The Station Beggar

Sitting huddled in a worn out blanket
On the steps of the railway station
His faithful dog by his side
Dirty and unkempt both dog and man.

Ignored by most of the
Travellers
Going up or down the steps
Despite his pleas.

For some change
For a cuppa
His old flat cap
Lies on the ground.

Beside him
Practically empty as usual
As no one is caring
Of his plight.

Some cruel jibes and occasional violence
Often from young men
Like get up and get a job
The same as we have to.

Stop being a lazy
Good for nothing
And get yourself cleaned up
You`re a disgrace.

What most people
Don`t realise is
That the old man is ailing
And is disabled from an old war wound.

But even if people
Realise that
They don`t care and continue walking
So his words fall continually on deaf ears.

His pleas greet the arrival
Of every train
Many are regular travellers
And are fed up with the beggar.

He has been moved on
Repeatedly
By the transport police
Saying he`s a public nuisance and is.

Causing an obstruction
If he moves from away from
The station steps
Onto the pavement.

He gets the same treatment
From the civil police
He seldom gets more than
A few pounds each day.

Occasionally someone
Usually a stranger to town will drop
A note in his upturned cap
Sometimes a fiver and very rarely a ten or even a twenty.

That at least enables him
To get a hot meal
Somewhere that doesn`t mind his presence
Despite his appearance and odour.

In the average week
He probably gets a maximum
Of two hot meals
Some mugs of tea and maybe a beer or two.

He won`t survive another winter
As he is already in failing health
And the cold and damp
Only worsens his condition.

One day a man crouches down
Beside him
He is from the Salvation Army
And persuades him.

To relinquish his spot
On the steps
And to o with him to a hostel
Where he will get hot food a bath and some better clothes.

He might be allowed
To remain there
For a week or so
During the coldest weather.

Then unless something else
Comes along
It`ll be back to
The station steps.

The town`s social services
Have got involved finally
So he might yet get a
A permanent place to live and to end.

His lonely and unhealthy
Lifestyle
On the streets or steps
That may well save his life.