A number of years ago, I was in an area of Edinburgh, which at that time was basically the haunt for down and outs. (It's now a very fashionable area to live or have an office. A flat in the 70s was going for about £1500. That same flat recently sold for £300,000).
I recall watching an old man, very dirty and seemingly incapable of standing, falling over in a central reservation. I recalled seeing that same man, a number of times in recent weeks. He was just another recruit to the Grassmarket. It's the sort of thing which happened every so often.
Then these two Salvation Army types, a man and a woman went over to him to talk. They helped him sit up. I recall thinking they were probably new. That sort of fellow will suck them dry. Anything you give to that will go in booze.
It was much later, I saw them escorting this old man into a cafe. He was a bit cleaned up by this time. Looking a bit more confident. But the cafe owner clearly knew he was a down and out and went over to stop him coming in. The Salvation Army woman, mover herself infront of the old man.
I didn't hang around to see what happened next. But that made me think. That old man is human. He is clearly in distress. He clearly needs someone to turn to. There but for the grace of God...
