The Hero

An older homeless man sits at a bus station; in his late 60s, frail of body, and hungry, he has little chance of finding work.

He asks passerby's for spare money; he has garnered little more than a dollar. With a little more, he might be able to buy a good meal at a fast food restaurant: the only food he'll have for days.

A tall man hurries to the bus stop, hair a mess, the buttons on his shirt done up haphazardly.... He reachs the bus stop and quickly rummages in his pocket for his wallet for bus money.

The homeless man looks at him hopefully. "Sir, could you spare a dollar?"

The man's face turns sad when he looks to the elder. "I would sir, but I don't even have enough money for the bus to the hospital." Anguished, he mutters about leaving his wallet at home, as he takes out his phone and makes a call, impatiently waiting for the other to pick up.

"Hello? Hey! I need a ride to the hospital, her water just broke!" a pause; his visage becomes desperate, "C-can't you ask your boss?!"

After a minute of talking back and forth, he hangs up with a sigh, sitting on the bench hard, head in his hands.

The homeless man looks at the man; a boy, really, in his early twenties. The older man pulls out his money: some pennies, three quarters, a nickle and some dimes.

He taps the tall man's shoulder, who looks up to see the coins in the old man's palm.

"It's all I have; is it enough for the bus?"

The tall man stares at the money, almost looking through it in confusion. After a moment it begin to sink in.

"You... You'd let me have it?" The man's hope, however, turns solemn after a moment, "No, it's all you have, I couldn't...-"

The homeless man thrusts it forward with a smile, "Don't worry: you need it more than me. Go, be with your girl. Meet your child."

A bright smile lights up the man's face, and in a rush he jumps up and hugs the old man tightly. "Thank you, sir, THANK YOU!"

The bus pulls up with a creak, and the tall man hastily boards, his voice loud for all to hear.

"I'm going to be a father!"

A week passes.

The older homeless man sits at the bus station, resting his head back as people pass. He ended up getting a few good meals some days back. Although he was hungry, he felt good. He wasn't sure why, but he did. Placing his arms behind his head, he closed his eyes happily.

"Excuse me?"

The old man opens his eyes, and sees a tall man - well groomed, with a sense of pride and contentness in his bearing - holding his beautiful wife around the waist. In her arms is a wrapped bundle that moves occasionally.

"Honey, this is the man I told you about," the tall man says happily, smiling to her. He strides over to sit next to the old man, who had just recognized the tall, young man.

"Because of you, I made it just in time to see my daughter born. It was the most amazing thing someone has ever done for me... Thank you."

The old man smiles and nods his welcome, not able to think of a reply. The lady comes over gracefully and sits next to her husband, and the homeless man can see the baby: a beautiful baby girl, with bright green eyes that regarded everything around her.

They talk for a while, and eventually they say their goodbyes. As they leave, the tall man pulls out an envelope and hands it to the older man.

"Here," the tall man says with a smile, "you need it more than me."

The homeless man takes it slowly, and the young man smiles and makes a final farewell gesture before joining his wife and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. For a while after they leave, the old man stares curiously at the envelope, before finally opening it.

His eyes widen. Inside is a bundle of money, wrapped in a rubberband. $1000.

The moral of this story:

Heroes can come from anywhere: the high or low, the East or West, the young or old, the strong or weak. IT matters not their upbringing, nor their wealth or skills. All it takes is good will, and a little sacrifice for those who need it more than you.