A friend of mine, Allen, wanted to drop off a New Year cake to an elderly man who lives alone, and so I went with him. I had met the elderly man before, briefly, and during that short meeting I could read from behind his stoic exterior he was deeply unhappy. When he answered the door and was presented with the cake, his face brightened. He waved us in from the wintery weather.
His home was tastefully furnished and immaculate, but it appeared unlived in. Unloved in. Cold as the inside of a tomb. He switched on the electric fireplace and the livingroom still felt like death.
Our chat was short but revealing. He reluctantly admitted to spending Christmas alone, with only his cat as company. His wife of 42 years had run off with another man a few seasons ago, breaking a heart which already suffered three strokes. His children, now adults with children of their own, had vacationed elsewhere for the holidays. New Years Eve was likewise “spent quietly”, he confessed.
Allen’s questions regarding his health also revealed a need for transportation to an out-of-town hospital for crucial blood tests. The elderly man’s weakened condition had confined him to his home. Driving a vehicle was out of the question. His strength was spent in merely existing. Not to exist for himself, but for the benefit of his cat and friend of 18 years. The cat was too old for change now. He couldn’t leave it to fend for itself.
Allen assured him a ride to his doctor’s appointment, free of charge, and offered a few words of encouragement. And as we waved goodbye and walked towards the car on that crisp January afternoon, I realised Allen was a true superhero - a guardian angel in the flesh who committed himself to watch over someone in quiet, desperate need.
Next month Allen will visit again, if only to make sure he’s ok and let him know he’s not forgotten.
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