Just before Christmas, I was outside of Joe’s Restaurant & Lounge on Wallace Street writing a note on the trash container when a man eating inside saw me and came outside to offer me $20.
He and his wife were travellers stopping for lunch.
I sure could have used it, but convinced him there were people not as well off as myself and asked him to save for someone needy.
A week later, I was speaking with some artists at the Blue Moose.
After a nice chat, a man asked me if I believed in God and I said yes.
He shoved a $50 bill into my hand and would not take it back, or accept an expensive Bradford Exchange plate in return.
So what could I do but split the $50 and give each half to two people here who have very little but do make efforts to work. They in turn were so thankful that they split the money with other people who were ill or injured.
I can’t find superlatives enough to describe the love and kindness in downtown Hope we seldom notice. I would suggest people say hello to everyone on the street and be ready to assist confused tourists.
Vinny Morris