop into aids. but ultimately i pray that he would find a way of living with dignity and hope.