CHARITY CASE
'But why don't you just go home?' the Minister asked, as he always did, each time we turned up to eat the church's free food.
We sat in the shade of the pretty courtyard, around tables, dipping our two slices of bread into bowls of thick minestrone soup, hoping for seconds.
'We can't. We've run out of money and there's no work.'
'Can't you get your parents to help you? Have you no family? Friends back in the UK who would be prepared to loan you the fare home?'
We affected deafness and continued to scoff the soup and bread his church provided, hoping he'd go away and harangue one of the other tables. The soup was always fantastic. For afters they doled out an orange. It was only three times a week, but it helped.
Nick always refused to come with us to the soup kitchen; said he wouldn't demean himself by seeking charity. We didn't care. We were hungry and the food was free.
We sat in the shade of the pretty courtyard, around tables, dipping our two slices of bread into bowls of thick minestrone soup, hoping for seconds.
'We can't. We've run out of money and there's no work.'
'Can't you get your parents to help you? Have you no family? Friends back in the UK who would be prepared to loan you the fare home?'
We affected deafness and continued to scoff the soup and bread his church provided, hoping he'd go away and harangue one of the other tables. The soup was always fantastic. For afters they doled out an orange. It was only three times a week, but it helped.
Nick always refused to come with us to the soup kitchen; said he wouldn't demean himself by seeking charity. We didn't care. We were hungry and the food was free.