An Old Soldier...

[sandyRoe]

I opened the last of my Christmas presents yesterday. It was a book of photographs from the area where I used to live. It's called, The Falls by Vincent Dargen.
Leafing through it I came across a picture, a fuzzy snapshot , of a man called Bunny Rice. I wouldn't have recognised him but the caption brought back memories. He was a man barred from all the bars in the area. Loud and argumentative, he'd more often than not have a black eye or a split lip. He seemed to be nothing more than a crazy wino.
He joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers at the age of 15 and served during the First War in India and Turkey. He reenlisted and serves as an army medic during the evacuation at Dunkirk. He developed shell shock and was pensioned out.
I was only a schoolboy when I'd see him and I never gave him much thought. The book has served as a reminder that we can never tell what it is that brings people to be down and out.

[gness]

Serves to make us think, Sandy.

My daughter and I disagree about my attitude towards people begging in the street. While I'm not a soft touch I have, unlike her, been suddenly homeless through no fault of my own. Were it not for the kindness of almost strangers who knows where I would have ended up.

[bookbinder]

It's not always easy to judge a person by external appearance. We should try to see beyond the person's skin, and look at the person within.

[Dee Sa]

there is a saying that goes something like.... never judge anyone until you walk a mile in their shoes .....

[boxtops]

wow - thanks for sharing that, sandy. It's true, we don't know people's histories. This reminds me of that poem about the old man in the care home, who thinks back to his youthfulness and who he "used to be".

[Svejk]

You never can tell, can you.

[marval]

It does make you think, we don't know about people's personal Circumstances.

[whiskeryron]

// wow - thanks for sharing that, sandy. It's true, we don't know people's histories. This reminds me of that poem about the old man in the care home, who thinks back to his youthfulness and who he "used to be". //

boxtops is it possible for you to share a link to the poem you mention ?

WR.

[boxtops]

This is one site where it's posted, WR, there are others http://kraabel.tumblr.com/post/27651955273/when-an-old-man-died-in-the-geriatric-ward-of-a

[Tilly2]

When ever I see a beggar in the street, I always think to myself, 'They have a story to tell.' Do I stop and ask them what their story is?.....................no.

I do tend to drop a bit of loose change in their pot though.

[thejudderman]

When ever I see a beggar I always wonder how they can afford to feed a dog!!

[boxtops]

Sadly, round here, a lot of the people sleeping rough round here have been single ex-soldiers, who have no rights to accommodation or assistance when they come out of the Army, and have real difficulties adjusting to life outside the regiment.

[whiskeryron]

Thank you so much boxy, wonderful I am reading it through wet eyes.

WR.