Day 42 - Neighbour Lou

I drove past my neighbour’s “boyfriend”, Lou. He stood at the bus stop, next to his pull cart. He wore a light jacket, trousers, and shoes. My neighbour is eighty; I don’t know how old Lou is, but he has several health concerns, including diabetes.

I pulled over, “Where are you going?”

“It’s okay,” he said in his heavy accent, “I have the bus pass.” He held out his wallet and showed it to me.

“Well, I’m going to Dalhousie station, do you want me to drop you off at the train station?” I asked.

“No, I’m okay. The bus pass is really good. It only costs $15.00 a year,” he said.

“Wow, that’s a good deal. But, I am going right by . . .”

He waved me off, like a car doing the final lap in a stock car race. I said goodbye, and pulled away, inspired by his determination to build his life around what was possible. 

On the same day, I asked my oldest daughter to go on a walk with me. 

“Are you kidding!” she said. “It’s freezing outside.”

“It’s three degrees,” (Celsius) I said.

“Exactly,” she said.

Sometimes it feels like those with less, have more.